Offshore wind energy: Wind farm in New England wins key approval

Vineyard Wind plans an 84 wind turbinet, 800-megawatt wind farm about 14 miles south of the Massachusetts island.
A proposed $2 billion wind farm planned for federal waters off Martha’s Vineyard has received key approval from Rhode Island regulators.

The Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council in a unanimous vote Tuesday determined that the wind power project is consistent with state policies.

The project was approved despite opposition from commercial fishermen, who say their livelihood is being destroyed because they would effectively be blocked from accessing productive fishing grounds.

But the Fishermen’s Advisory Board, which advises the council on fishing issues, accepted a package from Vineyard Wind that includes the creation of two funds totalling almost $17 million to compensate the fishing industry.

The project still needs approval from Massachusetts regulators.