Massachusetts New Commissions To Fix Offshore Wind

The first commission to review clean energy siting and permitting.

The second commission is made up of an interagency council focused on offshore wind development.

The new commission will consider communities’ input on the siting and permitting of clean energy infrastructure.

State agencies, local municipalities, utility companies, environmental justice communities, and clean energy developers along with real estate interest will be represented on the commission.

One major issue for the creation of new commissions is the East Boston electric substation that took eight years to permit over local residents' objections over environmental issues. A substation has been proposed in Falmouth.

Falmouth a residential and famous vacation destination with a large retirement community is facing having buried offshore wind cables through parks with ratings higher than the old Pilgrim nuke plan at 680 megawatts. Wind developers also want to place a six-acre electric substation in the vicinity of the town aquifer. A majority of residents are against the project over environmental issues.

The Massachusetts offshore wind company put the Falmouth project on hold at the Massachusetts Energy Facility Siting Board.

Portsmouth, Rhode Island residents have been completely kept in the dark over cable landings from the Massachusetts offshore wind company trying to get power to Fall River. Offshore wind needs a path through Portsmouth.

The same Massachusetts offshore wind company since last year put this project on hold at the Rhode Island Energy Facility Siting Board.

The Portsmouth residents have been demanding information from their Town Council and refuse to put them on the agenda to ask questions. In Rhode Island, the Town Council is the same as a Select Board.

Both Falmouth Ma. and Portsmouth RI. have had major land-based wind turbine failures in the past.

One major wind company now wants to back out of a contract approved by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities and another is finding it much harder to finance.

The Massachusetts Commission will be instructed to make recommendations on administrative, regulatory, and legislative changes to existing permitting and siting procedures before the end of the year.