Stop Offshore Wind Approvals After MA Turbine Failure, LBI Group Says

LONG BEACH ISLAND, NJ — After a wind turbine blade became detached and fell into the ocean in Massachusetts, offshore wind opponents in New Jersey are calling for a moratorium on further project approvals.

The blade fell off last week from the Vineyard Wind farm, sending fiberglass shards into the ocean and nearby coastal areas. Read more: Cleanup Continues On Nantucket After Wind Turbine Blade Detachment

Save Long Beach Island, a local group of offshore wind opponents, are now calling for an immediate moratorium on all new and revised Board of Public Utilities (BPU) awards for New Jersey offshore wind-turbine projects, the organization announced in a news release.

“The incident is a stark reminder of the many potential disasters offshore wind turbines can pose to the shore and the marine environment, and adds to the concerns already raised regarding turbine visibility, reduced breeze, and airborne noise,” said Bob Stern, president and a founder of Save LBI.

Part of Save LBI's concern is that Vineyard Wind, with 62 turbines, is substantially smaller than the recently-approved Atlantic Shores South project, which would put up to 195 turbines off the coast between LBI and Atlantic City. Read more: Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Would Be 'Destructive,' Opponents Say

Stern said that a moratorium is necessary to “thoroughly address several critical issues not
sufficiently analyzed in the Atlantic Shores South project's final environmental impact statement.” That project is currently seeking a revised BPU approval. These issues include quantifying the risk of turbine component failures, assessing debris travel patterns and impacts to the shore and marine life and ensuring effective communications and clean-up mechanisms are in place, according to Save LBI.

The debris from the Vineyard Wind failure cause some beaches in the Cape Cod area to be closed. Officials said that “the fiberglass fragments are not hazardous to people or the environment.” However, they also said that members of the public should avoid handling debris and recommended using gloves if handling was necessary.

While the wind farm's officials are working to clean up the debris, Save LBI said that they are concerned about the impact it could have already had on Nantucket residents.

“The incident also leaves open the question of whether all those small shards of fiberglass can be adequately removed from the beach,” Stern said.

It's also not the first time a wind turbine built by GE Vernova came apart, according to a Reuters report, which cited several instances of blade failures. A single blade on the same model of turbine was damaged at an offshore wind farm in England, Reuters reported.