December 2024 Newsletter

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

During this very special time of year we want to start by wishing everyone a happy, healthy, and peaceful holiday season. We also want to share our deep appreciation for those who offered us support this past year. Whether it was an intellectual or financial contribution or your time, effort, and kindness—this is a team effort, and we are so glad to have you on our team!

As the busy holiday season continues, we wanted to share this elementary comparison of offshore wind development to a holiday party. Perhaps it will come in handy when trying to offer—with humor—one reason to support the end of the offshore wind development off of Rhode Island and Massachusetts when explaining your passion to others!

Please consider this: The current offshore wind development off Rhode Island and Massachusetts lacks a comprehensive cumulative impact study. It's like going to a holiday party, asking for one cookie or one drink nine times, and assuming it won't add up to the same impact as consuming all of that at once. Similarly, none of the Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) account for the potential effects of a turbine blade failure. It’s like indulging in an entire cheesecake or drinking a liter of vodka when you hadn’t planned to—the cumulative effects add up, but they’re completely ignored in the planning.

Important Legal Update

Aquinnah Tribe Joins our Federal Lawsuit

The Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) has joined our lawsuit by submitting declarations in federal district court in Washington, D.C.

Tribal Chairwoman Cheryl Andrews-Maltais revealed in her declaration that the tribe has suffered as the result of the government’s actions approving Revolution Wind. The Gay Head Cliffs, one of their Sacred Sites and a National Natural Landmark listed on the National Register, and the waters off those shores contain ancient submerged archeological resources and potential burial sites that are being destroyed by the construction of the project. Andrews-Maltais declaration notes that the Aquinnah Cliffs are sacred to the tribe, and that the turbines already under construction by Revolution Wind have “forever desecrated these views.”

Tribe member Captain William (“Buddy”) Vanderhoop, a 38-year charter boat captain, filed a similar declaration, stating that the Revolution Wind project is “destroying these historic, culturally sacred viewsheds.” Vanderhoop’s declaration also stated that fishing grounds in the area have not been as productive as previous years since construction on the project began, and that he worries about his business as a result. “Revolution Wind’s surveying activity, pile driving, and construction have driven fish away,” Vanderhoop said.

We are grateful to the Aquinnah Tribe for providing these powerful declarations and supporting this litigation. Please read and learn more about this important update at the following links:

• Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) Supports Green Oceans Lawsuit Against Revolution Wind
  Business Wire

• Aquinnah Tribe Supports Wind Lawsuit
  MV Times

• Green Oceans Video Interview with Chairwoman Cheryl Andrews-Maltais

• Green Oceans Video Interview with Captain William (“Buddy”) Vanderhoop

Other Legal News

Click here to read about the recent success of The Osage Tribe! A powerful ruling that sets precedent for removal of existing turbines. With a predicted cost of $300 million for their removal, this is yet another example of the importance of having decommissioning monies in place for every project.

Looking Ahead

IT’S A WRAP—ALMOST! Please Consider Donating to Fund Our Legal Expenses

We are within striking distance of meeting our 2024 fundraising. Can you help take us over the finish line? No gift is too small!

Green Oceans has been focusing on a year-end giving campaign to fund our mounting legal expenses. Donations to our 501(c)(3) non-profit organization are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by law. Please donate by clicking here.

Making a donation to Green Oceans will greatly improve our chances of halting offshore wind construction in our area. In turn, the ripple effect from our success could provide enough hope and traction for the same goal to be achieved with other offshore wind projects that pose a real threat to the environment and thus, our quality of life.

Other Ways to Donate

• Mail a check to:
  Green Oceans
  P.O. Box 976
  Little Compton, RI 02837

• Contact us at info@green-oceans.org for alternative methods such as Donor Advised Fund (DAF), Wire or Stock Transfer.

Recent Developments

Second Helpings of the Westport Offshore Wind Advisory Committee

There was standing room only at the second meeting of the Westport Offshore Wind Advisory Committee (OSWAC) on December 12th. Multiple state officials came to the Westport Town Hall from Boston to speak about offshore wind development after the advisory committee’s chair, Jake McGuigan contacted the Mass Department of Energy Resources (DOER) to see if someone could attend the meeting to give an overview of the department’s purview specific to offshore wind development, including onshore transmission corridor construction.

Johannes Buchanan, Assistant Secretary for Government Relations, Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA), responded to Jake to say the State would send someone down from the Executive Office of the EEA. Six attended:

• Michael Judge, Undersecretary for Energy, Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs

• Alison Brizius, Assistant Secretary, Coastal Zone Management

• Lisa Engler Berry, Deputy Managing Director, Massachusetts Clean Energy Center

• Andrew Greene, Energy Facilities Siting Board

• Dan McKeirnan, Director, Department of Marine Fisheries

• Johannes Buchanan, Assistant Secretary for Government Relations

By all accounts, these state officials returned to Boston knowing, without a doubt, that there is a lot of opposition to offshore wind development in Westport.

You can watch the video recording of the meeting here.

Deadlines and Redlines: Comment Submissions

CAN YOU SPARE 10 MINUTES to send a powerful message by email? Please submit your comments regarding SouthCoast Wind’s request of laying of 20+ miles of high voltage, EMF emitting cables through the Rhode Island Sound, down the Sakonnet River, across Portsmouth and through the Mount Hope Bay to ultimately land in Somerset, MA. Comments are due by December 28th. THIS IS IMPORTANT! Don't let your local waters continue to be an experiment!

Write today to the following addresses, and read below what you might say.

• Email your comments to: cstaff1@crmc.ri.gov with the subject: Permit File Number: 2023-02-090 Application for SouthCoast Wind Energy LLC – State of Rhode Island Assent and Freshwater Wetlands Permit
  OR

• Mail via USPS to:
  Coastal Resources Management Council; O. S. Government Center
  Attn: Permit Application Review
  4808 Tower Hill Road, Rm 116
  Wakefield, RI
  02879

There are many concerns regarding this cable laying route. Perhaps the most compelling is that the government agencies charged with approving these permits have concluded that more studies are needed. Below are some links to studies regarding the potential impacts of these types of cables:

• The Effects of Anthropogenic Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) on the Early Development of Two Commercially Important Crustaceans, European Lobster, Homarus gammarus (L.) and Edible Crab, Cancer pagurus (L.)

• A review of potential impacts of submarine power cables on the marine environment: Knowledge gaps, recommendations and future directions

Noise? Not on Our Watch, Unless it’s Santa’s Sleigh….

At a meeting on December 9th, the Portsmouth Town Council discussed SouthCoast Wind Energy’s request for a noise variance during work to install underground transmission lines through sections of Portsmouth, which included opportunity for public comments. Many spoke out in opposition to the variance, stating that allowing SouthCoast Wind to extend their working noise into the nighttime hours when residents are expecting to sleep, is unacceptable.

Thank you to everyone who wrote to the council, spoke at the meeting, or otherwise voiced their concerns about the request. In a 6-1 unofficial vote, the new Town Council strongly suggested that the R.I. Energy Facility Siting Board (EFSB) reject SouthCoast Wind Energy’s request.

While there were many compelling arguments made, the most poignant was that SouthCoast Wind had committed to being a good neighbor in their 18-page host community agreement with Portsmouth. Whether it's a late-night party or an all-night construction project, good neighbors know when to draw the line—and this just wasn’t it!

Thank you again to everyone who made their voices heard, and influenced the situation!

Helpful Information

Reduce your Holiday Carbon Footprint

While many of you (hopefully!) have already completed the bulk of your holiday gifting–there are still ways to reduce your carbon footprint, everyday! Consider gifting experiences over products. Tickets to a show or a class such as: cooking, art, calligraphy or floral design are thoughtful choices. If you do buy gifts, choose sustainable ones such as items made from sustainable materials, recycled products, organic cotton, or those from companies with ethical practices or that are local and don't require shipping and the associated packaging.

Fun Fact

The concept of a year is rooted in nature. A year measures the Earth’s journey around the sun, marking the passage of time we use in daily life— from age to education to politics. Similarly, a day is tied to the Earth’s spin on its axis. As we approach the winter solstice, the longest night of the year, it’s a reminder that these natural cycles shape our understanding of time.

Thank You to Our Supporters!

Green Oceans is a broad coalition of citizens who are committed to protecting and preserving our coastal waters. Whether you have made a financial contribution, volunteered, helped spread awareness about our mission, attended a seminar, or posted a yard sign—we thank you for your support!

As Alexander Solzhenitsyn said, “The simple step for a courageous individual, is not to take part in the lie.”

Onward,

Lisa, Bill, Bryan, Charlotte, Barbara, Katie, and the Green Oceans Team

Ways to Get Involved

Sign Our Petition

We now have over 3,000 signatures from 30 States and nine countries, but we need more! Please distribute the link to family, neighbors, and friends to help gather more signatures.

Volunteer

We value your skills! Sign up for our volunteer directory.

Host a Zoom Presentation

The Green Oceans team often holds small, focus-group presentations. Please consider hosting a Zoom to inform your neighbors and friends.

Post a Yard Sign

Supporters have requested over 500 yard signs.

About Green Oceans

Green Oceans is a non-partisan, grassroots group of community members dedicated to preserving the health of the ocean and the biodiversity it sustains founded in January 2023.We strive to protect the ocean by informing the public about imminent threats, including the impact of offshore wind on the marine ecosystem.

Learn More

Visit our website, follow us on social media, or contact us directly via email for more information.