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We are non-partisan and self funded. We are committed to the transition to a clean energy environment.

However, the scope of the proposal to site 10 GW of offshore wind turbines off ocean beaches and nearshore uplands of Cape Cod National Seashore (CCNS) where most would be visible from shore day and night, is so far reaching that it will have a very material impact on the ways of lives and the economy on Cape Cod that we have serious concerns about the Proposed Lease Sale the Bureau of Oceans Management (BOEM) plans to move forward with on October 29, 2024.

We have unanswered questions and concerns regarding but not limited to adverse impacts to the following topics:

• tourism which is the economic driver of Cape Cod; loss of quality of life for people living in the Seashore towns, tourists who visit and future generations; loss of mental health and physical health benefits of our national seashore;
• transmission and power cables brought onshore including associated costs of perhaps 8 billion dollars or more passed on to the electric consumers both individuals and businesses; the overall cost of electricity especially given the fact that Barnstable County currently pays some of the highest rates in the nation and although other wind turbine installations initially promised low rates, the final cost to the Massachusetts consumer and industry will not be what was initially promised;
• loss of the view shed of the Cape Cod National Seashore (CCNS) which is in violation of Federal Statutes. The 1916 Organic Act and core to all National Parks as well as the Foundation Document of CCNS; the dark night sky would also be lost;
• powerful 16MW or 18MW wind turbines at the skyscraper height of almost 1,200 feet high or 84 stories high; noise which includes audible, low frequency noise (LFN) and infrasound which has adverse health impacts to people and animals; lack of research; untested technology at scale proposed;
• whales and other marine mammals as shown by BOEM maps are using the lease area; birds as shown by BOEM maps are in high use of the area; fish, which are shown to die and be impacted by LFN; bats, which die near wind turbines; other forms of life; preserving and protecting ecosystems and biodiversity as well as endangered species; water pooling;
• commercial and recreational fishing; surfing; kyaking; boating; shipping lanes; unexploded ordinances;
• Indigenous People; National Historic landmarks including the Nauset Archaeological District; and the 25 historic sites within CCNS listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

We respectfully request detailed answers to the questions, concerns and topics posed. We also ask that answers to the topics and other questions from those just learning about this project are satisfactory prior to next steps being taken.

We also ask BOEM, prior to moving forward, conduct several public and very well publicized meetings on Cape Cod and specifically the Outer Cape, in Provincetown, Truro, Wellfleet, Eastham, or Orleans where the CCNS is located and where the the majority of the lease areas are proposed off of the ocean beaches.

Most of the residents of Cape Cod are unaware of this Proposed Lease Sale on October 29, 2024.

We ask that BOEM halt any next steps until the above action steps are completed.

Given the minimal impacts to climate change overall according to BOEM documents about offshore wind, it is important to receive justification for a technology that has the potential for large scale destruction when there are other responsible solutions.

We support a balanced approach in combatting climate change and are committed to the transition to a clean energy environment. We do not want to support destroying the environment in order to save it.

IN LETTERS TO THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR, CAPE COD ELECTED OFFICIALS CALLED FOR A HALT OF THE LEASE SALE OFF OF CAPE COD NATIONAL SEASHORE ON OCTOBER 29,2024:

1. Stop the process from moving to the next steps of a lease sale and instead implement a hard reset of the clock to the 2019 planning stages.
2. Prior to any lease sale, the required Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PIES) must be conducted with full review and comment period for the Gulf of Maine WEA.
3. A socio-economic impact study, along with biophysical impact, needs to completed in advance of leasing any Gulf of Maine projects.

The Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates, the legislative branch of County Government representing all 15 towns in the county sent a letter to the Secretary of the Interior on 8/30/24. “The Assembly of Delegates, as elected officials, are members of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Gulf of Maine Offshore Wind Task Force and should have been informed of our role as far back as 2019. As we were not included in the earlier discussions, we ask you to stop the process from moving to the next steps of a lease sale and instead implement a hard reset of the clock to the 2019 planning stages, thus giving all elected officials in Barnstable County the chance to serve as Task Force members. It would then allow us to hold meetings with robust public participation.”

The Mission Statement of BOEM was not followed. BOEM stated all elected officials are part of their Task Force. All elected officials in possibly impacted areas were to be informed, invited to meetings, asked to offer advise and engaged in public comment periods. At least five public comment periods were held during the planning five years. There were 100 meetings held during the planning stages for five years prior to their first public meeting held in Barnstable County on 7/17/24; the 101st meeting. Public engagement is also part of the BOEM mission and not followed.

Click to learn who the Assembly Delegates are

The Cape and Islands Municipal Leaders Association (CIMLA), membership of 105 elected officials, represents the twenty-two municipalities of Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket sent a letter to the Secretary of the Interior on 7/22/24 asking for the next two action steps to be taken. “Potential impacts to resources may include…impacts on air quality, bats, benthic habitat, birds, essential fish habitat, invertebrates, finfish, marine mammals, terrestrial and coastal habitats and fauna, sea turtles, wetlands and other waters of the United States, commercial fisheries and recreational fishing, cultural resources, demographics, employment, economics, environmental justice, land use and coastal infrastructure, navigation and vessel traffic, other marine uses, recreation and tourism, and scenic and visual resources.”

Learn more about CIMLA here.

FURTHERMORE, THE FOLLOWING HAVE WRITTEN COMMENT LETTERS TO BOEM EXPRESSING CONCERN:
Cape and Islands Municipal Leaders Association
Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates
National Parks Conservation Association
Selectboards in the CCNS towns
Individual Select Board members
Individual Assembly Delegates
The National Park Service
The Cape Cod Commission

DID YOU KNOW?
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has been working on a plan to site wind turbines off of Cape Cod National Seashore ocean beaches since 2019?

Elected County Officials didn’t either and they are members of the BOEM Task Force and should have been informed, involved in the process of advising, attending meetings and commenting since 2019. BOEM stated they did NOT inform the Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates (Barnstable County’s Legislative Branch). One of the delegates found out by chance.

How could the public have known about the project if Task Force members didn’t even know about the 10 GW of wind turbines planned for off of a National Seashore, most being visible from shore day/and or night from Provincetown to Chatham?

According to BOEM staff at the 5/31/24 Task Force Meeting, ALL OF THE WIND TURBINES would be visible day and night in lease areas OCS-A 0564, OCS-A 0567 and OCS-A 0568. In lease areas OCS-A 0565 and OCS-A 0569 wind turbines would be visible day and/or night. In lease area OCS-A 0566 one wonders if wind turbines would be visible at night.

MORE BOEM INFORMATION:
More information about the plan to lease over one million acres of our ocean for wind turbine development along our Cape Cod National Seashore ocean beaches.
Recordings of meetings held recently by BOEM, including slides and public comments:

• Gulf of Maine Task Force Meeting (May 31, 2024)
• Gulf of Maine Proposed Sale Notice Public Meetings (May – June 2024)
• Gulf of Maine Draft Wind Energy Area Public Meetings (November 2023)
• Gulf of Maine Meetings for the Fishing Community (July 2023)
• Gulf of Maine Task Force Meeting (May 10-11, 2023)
• Gulf of Maine Draft Call Area Engagement Meetings (January 2023)
• Gulf of Maine Task Force Meeting (May 19, 2022)
• Gulf of Maine Task Force Meeting (Dec. 12, 2019)

Additional BOEM Information Here

Letters submitted to the Department of the Interior: