Debris from Vineyard Wind still washing up as Nantucket considers legal action

More than a week after a damaged wind turbine off the coast of Massachusetts sent fiberglass shards into the Atlantic Ocean, residents of Nantucket are still finding debris from the Vineyard Wind project washing up on their shores. Beach crews have been working to recover parts of the wreckage, and a helicopter conducted an aerial survey over the weekend of July 20.

Despite these efforts, locals reported finding pieces of the turbine on the island town as recently as the morning of Monday, July 22. Additional debris was also discovered on Cape Cod, about 30 miles north of Nantucket.

Vineyard Wind issued a statement emphasizing its commitment to aiding in the recovery process. The company said it has personnel on the ground monitoring the situation and attributed the incident to a damaged turbine blade manufactured by General Electric. The over 300-foot blade detached from the turbine, settled on the ocean floor and released more fiberglass shards into the water.

“Vineyard Wind personnel on the beach are monitoring for debris to assist in maintaining safe conditions for beachgoers and swimmers,” the company said in a statement. “Vineyard Wind is focused on assisting in the recovery of debris caused by GE Vernova’s damaged wind blade.”

The state of Massachusetts announced plans to conduct its own testing on the debris to assess potential public and environmental health impacts. The Nantucket Land and Water Council expressed concerns about the long-term ramifications of the accident, suggesting that the full impact might not be evident for months or even years.

“This is an unacceptable outcome of the development of wind in Nantucket’s offshore waters with serious and unknown ramifications,” the Nantucket Land and Water Council said. “Vineyard Wind must be held accountable to cleaning this up to the maximum extent feasible, but unfortunately this is not a mess that can be completely contained or managed.”

In response to the incident, Nantucket’s Select Board intends to meet to discuss possible legal action. Both Vineyard Wind and GE could potentially face litigation from the town over this accident.