YOUR TURN: ACKRATS not aligned with fossil fuel money

The Jan. 21 article by Doug Fraser, “Nuclear and Fossil Fuel Advocates, Wind Foes Among Backers of Right Whale Protection Suits,” misleads the public by attempting to draw a false link between ACK Residents Against Turbines, which opposes development of industrial-scale wind farms off the coast of New England, and other groups associated with the fossil fuel industry.

Ironically, Mr. Fraser’s article failed to disclose that Vineyard Wind, the applicant for the first large wind array south of Nantucket, is a joint venture between Avangrid, a subsidiary of Spanish utility company Iberdrola, whose interests include fossil fuels and nuclear facilities, and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, the investment arm of PensionDenmark.

Some groups oppose industrial offshore wind development because it will harm pristine ocean views enjoyed by all; others are opposed to the dramatic increase in electric rates experienced by countries that have adopted it or to the devastating impact it will have on commercial fishing.

These are all valid concerns. ACK Residents Against Turbines is opposed to the industrialization of our ocean because the turbines, massive offshore substations, and vast undersea high voltage cable systems will damage the fragile marine ecosystem.

There are fewer than 340 North Atlantic right whales remaining. Marine mammal experts have concluded that further human interference with their habitat or behaviors will put an end to this incredible species that plays a role in keeping the ocean healthy by sequestering large amounts of carbon.

Mr. Fraser links the attention we have received from more prominent groups to some sort of big-money conspiracy to oppose renewable energy. The opposite is actually the case. Vineyard Wind and other foreign companies learned a great deal from the Cape Wind fiasco. They and other wind-lease holders have spent the last decade throwing money at environmental organizations to gain their support for the huge wind farms that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is now pushing to construct up and down the Atlantic seaboard.

As a result, groups that typically demand high levels of protection for endangered species have been neutered, which is the main reason that ACK Residents Against Turbines has stepped into the breach. Mr. Fraser’s article confirms that numerous environmental organizations have turned a blind eye to the negative impacts of offshore wind arrays in exchange for financial support from project applicants.

For example, the article mentions the agreement signed between Vineyard Wind and the Natural Resources Defense Council, the National Wildlife Federation and the Conservation Law Foundation. Perhaps some of your readers contribute to these organizations and would be interested in learning that large energy developers also donate money to these same organizations in exchange for their support or, at the very least, their silence.

The relationship between Vineyard Wind and the New England Aquarium (NEA), which is well documented, was not mentioned. Jessica Redfern of the NEA is extensively quoted and goes unchallenged. Vineyard Wind has funded research conducted by the NEA in support of offshore wind. Vineyard Wind is also listed as a supporter in the aquarium’s annual report. We are not sure why this information wasn’t provided.

The article states that there are many unknowns regarding the effect of offshore wind development on endangered species and suggests it would be OK to take a “trial-and-error” approach with regard to this fragile ecosystem. However, the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act are federal laws that need to be followed before major development takes place.

One part of Mr. Fraser’s article that is to be commended: the link to our lawsuit filed this past August against BOEM and others for failing to follow U.S. law and their own regulations and offer the proper protections to the environment and endangered species.

ACK Residents Against Turbines is a local nonprofit that relies almost exclusively upon donations from private individuals. Nantucket has as its most prized asset a pristine natural environment that is worthy of preservation — an environmental landscape that is protected as a National Historic Landmark.

Our beaches and waters are open to all, and many people from Massachusetts, the United States and around the world come to enjoy our unique ecosystem.

Please support us at ackrats.com.

Vallorie Oliver is president of Nantucket Residents Against Turbines.

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: ACK Residents Against Turbines responds to article