Washington, D.C. (9/13/2021) — Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA), a broad membership-based coalition of fishing industry associations and fishing companies, filed a Petition for Review today in the First Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals regarding the Secretary of the Interior’s July 15, 2021 decision approving the Vineyard Wind 1 offshore wind energy project. This action is the culmination of many years of conscientious participation by fisheries professionals only to see their expertise and value summarily ignored by decision-makers during the leasing process.
The RODA statement is quite strong. While the new administration understandably wants to advance offshore wind development, they would have been wise to accept input from RODA and other interested parties before approving Vineyard Wind I. The fishing industry certainly has a legitimate interest in the outcome of this and other offshore wind projects.
A group of Nantucket residents had already sued BOEM over concerns about the endangered North Atlantic Right Whale. Concerns have also been expressed about the wind farm’s proximity to shore:
Fifteen miles was not OK in North Carolina or Long Island; then why is it OK for Nantucket? It’s just wrong.
David Stevenson, Caesar Rodney Institute
Bud's Offshore Energy (BOE) 
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