Wind Power News: Connecticut
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the organizations or individuals noted and are shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law.
Fishing industry feels stranded as offshore wind gathers momentum
On a clear morning in early June, cotton sacks filled with shucked scallops hit the scale at Gambardella’s dockside warehouse in Stonington, Connecticut. They’re being offloaded from the Furious, a scallop boat just back from a 12-day trip. Owner and longtime fisherman Joe Gilbert runs four scallop boats out of this dock. Up in the wheelhouse of the Furious, he indicated on a chart where in the future, this same trip might be a lot more difficult to navigate. “This . . . Complete story »
Fishing industry says offshore wind projects could sink its business
On a clear morning in early June, cotton sacks filled with shucked scallops hit the scale at a dockside warehouse in Stonington, Connecticut. They were offloaded from the Furious, a scallop boat just back from a 12-day trip. Up in the wheelhouse of the vessel, owner Joe Gilbert indicated on a chart where, in the future, this same trip might be a lot more difficult to navigate. “This entire area here is slated to be a wind farm,” Gilbert said. . . . Complete story »
Lamont team favored rich utilities as New London sought better host deal on State Pier
I learned from a review of 2020 emails, obtained through a Freedom of Information request, some interesting things related to Gov. Ned Lamont’s generous rebuilding of State Pier for the benefit of rich utilities Eversource and Ørsted. I never knew, for instance, as the state watched with wonder while the cost of the project grew to more than a quarter of a billion dollars, with Gov. Lamont promising to cover all overruns beyond the original $93 million estimate, that the . . . Complete story »
State Pier project faces new objection while port authority continues work
New London – The owner of a road salt business displaced by the planned reconstruction of State Pier for the offshore wind industry continues his attempt to block or delay a state environmental permit needed to complete work at the pier. DRVN Enterprises owner and President Steven Farrelly has filed what is known as a notice of exception, his recourse for a previously denied objection to the Connecticut Port Authority’s plans for the pier. He argues he should be allowed to . . . Complete story »
Offshore wind partners ink deal for use of turbine installation vessel in New London
Offshore wind partners Ørsted and Eversource announced on Tuesday they had reached a deal with Dominion Energy for use of a first-of-its-kind wind turbine installation vessel in New London during construction of two planned offshore wind farms in the Northeast. The Charybdis will be the nation’s first Jones Act-qualified vessel for use by the offshore wind industry. The Merchant Marine Act of 1920, known widely as the Jones Act, is a federal statute that requires all vessels shipping goods between . . . Complete story »
Gov. Lamont continues to thumb his nose at FOI laws
Wouldn’t you like to know whether Gov. Ned Lamont, desperate to spend $235 million to remake State Pier, much of it as a gift to utilities Eversource and Ørsted, might have put his fingers on the scale as state regulators decided whether the enormous project is environmentally sound. I have heard whispers from environmentalists that the governor brought his influence to bear as the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection reviewed plans to fill in 7 acres of the . . . Complete story »
Commercial fishermen say they are being ignored on wind power projects
Stonington – For the past three decades, Town Dock fishermen and their counterparts across the Northeast have struggled to stay afloat in the face of strict regulations designed to rebuild depleted stocks of cod, flounder and other species. Some diversified, turning to so-called underutilized species such as squid and whiting to supplement their declining income, while others retired or left for jobs on land. But now that many of the species have rebounded and government regulators are increasing the amounts of . . . Complete story »
Silence from shoreline press on undersea electric problems
All the exciting press about the installation of windfarms focuses on the seemingly blithe turbine blades swirling innocently in the free breeze offering efficient, economical and carbon imprint free electricity to the east coast of the United States. That is the mantra offered by Baker, Raimondo, Lamonte and Cuomo. And to make sure no one sings off key the public is reminded of the tens of thousands of jobs and commercial contracts that attend to this wonderful new age. Cementing . . . Complete story »
Choiniere column in support of offshore wind project was a lot of hot air
The editorial page editor claimed “offshore wind energy plans brighten State Pier’s future” in his April 11 column. Paul Choiniere is entitled to his dead-wrong opinion. A couple of weeks ago, President Biden announced a massive effort to develop offshore wind energy projects as the key to a clean energy revolution. Over many years and many discussions, I have attempted to educate Choiniere about the 800-pound gorilla in the room, which is the future of the world’s energy resources and . . . Complete story »
Salt business files objection to State Pier permitting
The owner of a road salt distributor forced off of the New London State Pier to make way for offshore wind developers filed an objection with the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, to permit approvals failing to accommodate his business. Steve Farrelly, owner of the road salt distributor DRVN, which has rented about 3.5 acres on the pier since 2014, said in a formal objection filed with the department that he had been given to understand that existing tenants . . . Complete story »
