The Town of Nantucket has secured a set of new commitments from Vineyard Wind following several months of discussion on information sharing, communication and emergency preparedness. The agreement establishes 14 protocols intended to strengthen coordination around the offshore wind project.
Under the terms, Vineyard Wind will notify eight designated Town officials within three hours of any incident requiring an emergency response, including turbine blade failures. The developer will also seek public feedback on a summary of its updated debris and infrastructure failure response plan. A Town representative will observe the annual emergency response exercises held with the US Coast Guard and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, and will participate in the Incident Management Team and, where applicable, the Communications Coordination Team during an emergency.
Vineyard Wind will share final emergency response reports with the Town within ten days of submission to regulators and provide preliminary findings within the same timeframe as they are reached. Only commercially sensitive information may be redacted. The company will reimburse the Town for reasonable emergency response costs within 60 days, appoint a project liaison with access to key decision-makers, and answer Town and citizen questions within seven days or set a short-term deadline when additional technical work is required. Monthly written updates on construction and operations will be provided, and any inoperability of the lighting reduction system will be reported with an explanation of causes and potential remedies. Disputes over compliance will be handled through a structured resolution process involving leadership-level meetings and formal mediation. The Town retains its right to pursue legal action over any breach.
Nantucket will help convey emergency information to the public, provide emergency support where possible, appoint a liaison, relay citizen questions, respond to company queries within seven days, share its recent public communications on the project, and review any claims of factual error raised by the developer.
