EPA Approves Permit for Wind Farm Off Martha’s Vineyard

MARTHA'S VINEYARD — The final air quality permit was approved for an offshore wind project by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency yesterday, paving the way for full project approval that was granted this morning.

South Fork will be a 130-megawatt wind farm off the southwest coast of Martha’s Vineyard. The EPA permit restricts air pollution during the construction and operation of the wind farm.

Construction is set to kick off with cable being laid on the sea floor, the company stated last week.

Final approval for the project from the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management was announced this morning.

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The EPA permit also regulates pollutants from sea-based sources including construction barges and other air-emitting devices like generators used for back-up electricity.

Massachusetts will have an alternating current electric cable connected to the electric grid in East Hampton, New York.

“Upon completion, this windfarm will contribute 130 MW of clean energy to the grid, which is a great stride towards our efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said EPA New England Acting Regional Administrator Deb Szaro.

One of several large-scale wind projects proposed or under construction off the Northeastern U.S. coast, the EPA said South Fork will help the Biden-Harris Administration reach its goal of producing 30 gigawatts of energy from offshore wind by 2030.