Offshore Wind Wire

By Peter Brennan

BOSTON — Officials on Cape Cod voted last Thursday to create an additional legal hurdle for offshore wind development in a roughly 900-square-mile area, including Cape Cod Bay.

The creation of a District of Critical Planning Concern (DCPC) would give the Cape Cod Commission the final say on any development projects within the district. The Martha’s Vineyard Commission (MVC) recently approved a similar DCPC which regulates the airspace above 220 feet over the waters of Dukes County.

The nomination must be approved by the Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates. If approved, a moratorium would be imposed on activities that require a permit in the established area until Jan. 21, at which point the Cape Cod Commission will hold a public hearing on the proposal. The moratorium suspends the authority of a town in the critical area from issuing development permits within the proposed area.

The Massachusetts Oceans Management Plan, a final version of which is scheduled to be completed on Dec. 31, will zone state waters for large-scale offshore wind development. A draft version of the plan listed several sites in the waters around Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard for commercial- or community-based wind energy projects.

Should the Cape Cod Commission approve the planning district, a moratorium of up to one year would be imposed on any offshore wind projects within the district while the commission finalizes rules for development.