Cape Wind District Court Ruling Illustrates Challenges Faced In Coordinating Large-Scale Development Across Multiple Agencies, Resources And Statutes

Background of the Cape Wind Project

Cape Wind is the first offshore wind project of its kind in the United States, and one of the largest offshore wind projects in the world. Located on the Outer Continental Shelf in Nantucket Sound off the coast of Massachusetts, the proposed wind park would consist of 130 offshore wind turbine generators, each of which would produce electricity that was transmitted to a centrally located electric service platform offshore. This platform would then transform and transmit electric power to the Cape Cod mainland area about 12 miles away via submerged lines that would ultimately connect with the existing power grid.

The project has been under development since 2000, and has faced fierce opposition from local residents, environmental groups, and Native American tribes from its inception. As one would imagine, project proponents are required to obtain regulatory approvals and permits from several Federal agencies under numerous