New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association (NEFSA) CEO Jerry Leeman issued the following statement ahead of oral arguments before the First U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in RODA v. Department of the Interior on Thursday July 25.
“The Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA) put the government on notice over two years ago that Vineyard Wind’s turbines aren’t safe. The recent blade disaster has scattered debris over a huge swath of historic fishing grounds, creating serious hazards for mariners and marine life.”
“As RODA’s lawsuit explains, there is no evidence Vineyard Wind’s Haliade-X turbines were ever safety tested. Fishermen are gravely concerned that they cannot withstand the volatile marine conditions of the north Atlantic. Now New England fishermen are paying a steep price for this criminal lack of oversight.”
“Unfortunately, a federal trial court dismissed RODA’s lawsuit, concluding that fishermen do not have standing to challenge the Vineyard Wind project. This disaster puts the lie to that conclusion. We hope the First Circuit agrees and allows RODA’s lawsuit to proceed.”
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