A Commitment to Barnstable and the region
Cape Cod and the Islands are leading the way in efforts to decarbonize the New England electricity grid. In 2018, Massachusetts selected Vineyard Wind to build the nation’s first offshore wind project 35 miles south of Barnstable and 14 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket and interconnecting in Hyannis. This project began onshore construction in Barnstable in 2021, and when completed will interconnect in West Barnstable. Both projects interconnect to the New England electricity grid powering over 400,000 homes and businesses.
Vineyard Wind is committed to responsible offshore wind development, environmental protection, and minimizing short-term impacts to Barnstable residents due to in-road utility installation. The project and the community have benefited from an open and active dialogue for nearly five years.
CONTACT OUR CAPE COD TEAM
Nathaniel Mayo, Director of Public Affairs: nmayo@vineyardwind.com
Dana Rebeiro, Massachusetts Liaison: drebeiro@vineyardwind.com
WATCH
OVERVIEW OF WORK IN BARNSTABLE
Construction in Barnstable includes two offshore transmission cables buried beneath the seafloor, buried beneath Covell’s Beach in Centerville, buried beneath public roadways, and connecting to the electricity grid in Independence Park adjacent to existing substation infrastructure. The permitting process began in 2018. State permitting is complete and federal permitting concluded in early 2021, with construction commencing in the town of Barnstable in the middle of that year. View permitting documents View permitting documents here. View onshore work notices here.
VINEYARD WIND IN BARNSTABLE:
Magnetic Field Monitoring at Covell’s beach
In early 2024, Vineyard Wind 1 received a request from the Town of Barnstable to proactively take magnetic field measurements at Covell’s Beach. While no permitting or other requirements exist to conduct magnetic field monitoring at the Town’s request, and as part of Vineyard Wind 1’s longstanding effort to be a good community partner and neighbor to the town, the project agreed to conduct magnetic field measurements at the beach and make the results available to the public. Vineyard Wind 1 has contracted with Gradient to perform the magnetic field readings at Covell’s Beach. Below are the readings that have been taken thus far.
Letter from the State of Massachusetts regarding compliance for VW1 Monitoring
Magnetic Field Readings
May 23, 2024: Baseline readings were taken at various points on the beach and in the parking lot. This testing was done while all Vineyard Wind 1 electrical infrastructure was turned off. Results found very little existing magnetic fields at the beach at any of the locations that is natural or unassociated with the Vineyard Wind 1 infrastructure. Most readings were between 0-1 milligauss (mG), while the highest readings in the parking lot were approximately 2 mG. Video of that testing being performed: https://vimeo.com/949963371
June 14, 2024: Readings were taken while three turbines were in operation, producing approximately 35 megawatts of electricity. The results are available below. Representatives from the town of Barnstable, Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health were present during this testing. Video of that testing being performed: https://vimeo.com/966995140
Summary of magnetic field measurement results at Covell’s beach: June 14, 2024
Notes: mG=milligauss. NA= not applicable because no measurements made.
(1) There are two mean and maximum results that correspond to the two measurement events for each transect.
Frequently Asked Questions
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No. There is no reason for any concern.
The levels of magnetic fields present above the Covell’s Beach lot are in compliance with the project’s permits and much lower than levels that would be of any concern to public health.
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There are two power cables that have been installed since 2021 deep under Covell’s Beach bringing power ashore for the Vineyard Wind 1 project. Both cables surface about 8-10 feet below the back end of the Covell’s lot under 4 rectangular vault covers that are visible/level with the pavement. Nothing is otherwise visible above ground. The power cables then proceed north under Craigville Beach Road and under several other town roads to the project’s substation in Independence Park in Hyannis.
This power infrastructure is similar to the National Grid cable under Ocean Street and Kalmus Beach in Hyannis that brings power to Nantucket which has been operating safely for years under a busy beach and parking lot.
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The project continues to install turbines in the wind farm area 15 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard. The project is operating safely, as planned, and in compliance with all the project’s permits, including all the infrastructure within the town of Barnstable.
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In early 2024, the Town of Barnstable asked Vineyard Wind 1 to install signage at Covell’s Beach to inform residents of the electrical infrastructure below the lot. The town subsequently decided to install its own signs, which were installed before Memorial Day 2024.
The town subsequently asked the Vineyard Wind 1 project to consider taking some magnetic field testing in the Covell’s parking lot and beach. The project agreed to do so.
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No. Vineyard Wind 1 has no permitting requirement or any other requirement to conduct magnetic field monitoring. At the Town's request, and as part of Vineyard Wind 1's longstanding effort to be a good community partner and neighbor to the town, the project agreed to conduct magnetic field measurements at the beach and make the results available to the public.
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Electric and magnetic fields (EMFs) are invisible lines of force produced by anything that generates, transmits, or uses electricity. EMFs associated with alternating current (AC) power transmission (in the case of these projects) are at an extremely low frequency (60-Hz) and are a very low energy form of non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation.
Magnetic fields are created by moving electric charges, such as the current in electrical wires or currents in electrical appliances we all have in our homes. For the project we’re considering here, because the cables are buried, the normal electric fields one would encounter in the right-of-way for overhead electric transmission and distribution lines are absent because burial of the cables completely shields the electric fields.
The only fields above ground for the infrastructure under roads and parking lots for these projects are magnetic, created generated by the flow of current through the cables. There are no aboveground electric fields for the cables because they are buried.
The above-ground magnetic fields from these cables under roadways are comparable to, if not lower than, those emitted from typical household appliances.
Magnetic fields are different from radiofrequency fields or “RF” given off by cell phones, cell phone towers, etc.
There is no confirmed evidence of health effects from exposure to the low levels of non-ionizing power frequency magnetic fields that these cables will produce. In particular, power frequency magnetic fields are of lower energy than RF from cell phones and towers.
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Per the World Health Organization in 2024: “[T]he main conclusion from the WHO reviews is that EMF exposures below the limits recommended in the ICNIRP international guidelines do not appear to have any known consequence on health”
Per the National Cancer Institute in 2022: No consistent evidence for an association between any source of non-ionizing EMF and cancer has been found.”
Per the US EPA in 2023: “Scientific studies have not clearly shown whether exposure to EMF increases cancer risk". As a result, US EPA has not established any hazard levels or exposure standards for power frequency EMFs.
Electric and Magnetic Fields (EMF) for these projects are comprehensively reviewed by the Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Board.
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The recognized entity for guidance on magnetic field exposure is the INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON NON-IONIZING RADIATION PROTECTION (ICNIRP). Its relevant guidance is: “ICNIRP has established a health-based guideline for allowable public exposure to power-frequency magnetic fields at 2000 milli-Gauss (mG)”
The expected measurement of magnetic field above the roadway and Covell’s parking lot where our electrical infrastructure will be directly below is much less than 2000 mG.
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Comparisons of magnetic field levels in units of milliguass ratings for various household appliances:
Hair dryer = 700 mG
Electric shaver = 600 mG
Power saw = 1,000 mG
Medical Devices: Allowable magnetic field exposure for medical procedures are much higher. For further perspective, one medical procedure used to screen patients for disease processes, namely “Magnetic Resonance Imaging” (MRI), exposes the patient to extremely large static (steady) and time-varying magnetic fields, and yet, MRI’s are considered to be medically safe.
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Electromagnetic Fields and Electromagnetic Fields from Offshore Wind Facilities Marine Life (boem.gov): https://www.boem.gov/sites/default/files/documents/renewable-energy/state-activities/BOEM Electromagnetic-Fields-Offshore-Wind-Facilities_0.pdf
EMF Electric and Magnetic Fields Associated with the Use of Electric Power (nih.gov): https://www.niehs.nih.gov/sites/default/files/health/materials/electric_and_magnetic_fields_associated_with_the_use_of_electric_power_questions_and_answers_english_508.pdf
Electromagnetic Fields and Cancer NCI: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/radiation/electromagnetic-fields-fact-sheet
Electric and Magnetic Fields from Power Lines | US EPA: https://www.epa.gov/radtown/electric-and-magnetic-fields-power-lines
Electric & Magnetic Fields (nih.gov): https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/emf
Extremely Low Frequency Fields (who.int): https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/43646/9789241572385_eng.pdf?sequence=1
Power Lines, Electrical Devices, and Extremely Low Frequency Radiation (cancer.org): https://www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention/radiation-exposure/extremely-low-frequency- radiation.html
Electromagnetic Field Effects on Marine Life | Tethys (pnnl.gov): https://tethys.pnnl.gov/summaries/electromagnetic-field-effects-marine-life
UPCOMING EVENTS
Host Community Agreement
Host Community Agreement
Protecting Town and Residents Interests
In 2018 after months of discussions with town staff, presentations to Town Council, and numerous public meetings, Vineyard Wind and the Town of Barnstable entered into a Host Community Agreement (HCA) to establish a guide for a long-term, cooperative relationship while providing specific benefits, predictability, and revenue for the town of Barnstable for years to come.
No Development in Nantucket Sound: Vineyard Wind’s turbines will be located outside of Nantucket Sound, over 35 miles south of the town of Barnstable
Robust, standard-setting water protections: Vineyard Wind substation infrastructure will feature robust, full-containment safeguards to ensure that water resources are not put at risk. These features were worked out after months of discussions with town staff and independent professionals, and will set a meaningful standard for electrical infrastructure on the Cape.
Off-season Construction: The HCA ensures that Vineyard Wind’s work along public rights of way will occur during off-season to minimize disruption to neighborhoods, traffic, and beachgoers.
Benefits for Beachgoers: Under this HCA, the beach remains accessible throughout construction. Vineyard Wind will provide funds to construct a new bath house and, after construction is complete, the entire beach parking lot will be repaved.
Underground Cables Protected: Cables connecting Vineyard Wind to the mainland are buried deep below the seabed as well as deep below the beach (~30 feet deep at the tideline) and encased in cement under roads. The cables will be permanently out of the human environment and will pose no risk to public safety.
Financial Support for Barnstable: Barnstable will receive tens of millions in property tax revenue over the life of the project.
Collaboration on Project Design: The Town of Barnstable and Vineyard Wind have collaborated closely on project design, ensuring that all aspects of the project in Barnstable include public safety and environmental protections above and beyond state-mandated standards.
Beyond the Host Community Agreement, Barnstable and Vineyard Wind are collaborating on the town’s sewer expansion effort, and plan to co-locate sewer infrastructure along the cable route, saving the town millions in project costs, minimizing need for future road construction, and helping to address the significant local environmental impact of wastewater and nitrogen loading that degrades the town’s bays, estuaries, and ponds.
The full HCA can be found here.
Connecting Onshore
Submarine Cables
Safe, Common, Proven Technology
Burying cables is a standard and safe method to protect cables and reduces risk of exposure, damage, fishing gear hangs, and dramatically reduces magnetic field strength. It is much preferred over the older and more disruptive methods of cable laying.
There are currently six submarine cables beneath Nantucket Sound – two connecting power to Nantucket and four to Martha’s Vineyard including one installed most recently in 2015. Two cables, one at Kalmus Beach in Hyannis and one in Harwich, were installed using the same method (Horizontal Directional Drilling) planned for Vineyard Wind cables. While not all submarine cables are buried, it is the safest option.
Two pairs of submarine cables will connect 1600 megawatts of renewable offshore wind energy to land. The cables will be buried within a 35 mile corridor from the turbines to shore. Multiple cables are necessary to transmit the power and ensure reliability.
Each cable is 220 kilovolts AC and will be buried up to 6 feet below the stable seabed using a hydroplow. A hydroplow vehicle travels slowly along the seafloor on two tracks and uses pressurized water jets to temporarily soften the seabed into which the cable sinks and the trench backfills. The physics are similar to standing barefoot on a beach with your feet sinking into the sand as the waves wash over them. The hydroplow ensures a very narrow disruption of the seabed (six-foot corridor) as well as quick seafloor restoration due to the trench backfilling immediately.
Submarine Cable
Onshore cable
Cable Landfall
Minimizing Impacts, Protecting Beaches and Natural Resources
The offshore cables connect onshore via underground conduit tunneled beneath the beach using a process called Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD). This process ensures the cables are safely buried deep beneath the shore.
HDD is a well-established technology used to bury cables throughout the world. In fact, the Cape currently hosts six (6) buried cables that supply power to Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. One of these is located at Kalmus Beach in Hyannis and was installed in 2005 using HDD to power Nantucket.
The HDD process starts from the beach parking lot, drills a small tunnel in a deep arc beneath the beach and installs a steel tube conduit deep below the beach with no surface disruption. This process results in the safe, protected cable installation up to 30 feet below the beach.
All work at the beach parking lot and in Barnstable roads will be done in the off-season, per agreements with the town.
Environmental impacts have been extensively studied by multiple local, state and federal agencies. Vineyard Wind must secure over 30 permits from various agencies before work can commence.
Because cables are buried there is no electric field. However, all electricity creates a Magnetic Field (MF) and the modeled studies demonstrate that the MF created by these types of cables are comparable to that emitted by everyday household appliances and a fraction of the naturally occurring MF within the earth.
Onshore Cables
Connecting to New England’s Electric Grid
From the beach parking lot, cables will be buried beneath town roads and encased in concrete. This portion of our project is comparable to installation of other utilities beneath public roadways. There are hundreds of miles of cable beneath public roadways in dozens of towns in Massachusetts and existing submarine cable connection sites on Cape Cod in Falmouth, Harwich, and Barnstable.
The project will connect to New England’s electric grid via a substation adjacent to an existing substation in Independence Park in Hyannis.
An example of in-road construction.
Frequently Asked Questions
+ Will turbines be visible from Barnstable?
No. The wind turbines will be located in federal waters 15 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket and over 35 miles from Barnstable’s coastline. They will be located in a federally designated wind lease area. On a clear day, the turbines will be marginally visible from the Islands.
+ Why Barnstable?
Barnstable is the largest, most populous town on Cape Cod and is the seat of Barnstable County. There are multiple locations in town suitable for interconnecting new renewable energy sources. Covell's Beach and Craigville Beach on Nantucket Sound in Centerville are accreting (opposite of eroding) beaches and therefore safer for submarine cables to make landfall and remain permanently buried.
+ When will construction take place in Barnstable?
All road construction will take place off-season from September – May to avoid major traffic disruption. Off-season road construction is expected to start in 2021 and take place over two off-season periods.
+ There is heavy traffic in the summer. Will this make it worse?
No. As part of our agreement with the Town of Barnstable, no work will occur in roadways or the parking lot during the summer months.
+ How long will construction last?
Work in the beach parking lot is expected to take 9-12 weeks. In-road construction will move steadily at 100-200 feet per day. Neither will occur during the Summer months. Construction is planned to start in 2021.
+ Will there be a traffic management plan?
Yes. Vineyard Wind works with the Town of Barnstable, the Barnstable Police Department, and the Barnstable Department of Public Works to create a comprehensive traffic plan to minimize impacts.
+ What will roads and parking lot look like after construction is complete?
There will be manhole covers placed in the roadway for utility access and two manhole covers in the beach parking lot. Upon completion, the parking lot and roadways will be repaved.
+ WHAT WILL THE BEACH PARKING LOT LOOK LIKE DURING THE SUMMER BETWEEN OFFSEASON CONSTRUCTION?
We anticipate completing construction within a single season at the beach parking lot. If needed, temporary paving will be used to allow full use of the parking lot during summer. The parking lot will be fully repaved upon completion.
+ Will this project impede future utility projects necessary in town?
To the contrary, Vineyard Wind is coordinating with the Town of Barnstable to co-locate municipal sewer infrastructure at the same time as our duct bank installation. By working cooperatively with the town, necessary sewer efforts will be sped up, and the town will see significant savings in engineering and road construction costs. Doing both the sewer and cable work concurrently will also reduce traffic congestion by reducing necessary road closures.
+WILL THE BEACH BE DUG UP?
No. By using Horizontal Directional Drill methods, cable conduit installation begins from the parking lot and tunnel underneath the beach to a maximum depth of 30 feet at the tideline to a point approximately 1000 feet offshore. This eliminates disturbance to the beach or the nearshore area. Deep and permanent burial will also mean that the cables pose virtually no risk of exposure.
+ What happens if a cable becomes exposed?
This is highly unlikely at these particular beaches because they are gradually accreting (the opposite of eroding). In the unlikely event a cable is exposed, Vineyard Wind is responsible for reburying.
+ HOW ARE WILDLIFE AND SURROUNDING ECOYSTEMS PROTECTED?
Vineyard Wind permit applications include in depth site analysis and are extensively reviewed by dozens of agencies at all levels of government, including the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, the state Energy Facilities Siting Board, the Cape Cod Commission, the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, and others. Vineyard Wind is required to:
• avoid any impacts to spawning horseshoe crabs and their nests
• remain entirely outside of mapped habitat of Piping Plovers
• meet performance standards for coastal dunes
• avoid mapped habitat of eelgrass
+ WHO REVIEWS AND PERMITS OFFSHORE WIND PROJECTS?
Offshore wind projects are subject to extensive permit reviews through federal, state, regional, and local regulators. In Massachusetts, this includes the Massachusetts Environmental Policy (MEPA) Office, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, the Energy Facilities Siting Board, the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management, the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, and the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Wildlife, which includes the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program.
On the federal level, permit review occurs through the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). BOEM’s review is conducted with extensive comments and review from other federal agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency, Army Corps of Engineers, US Coast Guard, and the Federal Aviation Administration.
On the local level, the Nantucket Conservation Commission approved the portion of the project located within Nantucket waters.
Learn more about Vineyard Wind 1’s permitting process here.
+ Will sea level rise and regular flooding affect the cables or duct bank?
The cables are heavily insulated and duct banks are securely encased within concrete and buried beneath pavement. Both are specifically designed to operate in wet conditions. They remain safe and operable during periods of storm flooding. In the unlikely event that infrastructure is exposed or damaged, Vineyard Wind is responsible for repair and restoration.
+ How are cables protected?
The onshore cables are insulated, surrounded by steel sheathing, encased in concrete, and buried approximately 3 feet under the roadway and deeper at the beachside portions of the cable.
+ Is there risk of harm from EMF exposure?
No. Due to the fact that the cables are buried, there is no measurable Electric Field. The magnetic field or “MF” at ground level is very low - a small fraction of what occurs from overhead power lines, and far smaller than the earth’s natural magnetic field. Magnetic fields are different from radio fields or “RF” given off by cell phones, microwaves, etc. Levels of magnetic fields are comparable to those emitted from typical household appliances, and they are also a small fraction of the natural magnetic field given off by the earth. EMF has been extensively modeled and reviewed by numerous agencies, including the Massachusetts Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and the state’s Energy Facilities Siting Board.
+ Why is this project allowed to go forward in Barnstable if it was denied in Yarmouth?
Vineyard Wind 1 proposed one interconnection point in Barnstable and with two options for cable landfall locations, one of which was in Yarmouth. Of the two proposed options for cable landfall, the Barnstable option proved to be the less environmentally impactful option. The installation method that was proposed in Yarmouth and the circumstances there were different from Covell’s Beach in a number of ways. HDD was not feasible in Yarmouth due to geographical constraints. Since HDD was not possible, there were related concerns about cable placement impeding any future dredging efforts that might be necessary in Lewis Bay.
+ What does Barnstable gain from this?
The Host Community Agreement resulted in significant funding to the town, but also ensures protections for town residents. The HCA was the result of many months of meetings and discussion in the town of Barnstable, and the town manager and town council took up the issue in public meetings on several occasions. They arrived at an agreement that protects public health and water resources, minimizes neighborhood disturbance, and provides resources and predictability to the town and its residents. In addition, at the town’s request, Vineyard Wind has agreed to fully repave the Covell’s beach parking lot and provide funding for a new bath house at the beach.
Vineyard Wind is also coordinating closely with the town’s Department of Public Works, so that they may install in-road sewer utilities concurrently where possible. The town estimates this will save $3- $4 million on road construction costs and reduce the need for future road work.
Onshore Work Notices
CONSTRUCTION WORK NOTICES
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CONTACT
Vineyard Wind offers a variety of ways for Barnstable residents, visitors, and stakeholders to contact us with questions or comments:
Email: info@vineyardwind.com
Call: 1-508-386-9572
Mail: Vineyard Wind 700 Pleasant Street, Suite 510, New Bedford, MA 02740
Sign up for SMS alerts by texting “BARNSTABLE1” to 1-844-621-2170