A Massachusetts non-profit is standing up against a project bringing wind turbines to the Nantucket coast. ACK For Whales is challenging the federal approval granting the Vineyard Wind project, turning to the U.S. Supreme Court for help.
The federal government gave the green light in 2021 to develop wind energy 15 miles from Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. Sixty-two wind turbines will fill the ocean, generating enough electricity to power 400,000 homes.
ACK For Whales sued National Marine Fisheries Service and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management for ignoring the Endangered Species Act. The group said there were flaws in permitting the project and the federal agencies didn’t consider the impact the project would have on whale species.
A district court dismissed their lawsuit and in April 2023, an appeals court sided with the lower court’s decision. The appeals panel said the project does not jeopardize North Atlantic whales and research was performed to reduce risk and exposure to marine life.
The group pointed to Summer 2024, when blade debris washed up on a Nantucket beach, through the same waters whales use for migration. The petition to the Supreme Court said the government isn’t using the “best available scientific and commercial data available.” ACK For Whales said it has led to at least a dozen species becoming extinct and overall shrinking the population of whales.
However, during the summer of 2024, the Supreme Court overturned the ‘Chevron Doctrine,’ which allowed for a broad interpretation of laws directly at play in the Vineyard Wind case. ACK For Whales is hoping the Supreme Court will review the initial ruling.
The Department of Justice said it believes the current rulings are correct and the Vineyard Wind project already considered environmental impacts during the approval phase.
The Supreme Court will review the petition in early 2025.
Massachusetts Gov. Healey clarifies state’s stance on migrants
Massachusetts Democratic Gov. Maura Healey is making it clear that her state is not a sanctuary state despite eight Massachusetts cities, including Boston and Cambridge, declaring sanctuary status. Sanctuary policies are designed to limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, with the primary goal of protecting immigrants who are in the country illegally from being detained or deported by federal authorities.
Healey sat down for an interview with WBZ-TV in Boston earlier this week.
“We’re seeing the number of migrant families coming into Massachusetts go way down,” Healey said. “That’s good because I’ve also sent the message: Massachusetts, we are not a sanctuary state. If you come here, there is not housing.”
In August 2023, Healey declared a state of emergency due to the influx of migrants in her state. At the time, she called on the Biden administration to help provide funding and work releases for arriving migrant families as the state’s shelter capacity was maxing out.
According to exit polls, immigration was an issue of concern for voters in November’s election. President-elect Donald Trump vowed to carry out the largest deportation of immigrants in U.S. history.
Soon after Trump’s reelection, Healey said state and local law enforcement would “absolutely not” cooperate with the feds.
However, her comments changed this week when she stated authorities should deport violent criminals.
“My view, Jon, on immigration is that violent criminals, people who are creating public safety threats in our communities, should be deported if they’re not here lawfully,” Healey told WBZ-TV anchor Jon Keller.
Healey says she’s hoping Trump and the incoming Congress can pass much-needed immigration reform.
“Remember, this is a federal issue,” Healey said. “It was created by the federal government. It’s why I’ve advocated so hard for a bill to fix the border. President Trump has come in; he’s promised to fix the border. I hope he does just that, and he’s got control of both Congress and Senate now, so get that done, Mr. President.”
Healey’s plan for working with the incoming Trump administration on the issue of migrants remains unclear.
Trump and his incoming border czar, Tom Homan, have said their number one goal is prioritizing the deportation of violent migrant criminals.
Biden approves another offshore wind farm amid industry challenges in 2024
In the final days of the Biden administration, the White House announced its approval of the SouthCoast Wind Project. This offshore wind farm will generate up to 2.4 gigawatts of energy, powering more than 840,000 homes in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
“The approval of the SouthCoast Wind Project today demonstrates the strength of our collaborative process to deploy offshore wind,” said Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Director Elizabeth Klein in a statement. “As we mark this achievement, we look forward to the meaningful economic opportunities the SouthCoast Wind Project will bring to this region, both during construction and throughout the project’s lifetime.”
Spanning nearly 130,000 acres, the project includes the construction of up to 141 wind turbines. To mitigate environmental concerns, six originally planned turbine positions have been removed to reduce potential impacts on marine wildlife.
The SouthCoast Wind Project marks the 11th commercial-scale offshore wind energy development approved under President Joe Biden. His administration gave a green light for 19 gigawatts of offshore wind power. That’s enough power to supply energy to more than 6 million homes.
Despite the sector’s growth under Biden-era policies, offshore wind has faced significant challenges in 2024. Rising material costs and supply chain disruptions have led to project cancellations. These cancellations have eliminated over half of the previously planned installed capacity.
As a result, Siemens Energy, the world’s largest offshore wind turbine manufacturer, is projecting $2.2 billion in financial losses for the year.
Environmental concerns have also increased following a blade failure at the Vineyard Project over the summer. The incident bolstered local opposition to offshore wind in some regions.
With the Trump administration set to take office and the president-elect pledging to end offshore wind energy on day one, the future of this industry in the U.S. remains uncertain.
Nantucket’s offshore wind pushback begins again over new development
The island community of Nantucket, Massachusetts is facing renewed controversy over offshore wind projects. This time, local opposition is mounting against SouthCoast Wind, a proposed development which will be installed in the waters surrounding the town, consisting of 149 turbines that are expected to power over one million homes.
The debate follows an earlier incident over the summer at another nearby offshore development, the Vineyard Wind farm, in which a turbine failure led to debris washing up on Nantucket’s shores for weeks. At the time, residents expressed their frustrations with offshore wind projects to town leaders, and are now doing so again, voicing their opposition to SouthCoast Wind during a recent public forum.
“These wind projects are a detriment to our island,” one resident said. “We bear the burden visually and environmentally, and we get none of the benefit of this energy except to pay higher energy rates.”
Despite the local pushback, legal experts told the town that SouthCoast Wind is likely to move forward regardless of their position on the matter. The project falls under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), as attorneys for Nantucket told residents at the meeting that any appeals or litigation that the town engages in with this government agency will not change the timeline or the course of permitting for SouthCoast Wind.
The town’s lawyers recommended working with BOEM to negotiate better terms or compensation for the island, emphasizing that refusing to engage would limit their ability to appeal the agency’s permit approval of the project in the future. BOEM has offered Nantucket $150,000 to support mitigation efforts, but many residents see the sum as inadequate.
“Money is not enough. There isn’t enough money to make up for this,” one attendee at the town meeting said, while another labeled the offered sum as a “joke.”
Nantucket’s Select Board is expected to decide over the next few days whether to accept BOEM’s mitigation offer or seek alternative strategies to address residents’ concerns.
Northeast faces threat to water supply as drought hits NYC and New Jersey
New data released from the U.S. Geological Survey on Thursday, Nov. 21, revealed water supplies are being threatened in at least one part of the country. In the Northeast, severe drought conditions have left rivers, channels and reservoirs at historically low levels.
Hydrologists are especially concerned because fall is typically when they see bodies of water at their highest levels as they replenish from heavy use during the summer months.
For example, the Cambridge Reservoir in Massachusetts, which can reportedly hold up to 1.5 billion gallons of water currently sits at just 50% capacity.
Officials warn that small communities that manage their own water supplies are at the greatest risk as water levels in smaller reservoirs typically dry up at much faster rates than larger reservoirs.
The dry conditions have prompted New Jersey to issue its first drought warning in nearly a decade and for New York City to follow suit by issuing its first drought warning in more than 20 years.
Earlier this week, NYC paused a $2 billion project to repair an aqueduct that supplies water to half its residents and other communities in the Hudson Valley as Mayor Eric Adams, D, cited extremely dry conditions.
Even with more rain in the forecast in the coming days, officials caution it may take months to recover from the drought, and if conditions worsen, they did not rule out mandatory water usage restrictions.
High winds combined with little to no rain have also fueled wildfires in New Jersey and New York, leading to at least one death, in a region typically known to be “water rich.”
These are the Democrats Troy Nehls would smoke a cigar with
When Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, arrives at the Capitol, it’s pretty much a guarantee he’ll have two things, a cigar and Trump gear. Nehls is outspoken, unapologetic and supports President-elect Donald Trump unconditionally.
“If Donald Trump says ‘jump three feet high and scratch your head.’ We all jump three feet high and scratch our heads. That’s it,” Nehls told reporters after the president-elect met with House Republicans.
Nehls added Republicans should embrace every single objective, goal and word Trump says.
“Embrace the new day because the American people have spoken,” Nehls said. “Now many are probably at home crying in their milk and whatever, going to bed early, sucking on their woobie because they lost. But the American people have spoken. So now let’s all unite as one America.”
So, in the interest of unity, Straight Arrow News asked Nehls if he could invite any Democrat to a local cigar bar to get to know them for an hour. Who would it be?
“Well I don’t want to put any Democrat in that position, because that could hurt their positions maybe in some of these committees. I’ve got a few,” Nehls said. “I have a lot of respect for some of the Democrats. But I think it would be irresponsible for me to tell you who they are. But you got to understand, I have some bipartisan legislation out there with some Democrats, and if you do a little bit of research, you’d know who they are.”
So, SAN researched Nehls legislative proposals. Based on his fellow co-sponsors, these are the Democratic representatives Nehls would get a cigar with.
Trump calls RFK Jr. a ‘great mind’ after health secretary nomination
President-elect Trump has named RFK Jr. as his Health and Human Services Secretary. And fight fans are ready for a streaming spectacle: former champ Mike Tyson will return to the ring to take on social media star Jake Paul. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.
Trump calls RFK Jr. a ‘great mind’ after health secretary nomination
“[Kennedy is] another one, who’s a great guy and great mind and so popular, and I think he’s right, he wants to make people healthy,” Trump said. “It’s driven him pretty wild over the last number of years, and the Democrats didn’t treat him well. He was doing fantastically well.”
“Today I nominated him for, I guess if you like health and you like people that live a long time, it’s the most important position RFK Jr.,” Trump said.
Kennedy responded to the nomination earlier in the day, posting on X in part, “We have a generational opportunity to bring together the greatest minds in science, medicine, industry, and government to put an end to the chronic disease epidemic.”
The 70-year-old Kennedy is a former Democrat, who endorsed Trump after dropping out of the race. He would oversee a group of health agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health.
Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson (R) called Kennedy “a brilliant, courageous truth-teller whose unwavering commitment to transparency will make America a healthier nation.”
Meanwhile, critics of Kennedy pointed to his previous comments questioning vaccinations. Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden (D) said in a statement, “Mr. Kennedy’s outlandish views on basic scientific facts are disturbing and should worry all parents who expect schools and other public spaces to be safe for their children.”
Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey (D) just posted three words: “Dangerous. Unqualified. Unserious.”
Kennedy is also the founder of the Children’s Health Defense, which is described by media outlets as the leading anti-vaccine group in the nation.
When pressed on the subject of vaccinations by both NBC News and NPR in interviews earlier this month, Kennedy said if put into this type of role he is “not going to take away anybody’s vaccinations.”
President-elect Trump adds more names to his cabinet
Also on Thursday, Trump nominated Doug Collins as Veterans Affairs secretary. The former Republican congressman from Georgia and Iraq war veteran was a supporter of Trump during his first impeachment trial in 2019.
Trump also named three of his lawyers to positions in the Justice Department.
Finally, John Sauer, who won the presidential immunity case at the U.S. Supreme Court, is Trump’s pick for solicitor general.
House Ethics Committee cancels meeting on Matt Gaetz investigation
The Republican-led House Ethics Committee canceled its meeting over the investigation into former Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, according to multiple outlets citing sources. Gaetz resigned from Congress earlier this week after President-elect Trump announced he’s nominating Gaetz for attorney general.
The meeting, which was scheduled for Friday morning, Nov. 15, before Gaetz resigned, was supposed to focus on the investigation into multiple allegations against Gaetz, including sexual misconduct, illicit drug use, accepting improper gifts, and obstruction.
Tropical Storm Sara brings dangerous torrential rain to Honduras
Tropical Storm Sara made landfall late Thursday in northern Honduras, bringing torrential rain as it skirts the country’s coast. Authorities there have warned of the potential for dangerous flash flooding and landslides, with the country’s president saying it could “become a catastrophic event.”
Honduran officials have issued the highest-level warning along the country’s northern coast and activated the national police and military for rescue and relief efforts. Sara is expected to move inland, making landfall over Belize on Sunday, Nov. 17, before dissipating over the Yucatán Peninsula, according to the National Hurricane Center.
This marks the 18th named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which ends Nov. 30.
Annual UFO report finds 21 cases that can’t be explained
Pentagon officials maintain they’ve found no evidence of alien activity, but the government’s All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) said it takes every report seriously and investigates each one.
If none of this UAP stuff exists, if it’s all false, why at every turn are people trying to stop transparency? You can’t talk about fight club if there’s no fight club. pic.twitter.com/otPGNbwu71
Of the new reports the AARO has received, nearly 50 have already been closed as everyday items, such as balloons, birds or drones. The government agency expects to resolve another 243 cases by identifying them as one of those objects.
More than 400 of the new reports were put into an active archive because there was not enough data or evidence to keep investigating.
Tyson vs. Paul in Netflix’s first live streaming boxing event
The two faced off during a final weigh-in on Thursday, with Tyson slapping Paul. The eight-round match at AT&T Stadium in Texas was postponed from July after Tyson suffered an inflamed ulcer weeks before the bout.
Reports indicate both competitors are expected to have a big payday. Tyson, who has a record of 50-6, will reportedly make $20 million and the 27-year-old Paul, who has a record of 10-1, will make $40 million.
Paul’s startup, Most Valuable Promotions, teamed up with Netflix to bring the fight together.
Netflix currently has more than 282 million paid subscribers worldwide and Paul predicts at least 25 million of them will tune in. If that comes to pass, it’ll make this the most watched boxing match of all time.
Massachusetts voters reject measure to legalize psychedelics
Massachusetts voters rejected a ballot measure to legalize natural psychedelic substances for those 21 and older. Five substances were on the list, two were found in mushrooms and three were found in plants.
The measure would have allowed individuals to either grow their own or purchase the substances at an approved location for use under the supervision of a licensed facilitator.
The measure would’ve created a 15% tax and a five-member commission to adopt regulations for things like age-verification, record keeping, safety requirements and testing.
Two other states, Oregon and Colorado, have legalized psychedelics in similar ways.
In 2020, Oregon voters approved Measure 109 which allows licensed providers to administer certain fungi and mushroom products to those 21 and up. In this election, 16 Oregon cities and one county had voters decide whether they wanted to ban dispensaries.
In 2022, Colorado voters approved Proposition 122 which legalized the possession, use, growth and transport of what’s described as natural medicines for those 21 and older. It also created a program to help licensed centers administer the drugs.
Voters in Mass., Ore. weigh ‘magic mushroom’ ballot measures
Voters in Massachusetts have a decision to make about “magic mushrooms.” At the same time, voters in Oregon will soon decide if they’ll change their laws related to the psychedelic fungi.
If “Question 4” on the ballot passes in Massachusetts, it would allow people 21 or older to have, grow or use psilocybin. It would also create a commission and advisory board to regulate the licensing for it and a plan for taxing sales.
Supporters of the measures say psychedelics can help people struggling with anxiety, depression and PTSD.
Opponents say these substances can be dangerous to certain people including those with schizophrenia and advocate for them to be given under medical supervision.
Massachusetts would be the third state to legalize psychedelics following Colorado and Oregon.
But now Oregon is weighing that decision.
Four years after voters there approved the regulated use of mushrooms and more than a year after the first people began using them, 16 cities are asking voters to ban psilocybin businesses.
There are more than 30 licensed centers where people can get mushrooms.
Some opted out of the program in a local measure in 2022.
According to John Hopkins researchers, a substantial majority of people suffering cancer-related anxiety and depression found relief for up to six months from a single large dose of psilocybin.
Lawmakers demand answers from corporations on ‘shrinkflation’
Some Democratic lawmakers are demanding answers from corporations like General Mills, PepsiCo and Coca Cola. Lawmakers claimed the companies are exploiting customers with a phenomenon known as “shrinkflation,” which is the practice by big companies to reduce the size of a product but still charge the same price.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-Penn., took aim at the food and beverage giants in a letter to the companies on Sunday, Oct. 6.
The food and beverage companies’ average price per ounce of soda or cereal since 2018.
How much more in federal taxes they would have paid without the 2017 tax cuts.
Whether company executives received bonuses or other perks as inflation rose.
The letter accused the companies of engaging in shrinkflation to boost profits while benefiting from tax cuts under former President Donald Trump. The letter notes that General Mills reduced its cereal sizes like Cocoa Puffs family size from 19.3 oz to 18.1 oz, while hiking prices five times from mid-2021 to mid-2022.
The lawmakers also claimed PepsiCo “replaced its 32 oz Gatorade bottle with a 28 oz bottle for the same price.” PepsiCo denied it is making products smaller to exploit customers and notes the 28 oz Gatorade bottle has been around for more than a decade.
President Joe Biden also called out shrinkflation during his State of the Union Address this year, urging U.S. Congress to pass a bill cracking down on the practice.
“In fact, the snack companies think you won’t notice if they change the size of the bag and put a hell of a lot fewer, same size bag, put fewer chips in it,” Biden said. “No, I’m not joking, it’s called ‘shrinkflation.’ Pass Bobby Casey’s bill and stop this.”
A trade group representing the three companies also previously defended offering reduced sizes while charging the same price, citing an inflation report showing markups on everyday items are in line with similar economic recoveries.
“The industry remains focused on providing the best products at the most competitive prices for customers,” a spokesperson for the trade group said.