About

Who We Are

ACK for Whales (ACK4WHALES) is a group of Nantucket community members who are concerned about the negative impacts of offshore wind development off the south shores of our beloved Island. The MA/RI wind area is bigger than the state of Rhode Island and will ultimately be occupied by 2,400 turbines, each taller than the John Hancock building in Boston, connected by thousands of miles of high voltage cables. There are many unanswered questions, and the permitting of these massive utility projects has happened largely out of the public eye. We provide a community group of neighbors and friends, who all love the same place.

(ACK Rats - our former name) Nantucket Residents Against Turbines, our grass roots group was formed following a meeting in February of 2019 to pursue the answers about impacts. We are asking very simply, for real factual “best practices” of science backed answers regarding cumulative impacts to the fragile marine environment surrounding our Island. 

If the impacts to the marine life, are “negligible” as stated in the environmental impact statement, why was the Wind project granted permissions for incidental “takes” during project construction?  A take is harassment, harm, or death of an endangered species? That doesn’t sound negligible.

The North Atlantic Right whale is on the brink of extinction. We do not want to “wait and see” what the damage is after it’s too late and the turbines are erected. These wind farms are going to be an untested, unregulated, industrial experiments that are not supported by anything but promises of foreign energy giants?  Our group, ACK RATS are asking to take a long hard “look before we leap”. 

We are a 501 (c) 3, tax exempt organization incorporated in 2020. Our efforts include public outreach and education. ACK4WHALES is wholly committed to defending the North Atlantic right whale, as well our island’s marine environment.

Present Board of Directors:

Val Oliver (Founding Director)

Ellen Mayo

Amy DiSibio

Veronica Bonnet