A lawyer and solar farm developer with a home on Martha's Vineyard is suing the federal government over its approval of the first commercial-scale offshore wind project, Vineyard Wind.
Thomas Melone has a history of environmental litigation against renewable energy projects ... though many of those lawsuits have been unsuccessful.
In this lawsuit against several federal agencies, Melone alleged the environmental review process for Vineyard Wind was flawed. He asserted that the turbines can't withstand hurricanes, and as such, the project poses a threat to wildlife and sensitive ecosystems near his Martha's Vineyard home.
He also alleged the project will harm his solar business and that it will somehow exacerbate climate change.
Both the U.S. Interior Department and Vineyard Wind declined comment.