The Cape Cod Commission (CCC) has challenged the Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Board’s decision (EFSB) to grant a “Certificate of Environmental Impact and Public Interest” for the construction of electric transmission lines by Cape Wind Associates.

In an official statement, CCC’s executive director Paul Niedzwiecki stated that the Commission has started the process of appeal of the recent decision to the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts—not to address the merits or demerits of this particular project, but to address the jurisdictional conflicts between the Commission and the EFSB.

The decision attempts to override local and regional permitting processes, according to CCC, which added that appealing to the highest court in the Commonwealth provides the quickest way to resolve the dispute. It hopes  that this will be settled in a matter of months.

Only recently, Massachusetts’ Governor Deval Patrick had mentioned that the time has come to see the first offshore wind farm in America rise off the Massachusetts coast.

He made this comment as the state Energy Facilities Siting Board finalised a Certificate of Environmental Impact and Public Interest granting all of the state and local permits necessary for the Cape Wind Associates wind energy project to proceed to construction. The Siting Board voted 7-0 to grant the Certificate, with minor modifications. Undersecretary for Energy Ann Berwick, who serves as Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles’ designee as chair of the Siting Board, had signed the revised Certificate.