The move essentially follows through on Gov. Maura Healey's campaign promise for a temporary moratorium on such projects as her administration develops guidelines that more fully acknowledge the role of forests in combatting climate change.
SouthCoast Wind became the second Massachusetts offshore wind developer to move to pull out of its contract with the state, citing rising costs. State Sen. Michael Barrett says the news will may delay the state's climate goals, "but only for a year or two.”
The move, announced Wednesday with a series of other forestry strategies, essentially follows through on Healey's campaign promise for a temporary moratorium on such projects during her first year in office.
Climate activists, loggers and wildlife biologists want to know whether Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey will fulfill her campaign pledge to pause logging on public land while the state develops a climate-focused forest plan. Although there is no official moratorium yet on commercial cutting in Massachusetts state forests, loggers say no new state contracts for timber harvesting have gone out to bid this year.