Greenwire: In testimony before a federal panel yesterday, Massachusetts’ historic preservation officer expressed concerns about the proposed Cape Wind project in Nantucket Sound, saying it could have an “unparalleled” impact on historic sites.
Brona Simon, who issued a November opinion that Nantucket Sound’s importance to two American Indian tribes justified a place for it on the National Register of Historic Places, told the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation that the project could damage Indian archaeological sites and drastically change the character of the area. The 130-turbine project would cover 25 square miles, more than six times the footprint of the second biggest project ever reviewed by Simon’s office.
“You can see the concern we have about the adverse effects of the project,” Simon said.
The Mashpee and Aquinnah Wampanoag tribes have opposed Cape Wind, claiming it would interfere with rituals by obstructing their view of Nantucket Sound. A third Indian group — the Chappaquiddick Wampanoag tribe — came out against the project yesterday.
The advisory council must submit its recommendations to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar by April 14. Salazar, who is not bound by the recommendations of the council, has said he will make a decision soon after receiving its report (Beth Daley, Boston Globe, March 23). – GN