Secretary Salazar Says No to Continued Uncertainty and Reaffirms Cape Wind Deadline

Today in Washington, D.C., Department of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar met with key Cape Wind stakeholders.  Representatives from two of the Wampanoag tribes, the state of Massachusetts, the town of Barnstable, the Martha’s Vineyard Commission, and Clean Power Now were all in attendance. This meeting was a follow up to last week’s decision by the National Park Service that the Nantucket Sound is in fact eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. 

“If an agreement among the parties can’t be reached, I will be prepared to take the steps necessary to bring the permit process to conclusion,” Salazar reportedly said last week.

Today, Salazar emphasized his intention to reach a decision on Cape Wind by no later than March 1st. The continued emphasis on this deadline was met with encouragement by Salazar to have both sides work through their differences in the interim or they can expect him to make a final ruling at that time.

During the meeting, Salazar set forth a clearer timeline that will provide an opportunity for public comments on Section 106 while emphasizing the March 1st deadline where parties are expected to sign a Memorandum of Agreement.  Then the Department of Interior will move forward with a final Record of Decision or the Secretary will formally terminate the consultation and commence a final 45 day review which would lead to a final Record of Decision in April.  Advocates of this technology naturally want to see offshore wind projects move forward and these assurances in timeline are critical for an industry whose investors are watching closely to determine this technology's future in America.

There appear to be two overarching national priorities governing Salazar’s review and decision of the Cape Wind project. The first involves upholding this Administration’s focus on moving America towards a new clean energy frontier while properly siting renewable energy projects. The second priority is more unique to Salazar’s specific role as “chief historic preservation officer” of the country. This second priority is particularly intriguing as it underscores Salazar’s responsibility to properly tell America’s story while shaping and preserving our rich past.  This is perhaps a heavier lift that speaks directly to the cultural sensitivities involved in embarking on this new clean energy frontier.  With that said the clear take away from this meeting was that Salazar believes that continued uncertainty is bad for everyone and while he wants to make certain that everyone is heard, he is focused on bringing this process to an end.

While today’s meeting reaffirms the Administration’s commitment to putting a timeline on what has been nine years of continued uncertainty, it is still unknown how this process will conclude.  It is uncertain as to how proposals for relocation of Cape Wind will be handled although Salazar stressed the notion that potential accommodations within the confines of the existing application can be explored to mitigate historical and cultural impacts. The significance of this meeting will likely not be fully realized for years to come. However, it is clear that many are waiting with bated breath to see how Secretary Salazar is going to manage historical and cultural relationships with advocates and industry while shaping the future of offshore renewables in America.