Federal historic council recommends US interior secretary reject Mass. coast wind farm project

Council: Feds should dump Mass. wind farm project

BOSTON — A federal historic panel has recommended the government reject a proposed wind farm off the coast of Massachusetts.

The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation says the Cape Wind project would have unavoidable adverse effects on 34 historic properties near Nantucket Sound. It sent its comments to U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar on Friday.

Salazar must respond to the council’s comments before his final ruling on the project, expected by the end of April.

The 130-turbine proposal has been under review since 2001.

A spokeswoman for the anti-Cape Wind group the Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound hails the council’s recommendation and says it makes it much more difficult for Salazar to approve the project.

Cape Wind developers say they disagree with the council but are hopeful Salazar will see the project’s benefits outweigh any negative impacts.