Fishermen and seafood processor’s groups have support from U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, when it comes to wind turbine development off the southern Oregon Coast.
Earlier this year, a number of organizations – including the West Coast Seafood Processors Association and Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission – voiced concerns over federal plans to install three wind turbine sites offshore.
Merkley told KLCC that the sites would be an “extraordinary opportunity” to utilize the velocity and steadiness of the airflow.
“But you can only develop wind offshore in close coordination with the fishing community. This cannot be a battle between stakeholders,” Merkley added.
The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has made assurances that it’ll take into account the potential effects of turbines to the environment and commercial fishing. The designated sites are outside Brookings, Bandon, and Coos Bay.
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