A tribe in Oregon whose culture is tied to the ocean is suing the U.S. government over plans to hold an offshore wind energy auction next month, saying the environmental analysis underpinning the sale was too narrow and based on a “predetermined political decision.”
The lawsuit, filed by the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians, alleges the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management “failed to take a hard look at the impacts to the environment from private offshore wind energy development,” including those stemming from building and operating wind energy facilities, plus potential effects on aquatic and cultural resources and viewscapes.
“The lifestyle and culture of the Tribe is tied to Oregon’s rich coastal and marine waters, which support countless species of seabirds, marine mammals, fisheries, aquatic plants, and dramatic landscapes,” the lawsuit states, adding that the area “cannot sustain a drastic change in its workforce and culture, which will occur because of offshore wind projects.”