SavingSeaFood - Wind energy leasing plan under fire by Mass. lawmakers

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Wind energy leasing plan under fire by Mass. lawmakers

Members of the state's congressional delegation are pressuring the U.S. Department of the Interior to listen to fishermen as the agency plans to lease waters south of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket to offshore wind energy developers.

"I'm disappointed in both state and federal officials," U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., said Tuesday about potential leases in 3,000 square miles of ocean. "They should have been much more careful and deliberate about this."

The Newton Democrat is concerned about the effect of wind energy projects on fishing grounds near Georges Bank, he said.

"I've supported the Cape Wind farm," Frank said, noting he and his congressional allies are "not anti-wind."

The proposed Nantucket Sound wind farm is located north of the islands and is not part of the new area federal officials opened up in December to gauge the interest of wind energy developers.

Frank joined Massachusetts Congressman John Tierney along with Sens. John Kerry and Scott Brown in signing a letter sent Tuesday to Interior Department Secretary Ken Salazar requesting more time to comment on the proposed leasing area and more consultation with the fishing industry.

Read the complete story from The South Coast Today.

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