Renewable energy is an important part of our response to climate change and should be developed in ways that respect cultural heritage. We help local and tribal governments, neighborhood associations, and communities advocate for historic properties and heritage tourism economies that will be negatively impacted by offshore wind development. We help consulting parties protect their legal rights under the National Environmental Policy Act and National Historic Preservation Act and negotiate agreements with developers to minimize negative impacts and share the benefits of these developments.
Historic preservation and clean energy goals are not mutually exclusive. Indeed, the historic preservation movement is a leader in finding creative ways to address climate change and sea level rise. However, communities with significant inventories of historic properties connected to historic ocean viewsheds have legal rights under the National Environmental Policy Act and National Historic Preservation Act that too often get overlooked. Under these federal statutes and related state laws, federal agencies have a duty to assess adverse effects on historic and cultural resources and find ways through consultation to avoid, minimize, or mitigate harm.
Our work on behalf of clients is driven by our belief that communities and offshore wind developers can and should forge long-term partnerships. Establishing trust, engaging in consultation, and developing creative solutions make it possible to achieve clean energy goals while ensuring that communities have ways to offset the development’s harms to heritage tourism, property values, and historic context.
Please contact our team leader, Will Cook.
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