Obama admin. eager for wind farm decision

WASHINGTON, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- The Obama administration says it will end the long running dispute over building a wind farm in Nantucket Sound near Cape Cod, Mass., within two months.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said Monday he would summon key parties to a meeting on the issue next week, The Boston Globe reported. The announcement came immediately after the National Park Service -- which is under Salazar's purview -- made the decision to deem the Sound eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places due to its spiritual and cultural importance to the American Indian Wampanoag tribes of Aquinnah and Mashpee, the newspaper said.

The National Register decision flies in the face of the Wind Farm project, which the Obama administration has resurrected after a year of silence on the matter, the Globe said. In light of disappointments at the Copenhagen environmental summit and Congress' inability to pass legislation to curb greenhouse gas emissions, the president is eager to demonstrate U.S. seriousness to turn to a lower-carbon economy, the newspaper said.

The Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound joined the tribes in opposing the wind farm, fearing the sight of the turbines will negatively impact the appearance of the area and its property values, the Globe reported.

"I'm pleased that Secretary Salazar is personally convening the parties next week to address any potential historic impacts of the Cape Wind Project," Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick said. "The decision by the (National Park Service) is unfortunate, but should not be an obstacle to this vital clean energy project moving forward."