The National Park Service's determination that Nantucket Sound is eligible for listing as a national historic site could have far-reaching implications for more than the proposed wind farm in the scenic coastal waters: Cape Cod fishermen, ferries, and even builders of some shorefront properties may be affected.
Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles said today that the state was examining its legal options to have the designation rescinded because it would place "profound" harm on future activities in the Sound.
The 560-square-mile area is the first swath of ocean to be determined eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. That decision on Monday, based on the Sound's cultural and spiritual significance for two Wampanoag tribes, means the 130-turbine Cape Wind project, and all future activities in the Sound that require a federal permit, will now have to consult with the Native Americans and try to minimize the projects' impact on the protected area. That consultation will be required even if the Sound is never actually formally listed on the Register.