OREGON COAST – Voters in Coos and Curry counties will have an extra question on their ballot this November.
Commissioners in both counties voted in favor of including an advisory question for voters on whether they should work to oppose the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s installation of two floating wind farms off the southern Oregon coast.
The first will be just over 60,000 acres, about 32 miles offshore near Coos Bay. The second is 18 miles off the coast of Brookings and will total over 130,000 acres.
Advisory questions are not legally binding, so regardless of the vote, it won’t stop the federal government from moving forward with the project.
Rob Taylor with Oregonians Against Wind Turbines says the organization wants to gain the public’s attention and deter businesses looking to lease the areas. Taylor says the organization is concerned wind turbines will impact the environment and local fishing that would cause a ripple effect on food processors, tourism and the local economy.
Taylor said, “what we’re hoping is that any of the corporations who plan on bidding for this will see that there is a huge opposition in the area that they would be less willing to bid on this project.”
The advisory question will be on November’s general election ballot. However, the offshore areas up for lease will be auctioned on October 15.
Watch the full interview with Rob Taylor below:
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