Would Wind Turbines Spoil View from Historic Districts?

WEST CAPE MAY – Would offshore wind turbines that could be seen from Cape May, Cape May Point and West Cape May have a negative effect on the integrity of their historic districts?
While it is uncertain if there are any plans in the works to place wind turbines offshore of Cape Island, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Mineral Management Service (MMS), is conducting a survey of National Register-listed and eligible properties that may be visually impacted by the future placement of wind turbines within the off-shore Exclusive Economic Zone along the east coast of the United States.
This work is being conducted by John Milner Associates, Inc. of West Chester, PA., a consultant to the MMS.
The firm sent a letter and list of historic assets ranging from the proposed Sea Grove Historic District in Cape May Point to the Cape May Lighthouse to the three municipalities. Milner Associates requested towns identify archeological and historic architectural resources within one-quarter mile inland of the shoreline.
West Cape May Historic Preservation Commission Chairman Elan Zingman-Leith told the Herald since the proposed turbines would be offshore, and the West Cape May portion of the National Register Historic District doesn’t extend to the beach, he did not think that we could have an adverse impact on the historic district.
“In my opinion, distant turbines don’t adversely impact historic districts,” he said.
Zingman-Leith said his best guess was the information would be used for an environmental impact statement for a proposed wind turbine project.
The request from MMS could be tied to a proposed Coast Guard wind turbine project. The U.S. Coast Guard Training Center (TRACEN) here is proposing to construct two, 2-megawatt wind turbines on 328-foot towers at two locations on the base to provide 66 percent to 70 percent of the base’s energy needs.
According to a nearly 300-page report prepared by Weston Solutions, the blade of each turbine would extend another 153 feet into the air, so when operating, their total effective height would be 481 feet to the tip of the extended blade from ground level. The two wind turbines would have a rotor diameter of 305 feet, a rotor height of 328 feet, a rotor swept area of 73,108 feet, an operating wind speed of 7.8 mph and maximum power output wind speed of 44 mph. The operating rotor speed would be 12-19 r.p.m.
The project would require permits from the state Division of Fish and Wildlife, Federal Aviation Administration, Coastal Area Facilities Review Act (CAFRA) New Jersey Resources Conservation Program, state Department of Environmental Protection, state Historic Preservation Office and Cape May’s Historic Preservation Commission.