"After nearly a decade of acrimonious debate, there are those who think that the fate of the proposed wind factory on Nantucket Sound now hinges on one crucial point: Does the industrial project violate the historic, cultural and spiritual traditions of the local Wampanoag tribes?

After all, that's where all the focus has been lately as U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar visited the Sound last month and met with representatives of the Mashpee and Aquinnah Wampanoag.

Salazar gave Cape Wind and the Wampanoag until last Monday to reach an agreement reconciling differences on how the 130-turbine wind farm would affect the tribes' cultural traditions.

To the tribes' credit, they rejected a $2 million offer by Cape Wind to "mitigate" the effects of the wind farm on their ancestral sites.

With no agreement between the developer and the tribes, Salazar has said he will make a decision on whether to approve the project by April.

"It is clear to me that the consulting parties are not able to bridge their divides and reach agreement on actions to minimize and mitigate the Cape Wind project's effects on historic and cultural resources," Salazar said.

As important as the tribes' objections are, there are a myriad of issues that Salazar needs to consider."

Get the Story:
Editorial: Sound objections (The Cape Cod Times 3/7)

Relevant Documents:
Secretary Salazar Letter | Press Release

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