As the Biden administration accelerates its offshore wind farm projects, local officials in Rhode Island have expressed strong disapproval, accusing the administration of ignoring their concerns. Internal documents reviewed by the Washington Free Beacon reveal a November 2022 letter from local Rhode Island governments to the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), denouncing the process as highly dysfunctional.

Officials from New Shoreham and Newport, along with three Rhode Island preservation societies, wrote the letter, condemning the BOEM for disregarding their input on the South Fork Wind project. The project, located less than 20 miles off Block Island, has sparked fears among locals that the wind farms will spoil the state’s scenic beauty and historic landmarks.

“We have NEVER seen a more dysfunctional process,” the letter stated, highlighting the frustration felt by local stakeholders. The criticism centered on the administration’s top-down approach, which they argue prioritized industry interests over those of local communities and Native American tribes.