The TOD team was contacted by Greenpeace today regarding the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act of 2005 (H.R. 889) introduced into Congress not long ago. Oddly enough (or not), Rep. Don Young (R-AK) included a provision in the bill that would block any wind farms from being built within 1.5 miles of any shipping lane.

From the letter that Greenpeace is asking people to forward to Congress:

The development of wind energy projects adjacent to shipping channels in other countries suggests that a 1.5 mile mandatory buffer is unnecessary.  Denmark and the United Kingdom are currently the world leaders in offshore wind energy, and both countries require a site specific review of impacts on navigation for projects 1/3 of a mile or greater from a shipping channel...In fact, the Middlegrunden wind farm in Denmark is within 1/3 nautical miles of a shipping channel, and there have been no negative impacts on navigation as a result of the wind farm since it was installed in 2001. In addition, this provision is more restrictive than laws dealing with other offshore structures, including oil and gas platforms that can be located within 500 feet of shipping channels.