How will the project affect recreational boating, sailing, and fishing?
| In other places where offshore wind projects have been developed, boaters use turbines as a destination, and many wind farms include tie-offs for boaters. There is no exclusion zone planned, as per discussions with U.S. Coast Guard Ninth District. In contrast, there are boating exclusion zones around both of the nuclear power plants on the Ohio coastline of Lake Erie, Perry and Davis Besse. Note that the blades of the turbine have a minimum clearance height of 25 meters (82 feet) above the water surface. |
Will commercial activity or fishing be marginalized by the projects?
| The ODNR is fully engaged in the siting process for offshore wind turbines. A guiding mechanism for not disrupting commercial activity is the ODNR Turbine Favorability Map, which includes consideration for ports, shipping lanes, and fishing areas. In another sense, commercial activity will be enhanced by the presence of an offshore wind industry. |
Will the salt-deposits/mines in Lake Erie present a danger of drainage/loss of water as a result of project impact?
| No. Salt is extracted from underground deposits lying anywhere from 500 to 2,800 feet beneath the surface – far below the bottoms of the foundations of the wind turbines on the lakebed. Source: http://www.cargill.com/salt/about/howsaltismade/index.jsp |
