fbpx
facebook app symbol  twitter  linkedin  instagram 1
 

The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) released two draft Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) off the Oregon coast for the development of offshore wind energy. The Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians are concerned.

The tribe believes that the release of WEAs was premature and threatens fisheries, local fishing jobs, and some of Oregon’s pristine ocean viewsheds, some of which are sacred to the Tribe, according to a press release. 

“The Tribe supports any green economic development project that follows the law and does not harm local fishing jobs, our environment, or Tribal cultural resources,” Tribal Council Chair Brad Kneaper said in a press release. “We cannot support offshore wind development until we are provided assurance that it will do good and not harm the Tribe, its members, and the greater community.”

Never miss Indian Country’s biggest stories and breaking news. Sign up to get our reporting sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. 

The WEA’s draft covers approximately 219,568 acres offshore of southern Oregon with their closest points ranging from approximately 18 to 32 miles off the coast, according to BOEM. 

The Tribe raised a number of concerns to BOEM about wind energy development. These comments include areas of ocean views excluded from the wind areas, along with areas critical to resident and migratory wildlife and fishing. 

“Last week, BOEM shared its initial visual impacts assessment that demonstrates that the blades and lights from these facilities could be seen from important places along the coast both during the day and at night. This is not acceptable to the Tribe,”  Kneaper said in a statement from the Confederated Tribes of Coos. 

According to the Oregon Department of Wildlife, commercial fishing generated an estimated $558 million in income for the statewide economy in 2019, which is equivalent to 9,200 jobs. 

Fishing is an important industry on the coast that employs tribal members and supports tribal business. Fish, including salmon, are also an important cultural and subsistence resource to the Tribe. Any impact to fish from wind development could harm local jobs and the tribe according to the statement. 

The Tribe has called the coast their home since Time Immemorial. The Tribe's beliefs, traditional practices, fishing, first foods and relations are interconnected and influenced by all that is encompassed in the greater ocean. The tribe consistently advocates that any projects, on land or offshore, avoid impacts on sites of traditional and religious significance to the tribe according to a statement. 

“The Tribe remains open to working with the BOEM to resolve the issues raised in our

Comments,” Kneaper said.  “We plan to provide comments to BOEM on the WEAs, to provide testimony at the public hearings, and to coordinate with our local and state partners to address our concerns.”

More Stories Like This

Charles F. “Chuck” Sams III Joins Oregon Law as Inaugural Oregon Tribes Scholar-in-Residence
Interior Department Moves to Expand Oil and Gas Development in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve
Feds Release Final Environmental Impact Statement on Oak Flat Mine
Interior Department Announces Over $119 Million for Abandoned Coal Mine Reclamation
Osage Minerals Council Celebrates the Final Dismissal of Hayes II Litigation

Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions

At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.

The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.

Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.

This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.

We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.

Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.

Levi headshotThe stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.

Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.

Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher

 
 
About The Author
Kaili Berg
Author: Kaili BergEmail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Staff Reporter
Kaili Berg (Aleut) is a member of the Alutiiq/Sugpiaq Nation, and a shareholder of Koniag, Inc. She is a staff reporter for Native News Online and Tribal Business News. Berg, who is based in Wisconsin, previously reported for the Ho-Chunk Nation newspaper, Hocak Worak. She went to school originally for nursing, but changed her major after finding her passion in communications at Western Technical College in Lacrosse, Wisconsin.