WPRO News and the Associated Press
NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) – The Navy has dropped its plans to put wind turbines on Aquidneck Island.
Lisa Rama, a spokeswoman for Naval Station Newport, tells the Providence Journal (http://bit.ly/1J7HwU ) that opposition from neighbors, engineering issues and others led to the decision.
Rhode Island’s Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission had opposed the plan, saying the large turbines would have harmed views of historic resources and could have had a negative impact on tourism.
The Navy says it is now considering the installation of solar panels that could provide up to 10 megawatts of electricity to the 1,399-acre base.
Those panels would be installed on brownfields sites and on rooftops.
