California congressman urges closer consultation with tribes on offshore wind

By CLAIRE RUSH and JENNIFER McDERMOTT
Associated Press

A California congressman says tribes should be more involved in the decision-making process for the development of the first offshore wind farms along the West Coast. U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman, who represents California’s north coast, sent a letter to federal regulators requesting that they place a senior official in the state to specifically respond to tribal needs. The Bureau of Ocean Management says it has engaged with tribes in the region. But tribal communities in California and Oregon have expressed frustration with what they describe as a lack of consultation on proposals that impact culturally significant waters and land.