Former U.S. Navy Secretary Disavows Letter Sent to Joint Chiefs of Staff and Published in NY Post

Former U.S. Navy Secretary Disavows Letter Sent to Joint Chiefs of Staff and Published in NY Post

Former United States Secretary of the Navy J. William Middendorf says a letter sent to the Joint Chiefs of Staff expressing concerns about offshore wind — bearing his signature — was not approved by him. 

On Monday, the New York Post wrote that it had “exclusively obtained” a copy of a two-page letter, publishing “Ex-Navy secretary demands halt to RI wind farm that will ‘obliterate quality of life’ and won’t ‘ever’ reduce carbon emissions.”

Middendorf served as the U.S. Secretary of the Navy under Richard Nixon from April 1974 to January 1977.

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He had previously served as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands under Nixon, and then afterward to the European Union under President Ronald Reagan. 

When reached by phone by GoLocal on Tuesday, Middendorf said that “he had help” writing a letter on the issue. 

“People involved in sailing and fishing had been complaining to me [about the wind turbines],” said Middendorf. “The local fisherman and environmentalists here in Little Compton helped me. They were concerned.” Middendorf is a resident of Little Compton.

“I’m 99 years old — I’m not as spry as I used to be,” said Middendorf. 

 

Unapproved Letter

Middendorf said he was unaware that a letter was sent to the Joint Chiefs of Staff — and published in the NY Post — bearing his name. 

After being alerted to the NY Post story, he then called GoLocal back. 

“That is an unauthorized version,” said Middendorf after reviewing the letter in the NY Post.

He said that a woman he had worked with on the letter had clearly “added her remarks” — as well as his home phone number.

“My letter was much shorter. It expressed concern for the maintenance of the turbines, the fact that they don’t put much of a dent in the energy requirements, and they’re an eyesore,” said Middendorf. 

“Mine was much more toned down,” he added. 

 

Latest in Wind Opposition in RI 

This controversy is just the latest in which high-profile residents of RI coastal communities have come out against offshore wind.

As GoLocal reported on November 22: 

Trudy Coxe, the former head of Save the Bay and once the top environmental official in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, dropped a bombshell on Wednesday afternoon.

In her role as the head of the Preservation Society of Newport County, Coxe announced that her organization has filed a massive federal lawsuit to block the construction of the offshore wind project off the coast of Rhode Island.

The organization manages the public-facing mansions in Newport, such as The Breakers and Rosecliff, to name a few.

The Preservation Society filed the suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.