Framing the Seascape: Coastal visitor perceptions on offshore wind development in New England

Document Type

Poster

Date of Original Version

3-27-2026

Abstract

There have been a number of concerns over offshore wind development in the New England region of the United States, the effects on local tourism being one of them. This research aims to bring baseline, empirical data to the claims being made behind offshore wind’s impact on tourism, including the possibility of impacting the seascape to the point of deterring tourists. Through semi-formal intercept interviews conducted at three coastal locations in Rhode Island, including the location of the nation’s first offshore wind farm, results suggest that coastal visitors feel that the offshore wind turbines have a minimal impact on their enjoyment and have prior established views on offshore wind. Some expressed concern over the impact that the turbines have on the ocean environment, the viewscape changing, and the costs and benefits of these large-scale projects, while others praised the renewable energy source and approved of both the distance and number of turbines visible. Coastal visitors demonstrated a curiosity towards the turbines as well, interested in specific projects, their impacts on the coastal environment (specifically on marine life), and how they work. Overall, results show that coastal visitors have ranging opinions, positive and negative, about offshore wind but that these opinions do not negate their decision to return.

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