Wind Farm Off Cape Cod Clears Hurdle

[BeyondGeography]

Source: The New York Times

BOSTON — A federal agency said Friday that the nation’s first offshore wind farm, proposed for the waters off Cape Cod, posed no serious environmental threat, bringing it a major step closer to fruition.

Homeowners and boaters on the Cape, including Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts, have fought the project for eight years, saying it would hurt wildlife, fishing and tourism and spoil the beauty of Nantucket Sound. Opponents have sued to stop the project, known as Cape Wind, and more challenges are certain, keeping the path to construction bumpy despite what supporters Friday called a crucial victory.

The Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound, a group formed to fight the project, suggested that the Bush administration had unscrupulously rushed to approve it before President-elect Barack Obama takes office next week. “They wanted some kind of a legacy,” said Audra Parker, the group’s executive director. “Cape Wind is far from a done deal despite this favorable report.”

The wind farm would cover 24 square miles — roughly the size of Manhattan — five miles off of Cape Cod. The 130 turbines will not be audible from the shore, but, on clear days, they will be visible half an inch above the horizon, according to Energy Management Inc., the company planning the project. Jim Gordon, the company’s president, said that optimistically, construction could begin late this year, and the wind farm could be producing electricity by the end of 2011...

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/17/us/17wind.html?hp

[GentryDixon]

1. I love the sight of the windmills as far as the eye can see in

parts of Wyoming.

[Veruca Salt]

4. When I flew out of Copenhagen I saw them in the water...

and it was a stunningly beautiful sight to behold!

[chucktaylor]

2. The biggest hurdle being Kennedy and his yacht owning buddies.

I guess NIMBY is more important than affordable energy.

[TheCowsCameHome]

3. The NIMBY's have deep pockets

Very deep pockets..............

[slampoet]

5. If this was in nearby New Bedford it would be DONE by now ..........

that is if the same people didn't complain that the jobs are needed in CapeCod



For those of you that don't know New Bedford is the one area in New England that has been in a downward spiral since the collapse of the whaling industry 110+ years ago.


The fact is this is being delayed by powerful people OUTSIDE the state. In fact most of the money for the efforts is coming from part time summer residents.


I know of NOBODY who lives in Cape Cod in the Winter and opposes this windfarm.

[Viva Zapata]

7. That is contrary to what I read

That is contrary to what I read stating that the majority of Cape Cod,Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket residents were opposed to it but I do not know when the survey was taken and therefore what the percentage of year round residents were.

If this project was to be done off the coast of Maine or Long Island I guarantee that 90% of those opposed would change their tune.This is truly a case of wanting to be part of the solution or part of the problem and it is amazing that so many are in opposition due to aesthetic reasons.Given the choice between heating my home with oil from the Gulf of Mexico or Iraq or " a gift from the people of Venezuela" or being able to heat it with electricity produced by clean,safe wind energy I do believe I know what I would want.

[slampoet]

8. Nearly NOONE lives on Nantucket Year Round. The Residents you refer to are not MA citizens.

The fact is that there are out-of-staters using up State resources and they think that just paying property taxes gives them the right to interfere.



As for Maine, I suspect that the Bushes would oppose that

[dysfunctional press]

10. "...has been in a downward spiral since the collapse of the whaling industry 110+ years ago. "

that's one LONG spiral...how long before they hit bottom? :shrug:

[Abq_Sarah]

6. Kennedy

Is still vowing to fight it. I wonder if he'd feel the same way if it were in my backyard.

[AngryAmish]

9. I think this is a terrible idea

Sen. Kennedy needs to sail his yacht somewhere. After all he and his family have been through in service to our nation, doesn't he deserve this?

[Frank Booth]

11. Good point.

I also don't think the bottom half inch above the horizon of his vision should be clouded by energy producing machines.

[BrotherBuzz]

12. Half an inch? Is that a John Kerry half inch or a Barbara Boxer half inch?

:shrug:

[karynnj]

13. Does height change what is seen above the horizon that much at that distance

Just trying to think of the trigonometry, I doubt even the difference in height between Kerry and Boxer would make that much of a difference.

[BrotherBuzz]

14. Yes

Standing vs sitting on a yacht makes a huge difference. Boxer is VERY short. ;)

[karynnj]

16. Thanks -

Boxer is very short - and I figured that that was why you used - Kerry and Boxer - who if they aren't tallest and shortest - they are close to it.

[WriteDown]

15. Will never happen...

Both Robert and Ted are vehemently opposed. I would love to see more windmills EVERYWHERE. I don't believe its the solution, but it can offer supplemental help.

[tabasco]

17. The Grand Canyon, Mt. Rushmore, Yosemite?

[ohio2007]

18. Government issues draft offshore drilling plan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A preliminary proposal was issued on Friday by the U.S. Minerals Management Service to hold oil and natural gas lease sales in coastal areas where drilling was, until recently, banned.

The draft plan proposes 31 energy exploration lease sales between 2010 and 2015 for areas on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf, including tracts along the East Coast and off the coasts of Alaska and California.

The agency will be accepting public comments on the plan for 60 days beginning January 21. At the end of the public comment period it will be up to President-elect Barack Obama's administration to decide whether to move forward with the proposed leasing plan, make changes, or scrap it entirely.

Obama has said he supports expanding offshore drilling as a part of a comprehensive energy plan.
That sentiment was also expressed by his Interior Department Secretary-designee Ken Salazar.

snip

The MMS estimates that the Outer Continental Shelf holds 86 billion barrels of oil and 420 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Offshore areas could potentially contain much more oil and gas and have not been explored in 25 years.


http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE50F6O820090116