Posted on 02/25/2005 5:53:22 AM PST by johnny7
On the last day the public could comment on the Nantucket Sound wind farm project, the tally of responses yesterday was 3,500 and counting. But one voice remained silent: U.S. Sen. John Kerry's position is still unclear.
In the years since the Cape Wind Associates proposal was first floated, U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy has stated clearly his opposition. Gov. Mitt Romney and U.S. Rep. William Delahunt, the Cape's congressman, have too. But Kerry - Nantucket homeowner and the ranking Democrat on the Senate Subcommittee on Oceans, Fisheries, and Coast Guard - still has not taken a position about putting the nation's first offshore wind farm in his back yard. The proposal, which would place 130 wind turbines in a shallow area of Nantucket Sound, is not just a local controversy. The issue has emerged as a closely watched battleground in a national debate over commercial development on the ocean's outer shelf. "His voice has probably got to be heard, especially since this is largely a federal matter," said Daniel Payne, a Democratic consultant who has worked on past Kerry campaigns. "I would think any political figure who represents the state or communities theoretically affected by the wind farm ought to be on the record."
While some tout the Nantucket Sound project as a unique chance to produce renewable energy on a large scale, others insist the sound is not an appropriate site. This week, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the principal reviewer of the project, has been compiling final comments on the draft environmental review. Larry Rosenberg, the Corps' spokesman, said federal workers were still leafing through the responses yesterday. Comments from Kennedy had arrived, he said. "Kerry," Rosenberg said, "has not come up yet."
Taking his time
A Kerry official acknowledged yesterday that the senator had not submitted a comment. The reason? Kerry feels that, as a Massachusetts senator, his obligation is to take his time before expressing any opinion. "There's even more responsibility, he feels, that he does review all the comments and gets all the reports before he makes a comment," said Setti Warren. In a statement, Kerry said: "It's critical for citizens, business leaders, and local officials to participate in the comment period, and I look forward to reviewing the results of the Final Environmental Impact Statement once complete."
Critics allege that Kerry, whom Republicans slammed as a fence-sitter during the 2004 presidential campaign, just won't choose a side.
The senator doesn't want to take a public stand that will make him appear weak on renewable energy, suggested Todd Domke, a Republican consultant. But, Domke added, Kerry is also unwilling to oppose Kennedy, a Capitol Hill institution whose support last year helped resurrect Kerry's flagging presidential campaign. "In this case, neutrality was politically the only course for him," Domke said. "Besides, this is what he's known for - taking whatever stand is politically expedient." On both sides of the wind farm debate, people have watched closely for an opinion from Kerry, whose family owns a home on Nantucket. Especially during his run for the White House last year.
Ample feedback
During the fall, the Bush campaign accused Kerry of hypocrisy for pledging more for renewable energy sources but not taking a stand on the wind farm. Since the Army Corps opened the process to public comment last fall, they've received plenty of feedback. In addition to more than 3,500 written responses, hundreds of citizens and public officials have spoken during a series of public hearings on the Cape and islands. As the public comment phase ended yesterday, groups on both sides of the issue weighed in. The Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound, a staunch opponent, submitted an 800-page document. Attorney General Thomas Reilly entered a 41-page statement in opposition.
Meanwhile, a coalition of environmental groups sent comments in support of the wind farm, including the National Resources Defense Council, the Union of Concerned Scientists and the Conservation Law Foundation. Seth Kaplan, an attorney with the CLF, didn't have a problem with Kerry taking his time. "I wouldn't be surprised if (Kerry's) take on things is that, in addition to seeing the document, he wants to see comments we made, NRDC made, even the Alliance made. "It's far better for people to keep an open mind than to pre-judge."
Staff writer ETHAN ZINDLER contributed to this report.
I bet Kerry debates whether to pull down his trousers before sitting on the toilet! Could you imagine this waffling jack-ass running the the war-on-terror?!
*groan*
What a poor excuse for a representative of any person, constituancy, or group. How his home state can tend to that ass with their tax dollars(and ours) is beyond me.
He's awaiting the results of multiple polls.
And the wheel goes round and round and round!
Ol' Horseface stands for fence-sitting! And he still doesn't realize this is a big reason people don't want him as a President.
Not to mention how Mass can continue to support the buffoon of all time, Ted Kennedy.
You could say that pretty much for every Senator currently in office.
As for Kerry, his answer changes with the wind...
Cervantes'Don Quixote was more of a warrior than this lying, mean-spirited, counterfeit poltroon....
All together now: HE VOTED FOR THE WINDMILLS BEFORE HE VOTED AGAINST THEM.
Who is the Kerry you speak of? lol
And let's make sure we keep it that way.
ALL together now...
"It's Bush's fault..
it's the eeeevil Karl Rove"
He's a disgrace. Frankly, I am ashamed that he is our Senator.
It's always, "good for thee but not for me" when it comes to the liberals. Wind energy is great as long as they don't have to look at it. That's for the little people. Gun control is another issue where they don't want us having guns to protect ourselves and our families, but they or their body guards always seem to have guns for their own protection.
Massachusetts should be extremely saddened and extremely embarassed.
He wants to consult with the world leaders and take a "global poll" before coming out on this issue. After all, what does he owe his constituency? He is so much above the common man. choke!
Kerry usually finds a way to choose both sides. It looks like he's having a harder time finding a way to do that in this case.
I'm very thankful that he was not elected president. Let's hope the people of MA start realizing what kind of idiots they have elected as Senators.
Ever notice they seem to have a committee for everything? Kerry can't even attend his senate intelligence committee meetings on national security issues, can someone explain why he's on the oceans, fish, and sailboarding senate committee? These committees provide additional pay, clout, and serve as a Tony Soprano layer of grift for anyone with legislation deliberately stalled by these committees. Doesn't anyone understand that the whole purpose of the committees is to add a bribery layer? A company my mom used to run made anti-fouling marine paints for the Navy and yachts. Every time they needed the EPA to get off their ass and approve or disapprove a new product they had to go to the committee who controlled the EPA budget and cough up twenty grand.
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