Wind farm project dies down with bill: Senator slips in provision

Boston Herald ^ | Thursday, October 7, 2004 | John Strahinich

[Radix]

A provision quietly attached to a Defense Department spending bill earlier this week will take the wind out of a mighty wind-energy project on Cape Cod, project supporters say.

The amendment, filed by U.S. Sen. John Warner (R-Va.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, will delay indefinitely a proposed wind farm in Nantucket Sound.

``At a time when Americans are more concerned than ever about our reliance on overseas oil, it seems like a particularly bad time to put the brakes on developing a clean and local source of energy,'' said Mark Rodgers, of Cape Cod Wind Associates, which hopes to build the nation's first offshore wind farm.

The amendment - which prohibits the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from approving offshore wind-energy projects without the OK of Congress - is the latest obstacle thrown in the firm's path. Last week, Pentagon officials decided to put off releasing a massive environmental review of the developer's proposal to build 130 of its 400-plus-foot-high wind turbines in a 24-square mile area off Nantucket Sound.

``An indefinite delay in developing that resource would be a step in the wrong direction,'' said Seth Kaplan, senior attorney with the Conservation Law Foundation.

The controversial proposal has created conflicting alliances of unlikely bedfellows. The Conservation Law Foundation is among 10 environmental groups that have come out in support of the privately developed project.

Joining Warner against the project are U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy [related, bio] (D-Mass.), who also sits on the Armed Services Committee, Congressman William Delahunt [related, bio] (D-Quincy) and Bay State Gov. Mitt Romney [related, bio].

``Gov. Romney agrees that before we start developing the oceans, we need to proceed carefully,'' said Romney communications director Eric Fehrnstrom.

Warner has reportedly vacationed on the Cape for years and has two daughters who are summer residents of Osterville. Kennedy and his family, of course, spend summers at their family compound in Hyannisport.

As the debate has turned vitriolic, some project supporters are quietly accusing Warner and Kennedy of engaging in NIMBY behavior - though Not on My Private Beach may be more accurate.

Fehrnstrom says that's not fair. ``(Warner and Kennedy) wouldn't put a wind farm in the middle of the Grand Canyon or at the foot of Mount Rushmore, either,'' he said. ``Nantucket Sound is also a precious natural resource, and it needs to be protected.''

[dts32041]

Wonder if the senator would be in favor of a project to save electricity in Washington by cutting back on the AC in DC and harnessing the hot air that comes out of that town?

[newgeezer]

Ping.

By the way, I heard the PTC is NOT a done deal. It's buried in a "jobs" bill which still has to pass one house of Congress.

[Servant of the 9]

Why would Warner want to do this?

The only peope against it are the rich lefties with places at Cape Cod and Marttha's Vinyard who are gonna have to see it.

They're liberals, they deserve to have their property values ruined by a liberal idea.

So9

[AmericanChef]

Darn, now there's 10 lightbulbs in Cape Cod that will need alternative energy sources.

[CindyDawg]

Ugly (and spooky) things, aren't they?

[Mikey_1962]

Bad news for me.... We make the fiberglass blades for these windmills... bummer

[dirtboy]

Liberal elite NIMBY hypocrisy at its finest...

[cwiz24]

It's really too bad that at a time when oil prices are skyrocketing and the United States is so dependent on energy sources from unstable countries, the country cannot get behind a pilot project to provide clean energy to thousands of people.

I worked on the environmental acceptability report for this wind farm and I am an environmentalist through and through. I saw nothing but good things from the farm being placed in Nantucket Sound.

[KarlInOhio]

The only good reason I can think of is that the windmills would get in the way of the oil rigs we're putting in next year. (I can dream, can't I?)

[CindyDawg]

Do planes go that low? Can't yall blend the color so they don't stick out so much?

[cwiz24]

Ha ha ha

[cwiz24]

The issue has nothing to do with planes. The 170 windmills are each approximately 426 feet high. The projected long-term savings to New England residents: Over $800M over 20-year design life of project.

[Mikey_1962]

lol.. they are white for better thermal distribution, and so that they CAN be seen... by birds, planes, terrorists flying low...

[RayChuang88]

Actually, the main reason why the project hasn't been started is the fact they want to put up the wind farm on the waters between the mainland and Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Island. That in my humble opinion is a terrible idea because it will cause a very serious navigation hazard for boats and airplanes traversing Nantucket Sound, given the inclement weather on Nantucket Sound during the winter months.

There is an alternative proposal to put up the wind farm southeast of Nantucket Island, one that hasn't gotten so much opposition lately.

[ninonitti]

The only peope against it are the rich lefties with places at Cape Cod and Marttha's Vinyard who are gonna have to see it.

And any working stiff lucky enough to have a boat and to go out fishing on the sound for bass and blues....

[CindyDawg]

It's probably a your backyard but not mine thing. I go by the "garden" going towards El Paso sometimes. Maybe it's my Indian roots but they look like spirits waving arms to me lol. We have to protect our planes but birds? That's like saying we need to insulate our highways to cool them down so snakes won't crawl up and sun. Vultures have to eat too:')

[LisaS]

This is an outstanding development.

Bottomline, wind energy is one of the most inefficent, ineffective forms of energy and hugely destructive. Kennedy's effort is excellent. The wind companies are being bolstered by plain stupid energy policy.

I have supporting documentation that proves this point that I am happy to share with anyone interested.
--Lisa

[Mister Baredog]

Why would Warner want to do this?

Did you miss this line?

Warner has reportedly vacationed on the Cape for years and has two daughters who are summer residents of Osterville. Kennedy and his family, of course, spend summers at their family compound in Hyannisport.

Sorta splains a lot. NIMBY at work, I live in CA where this is the current basis of everything. They now have cities that need jobs voting to keep Wal-Mart out of their area. Why you might ask? NIMBY, it's moronic.

[LisaS]

This is not true. Unfortunately, people who speak out against wind are labeled heretics.

Wind towers are threatening our most sensitive and historic ridgelines - for no gain. Wind towers simply do not produce electricity on a scale to justify commercial plants.

The winners are the Warren Buffets and the like who take advantage of the tax avoidance policies surrounding wind. Do not be fooled by the "feel-good" nature of wind. This is one case where the behind the scene story is bad for the general people.