Posted on 10/07/2004 6:35:44 AM PDT by 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.''
IMHO, the Corps of Engineers should be required to paint the windmills in a standardized color scheme that coordinates well with the festive atmosphere desired by summer vacationers on Cape Cod. That way, EVERYBODY's concerns will be addressed!
Ain't it purty???
Yes, you're right. It seems the bill I heard Grassley talking about is yet another one entirely.
I have read over the years a nbr. of articles which fault the US Navy for a plethora of problems caused by experiments with sonar which supposedly result in whales beaching themselves and other things.
Invariably the complainers are left wingers or fanatics of some sort or another. That does not make them wrong concerning the facts of Sonar effecting whales and other critters by the way.
http://www.gepower.com/about/press/en/2004_press/100504.htm
Only a matter of time before the people in Canada realize the detrimental impact of these towers. Take note - Europe is denying these project today and for good reason.
That might be an interesting argument if Europe was actually doing that. As it is they are building them faster than Ever with the exception of Germany since it already has so many and is looking to huge offshore developments.
They have to find a beach area that the leftist elites like the Kennedys don't populate - maybe Sandy Hook, New Jersey or Point Barrow, Alaska - which have more in common than meets the eye.
Ted The Swimmer is such a hypocrite. I think they should put the windmills there anyway, and send up 10,000 illegal aliens to construct and maintain them.
So let me get this straight: some marine mammals can hear magnetic lines of force? Amazing!
MidAmerican Energy Announces Sites for its Wind Generation Project
DES MOINES, Iowa (Sept. 24, 2004) MidAmerican Energy today officially announced the locations for its previously announced 310-megawatt wind project in Iowa.
The $323 million project will be located on two sites in north central and northwest Iowa. One site is an area north of Blairsburg, situated in Wright and Hamilton counties. The other location is southwest of Storm Lake in Buena Vista and Sac counties. Approximately 100 GE Wind Energy 1.5 megawatt wind turbines will be constructed at each location. (...more...)
Flux capacitors are not very efficient in salt air environment. If sealed, The efficiency drops off precipitously.</p>
When augmented with static monitors the capacitors will work well but the cost goes through the ceiling.
Are you saying that the wind farm would produce high skill, high paying jobs which could not be outsourced?
Oh the horror!
....some marine mammals can hear magnetic lines of force....
It is my understanding that the force fields are disruptive to the water borne sound and they do not actually hear the macnetic field.
I'm a little uncertain about the relationship.
I agree there's a nice spot called Louisberg Square. You could drop that sucker in there on the little park paint some hip hop murals on it and it would just diasppear into the cityscape.
It depends on if you consider running boats out to a windfarm and cleaning and maintaining the equipment skilled.
The complaints are valid. These are extremely powerful tones, which will harm/kill marine mammals...even human mammals that are in the water....and they travel very long distances.
http://www.capewind.org
I'd put them on a par with electricians and offshore oil workers.
And since I've made the acquaintance of several wind turbine maintenance guys from West Texas, I know that what they do requires skill.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.