Markey urges federal Cape Wind approval
By Beth Daley
GLOBE STAFF
Although U.S. Rep. Edward J. Markey is chair of a congressional climate change committee and a co-sponsor of clean energy legislation, he’s never explicitly come out in favor of the proposed Cape Wind project in Nantucket Sound.
Yet today, Markey wrote a strongly worded two-page letter to U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar urging him to approve the Cape Wind project before next month’s international climate talks in Copenhagen.
“Approving the Cape Wind project as the nation’s first commercial offshore wind project before the start of the U.N. conference would send a strong message to international negotiators about the United States’ commitment to developing sources of clean energy and reducing global warming pollution,’’ Markey wrote.
Markey has long indicated support, but said he was waiting to give his okay on the proposed 130-turbine wind farm until it went through a full environmental review. Eight years after the project was first proposed that final, favorable review was issued by the U.S. Minerals Management Service earlier this year. But Salazar has yet to issue the final permit.
So why did Markey write the letter now?
Environmentalists say he may have been motivated by a new delay to the project that Gov. Deval Patrick has labeled “ridiculous”: A ruling by Massachusetts' top historical officer that Nantucket Sound is eligible to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Two Wampanoag tribes have called for the listing because in part they say their sun salutation would be disturbed by the spinning turbines.
With U.S. legislation on reducing greenhouse gases stalled in Washington, observers say, there is a growing belief the U.S. needs to attend the talks with some green promise in hand – even if it's only approval to build the nation’s first offshore wind farm.
“We’re grateful,’’ said George Bachrach, president of the Environmental League of Massachusetts. “We think it’s an important step forward for Cape Wind.”
"The timing is odd,'' given it comes a week after the state historical ruling, said Audra Parker of the Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound, the main opposition group to the project.
Still, Sue Reid of the advocacy group Conservation Law Foundation said “we are really buoyed by it. It comes at a crucial time for the project.”
Here is the letter.
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Get this done already. Lets be a leader again in now the green movement!!!
Markey wrote the letter now because Edward Kennedy is dead. A dead man can't give orders to stay out of his sight! Markey was afraid that Kennedy would not support him for re-election for a chairmanship of a committee if he publicly supported the Cape Wind project.
With the governor calling the Wampanoag's delay tactics ridiculous and Markey finally supporting this project, maybe we can spot being ruled over by a dead man's wishes.
I don't understand why a project like this can't be done somewhere other than one of the most beautiful places in New England! People flock to Nantucket Sound from all over the country because of the natural beauty, not to see insanely tall windmills out in the water that are going to produce an incredibly small amount of energy.
I say lets marr a state and national treasure, unblemished in the history of world, with an industrial development of questionable utility and impact so that we may please and placate those attending copenhagen.
people swimming and boats crossing in the nantucket sound disturb my ocean salutation.
Markey is a fraud, he can not find his home town of Malden without a GPS. He fought Nuclear power for years and now wants an alternative to fossil fuels. When Cape Winds first stated the process Kennedy and Lurch were against it because these drunk boatman were afraid they would drown, now Kennedy is gone and Markey is no longer afraid to speak his mind. His Cap and Trade Bill is a disaster to the country and his years in Congress have raised our energy costs. Fast Eddie just go away and live with your Hollywood supporters.
Thanks Rep. Markey. This is long overdue, but highly necessary nonetheless.
Hopefully this will encourage decision-makers to ignore this last-minute stunt from Cape Wind opponents and finally allow us to start making clean energy a reality here in Massachusetts!!!
Ed Markey's actions today make me proud to call Massachusetts home. Thank you. I hope this will help the much-needed and regionally beneficial project to gain the final approvals it needs to move forward.
Had the Wampanoag tribes brought up this concern seven years ago it would be different, but after eight years of extremely well publicized permitting review and debate around this project it seems farcical for this objection to be brought up for the first time now with the expectation that it be interpreted as anything other than a last-ditch attempt to block this project from moving forward.
Finally long past time to build this green project. It is supported by tax breaks- but so is the oil industry (remember one of the big reasons for the war in Iraq?).
Northern Europe has 24 wind farms on-line, 8 under construction, 3 permitted to begin construction. The oldest one is near 20 years old. Denmark, with a land size 1.6 times larger than Mass and a population 5.5 million vs Mass's population of 6.5 million, currently produces 20% of the country's electrical energy from wind farms and intends to raise that number to 40%. I'd like to change our leadership in dithering for one of action.
8 years to permit a wind farm barely visible from land is utterly ridiculous. It shows where the real power and money has been in this country. With President Obama and the death of Kennedy - we now have the best chance to get Cape Wind approved. We are far behind the world in leadership to a green economy - at least Cape Wind would show the world there is hope for the US to change. Fly into Florida, Las Vegas or southern California and witness no use of the sun. Then fly into Barbados - a tiny island in the Caribbean - where every house heats their water with solar.
I sail in the area and I am eager to see the wind farm. It will only enhance my enjoyment, save our air quality, provide jobs, diversify our energy supply, and keep more of our currency in this country vs. supporting dictatorships in countries that hate us. Build it. For 8 years of stupid delays, build it. For the thousands of US servicemen dying and wounded in a struggle over fossil fuels, build it. For the start of a new tourist industry that will come to look at the beauty and grace it will bring, build it.
I don't often agree with Ed Markey, but on this we're standing side by side.
Let's get this wind farm built already!
Lets lead the world in clean energy and stop global warming with this clean energy. Do it even though the Republican's will vote against it.
I have never heard anyone complain about the visual disturbance of seeing boats on the water. Yet they certainly alter the view of the water and sky when present. Any visual standard applied to windmills should also be applied to any other man made structures such as boats and the masts and sails of boats. This would be a consistent standard and no more ridiculous that holding up this important project due to visual concerns of a few selfish people.
The economic and environmental benefits of windmills far outweigh any visual impact. Since my town started up the windmills for our municipal light company my energy charge has gone down $35 a month. This project should proceed as soon as possible.
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