Patrick supports wind farm plan
Democrat Deval L. Patrick plans to announce today his support for a wind farm proposed off the coast of the Cape and islands, making him the first candidate for governor to back the eco-friendly but controversial project.
The former
''We need to get serious about the energy supply and cost issues that are facing us in this country and in this Commonwealth," Patrick said in an interview. ''And I want Massachusetts to show that kind of leadership."
''We can't keep saying we understand the problem of energy cost and supply and the problem of global warming and then refuse to act when we have an opportunity to do so," he added.
Cape Wind Associates is seeking to build 130 wind turbines in Nantucket Sound, a few miles off the coast but within the sight lines of pristine beaches and lavish oceanfront properties. The windmills would stand 417 feet above water. The clean energy project is being opposed by environmentalists who fear marring the seascape and by those who want the project to be located elsewhere.
''I appreciate the concerns of the opposition. They are not just wealthy beachfront homeowners who are concerned about their view," Patrick said. However, he said, concerns raised about the potential impact on migratory birds, sea mammals, and fishing grounds have largely been addressed, and in the cost-benefit analysis the benefits are ''overwhelming."
''I think one of the things a governor can do through his public leadership is to call attention to that fact and to try to explain to people -- including those who oppose it in good faith -- that there may be some modest sacrifice that's required of us for the common good," Patrick said.
Governor Mitt Romney and Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey -- who is expected to run if the Republican governor decides against a reelection bid -- both oppose the Cape Wind project, and Romney has spoken against it frequently.
The other Democrat in the race for governor, Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly, supports renewable energy but opposes the Cape Wind project, saying it ''basically amounts to a power plant in the center of Nantucket Sound."
The developer estimated the wind farm would have a maximum output of 420 megawatts, and could produce enough energy to power three-quarters of the Cape and islands. The project has been undergoing review by state and federal agencies under the leadership of the US Army Corps of Engineers.
Ernie Corrigan, a spokesman for the Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound, said Patrick is ignoring the negative potential of the project. A study by Corrigan's group asserted the offshore wind turbines could deter tourists and cost the region 2,500 jobs.
