Is the arguing over the Cape wind farm over? I doubt it. Let the lawsuits begin. The Feds blessed the decade-old project today, but the Wampanoags are claiming interference with sunrise worship and ancient-once-dry-burial-grounds. I am in favor of it by the way. Here is my post from 2007 when I changed my mind.
From the Cape Cod Times:
“US Interior Secretary Ken Salazar approved the proposed Nantucket Sound wind farm today, a move proponents herald as a giant leap forward and opponents decry as a dangerous misstep.
“His approval is the culmination of nearly a decade of review by local, state and federal agencies of the plan to build 130 wind turbines on Horseshoe Shoal in the Sound.”
via Salazar approves Cape wind farm | CapeCodOnline.com.
Update: a day later the Cape Cod Times demotes the windmills in favor of local hero Siobhan Magnus.
two questions:
Why did it take YEARS for the natives to mention the never-mentioned-before ceremony? I’ve lived here all my life, never heard of it. And the sun rises in the east, not the south, and Nantucket sound is SOUTH of Mashpee, not east. I’d loan them a compass, but I use my GPS…
Why would anyone bury bodies in the middle of the bay? Have the shoals ever been high dry enough to connect to the Cape, specifically Mashpee?
Other then the big transformer out in the bay, I like the project. Why couldn’t Ken get them to move the transformer?
Actually there is apparently some sort of fossilized ancient forest out there on Horseshoe Shoal — not surprising given the glacial berm and moraine pushed out there by the Laurentian ice cap 10,000 years ago. I dunno, maybe there was dry land out there by the time the first true locals migrated in from the west.
I like wind for the single reason that this country needs a shining example of its commitment to reducing its dependency on foreign oil. Hiding it off shore or on military bases is not the solution. There is huge symbolism attached to this project for opponents and proponents. I hated the idea at first. But over time I’ve come around to the reasoning behind establishing an unemotional permitting process (this one took NINE years) and then, ultimately, how to get the Cape off the fossil fuel grid.
…and to reducing our dependency on oil, period. So sad for those on the Gulf. Of course I don’t have a view to protect or a boat, but our society has got to get past its NIMBY-ism. how long will it take to build them?
I’m not in favor of it on aesthetic grounds, but I’ll get over it. With regard to Jan’s question, the proponent claims it will be ready to go online at the end of 2012, but of course there will be legal challenges to deal with. In short, who knows?