Globe: Kerry still undecided on Nantucket Sound wind farm

[skids]

Both sides in the bitter fight over a proposed Nantucket Sound wind farm are pressing hard as a showdown in Congress looms on a measure that could kill the project, but one key vote is still up for grabs: that of U.S. Sen. John Kerry.

...

Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., and Cape Cod's congressman, U.S. Rep. William Delahunt, D-Quincy, oppose the project. Four of the five gubernatorial candidates also are against the wind farm.

...

Kerry's indecision stands in stark contrast to the stand of Kennedy, whose staunch opposition to Cape Wind has made him a lightning rod for environmental groups and other project backers.

...

Because the Coast Guard bill was approved by a House-Senate conference panel, Cape Wind supporters will face difficulty stripping the amendment from the overall bill or altering it.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/04/26/kerry_still_undecided_on_nantucket_sound_wind_farm/

[blm]

1. I heard Kerry is waiting for all the environmental impact reports.

It seems some environmentalists, including Robert Kennedy are concerned with the negative impact on that stretch of water and the waterlife that the windfarms pose for that particular area.

isn't there any undeveloped land somewhere that could support those windfarms? I'm not from that region and have only been to Martha's Vineyard a few times, so I'm far from an expert about it, but it seems if my business was windfarms, I'd buy up stretches of old farm land nearby or even blocks of old, abandoned buildings to put up the windmills.

[rox63]

5. Real estate on Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket

is very expensive. No one would put a wind farm on it, because it wouldn't be economically feasible.

[rfkrfk]

10. so Kerry needs to be told the obvious?

he needs someone else to tell him that the impact is
only visual, with temporary construction issues.

[MADem]

2. Walter Cronkite withdrew his opposition--he lives out there

http://www.mvgazette.com/news/2003/08/29/cronkite_withdraws_ad.php

Opposition to this project, he said, "may be premature."

The former television newsman, in residence this summer at his longtime Edgartown home, said he will now await the outcome of ongoing studies before reaching a personal decision on the project. When he first lined up with the opposition, he said, "I did not realize ... that almost a score of government agencies were investigating and were preparing a report on the impact of the Nantucket Sound project. My final decision on the necessity of it being located in the Sound will await that report and the results of other investigations to determine whether the Sound is the only feasible location for a wind farm in this area." (Mr. Cronkite's complete statement appears on Page Fifteen this morning.)

Website that describes the project... http://www.capewind.org/index.php

75% of the electricity for the Cape could be provided by this project.

[NCarolinawoman]

3. My only concern about the wind farms would be:

How do they effect migratory birds? Skyscrapers, partiularly the ones that look like mirrors and reflect clouds, take a HUGE toll on the migratory bird population. I would strongly support the idea of wind farms off the coast, if the effect on migratory birds is minimal.

Perhaps John Kerry is hearing from the Audubon society?

[jpak]

4. Mass Audubon recently dropped its opposition to the Cape Wind project

http://www.capewind.org/news601.htm

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/04/03/cape_wind_project_faces_new_threat/

http://www.townonline.com/brewster/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=463166&format=

[NCarolinawoman]

6. Thanks!

I see Ted Stevens of Alaska is sticking his nose into things. Probably tit for tat over Anwar.

:mad:

[Vogon_Glory]

13. I Should Think That The Fish Would Love The Project

I should think that the fish would love the project, just as fish like to congregate around the pilings for off-shore drilling platforms in the Texas Gulf.

I suspect that opposition to the project is led by NIMBYs, with perhaps some under-the-table financial assistance from anti-environmentalists and others opposed to sustainable energy.

[NNadir]

7. It is simply unconscionable to oppose this project.

If Kerry gives in on this to the millionaires, it will define him.

Global climate change is the most important issue of our times. Everything else pales before it. This plant has the lowest environmental impact possible.

If he's against this, he should demand the ripping down of the Glen Canyon Dam, which is a far more damaging project.

[Odin2005]

8. The rich NIMBYists can go fuck themselves.

[Dead_Parrot]

9. what he said. nt

[rfkrfk]

11. what is Al Gore's position on this?

he needs to speak up.
perhaps he can help in some way

[One_Life_To_Give]

12. Cautious Support

Or in other words. Trying to not piss off Ted and Robert Kennedy. But otherwise in support of it.
(Read yesterday IIRC, at some function about his new movie)