Who loves the wind? It isn’t some Cape Codders that’s for sure. I have heard every argument made against Cape Wind and none make sense. I have heard that Cape Wind will pose a threat to marine mammals and other marine life in Nantucket Sound. However, I am willing to bet that mercury pollution from coal fired power plants does more damage and interacts more negatively with the environment than wind turbines. I have read concerns about keeping Nantucket pristine but overall anthropogenic activity on Nantucket Sound has essentially quashed that argument. People have said that I do not understand Cape Cod because I am not from there. I lived on Cape Cod for two years and it was more than enough time to become somewhat of an insider. Fishers voice concerns of the wind project limiting their fishing effort but haven’t they already limited their catches by overfishing the ocean. Bird watchers cringe at the thought of chopped up birds but interaction with agricultural pesticides, automobiles, house cats, lighted communication towers, skyscrapers and utility lines and far more destructive to birds. Wind turbines do interact with birds but mitigatory measures can be taken. Studies using thermal animal detection systems or TADS have illustrated that collisions are rare. From TreeHugger:
“TADS was mounted on a Nysted wind-farm turbine that was situated in the most common flight path, and during more than 2,400 hours of monitoring that concluded last fall, it spotted only fifteen birds and bats and one moth flying near the turbine, and it recorded one collision involving a small bird or bat”.
Clearly more studies are needed but wind projects shouldn’t be delayed for long nor politicized since construction costs increase over time. Environmental impact assessments are needed before constructing and monitoring should occur during and after construction. Observations should be made and mitigation measures must be taken to reduce environmental impacts. We cannot evolve and learn unless we try. I believe wind power is here to stay. From Plenty Magazine, NY:
Last week there was more wind news. We learned that the federal Minerals Management Service granted preliminary approval of Cape Wind, a contentious proposal for an offshore wind farm in Nantucket Sound. Despite the MMS finding that the project would cause no environmental harm, there’s bound to be a battle ahead. Since the project’s inception property owners have opposed it for aesthetic reasons. A Providence Journal editorial does a nice job of summarizing.
Meanwhile, there’s been exciting breakthroughs with great implications for wind power coming out of the EU. The European Commission put forth a package to reduce its overall greenhouse gas emissions to at least 20% below 1990 levels by 2020 and increasing its share of renewable energy use to 20% by 2020.
Ironically, Texas is a leader in wind energy production.
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On the Net: WIND POWER: Cape Wind is needed
On the Net: RE: CAPE WIND
On the Net: CAPE WIND: Support for Cape Wind is increasing amongst residents with support in the majority
On the Net: WIND POWER: Epuron Wind Power ad wins award<!––
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It appears that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a strong candidate for Obama’s EPA chief, but is Robert F. Kennedy Jr. too controversial to be the head administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)? Personally, I believe his experience as an environmental lawyer, passion to protect the environment, and life long intent to protect the environment are needed in a government entity that is viewed as being too politicized, pro-industry, and viewed overall as not a protector of the environment. However, my greatest criticism of Kennedy is his position on Cape Wind.
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