According to the Chicago Tribune (reported on January 16th) the new Minerals Management Service report said developer Cape Wind Associates' plans for a wind farm off Cape Cod pose no major environmental problems. The federal agency rejected high-profile opponents' arguments that the giant turbines would damage the environment off Cape Cod. The final decision on this wind farm will be left up to the Obama administration. The interesting part of this discussion is who is for it and who is against it. Obama supports 'green' energy (on Friday he was visiting an Ohio company that makes parts for wind turbines); Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick has been a stong supporter of the wind farm; Senator Kennedy of Massachusetts has been a strong opponent of the wind farm. Kennedy's family compound at Hyannis would have a clear view of the windfarm. John Kerry and Walter Cronkite have also opposed it. This is going to be a prolonged fight if Barack Obama supports the wind farm. If he does not support the wind farm, the idea will die a slow and agonizing death.
I have a few comments on this (surprise). I live in Massachusetts. I live in an all-electric house. That's not really too bad (considering the cost of oil and gas in the recent past), but my electric bill last month was approaching $300. I also buy fuel for two pellet stoves ($150 to $200 a month depending on how cold it is). I'm a Senior Citizen not yet retired. There is no way I could afford to retire in Massachusetts even if I wanted to. If a wind farm would lower my electric bill, make America more energy independent, and be non-polluting, I would totally support it. John Kerry, Walter Cronkite, and Ted Kennedy may not even notice when their electric bill goes up, but mine has tripled over the past five years.
It has also been proven that whenever something relatively free of pollutants is placed on the ocean floor, it becomes a magnet for marine life. That is why the US Navy often sinks its old ships off the Atlantic Coast after stripping them of anything that might harm the sea environment. They form artificial reefs. The wind farm might also help restock some of the depleted fishing areas off the coast of Cape Cod.
Leave a comment