How many more field goals does Cape Wind need to kick before they stop moving the goalposts? As we’ve often been warned by our pro-Cape Wind friend Peter Porcupine, we see that the Cape Cod Commission (the regional planning body) is set to hold up the whole project by not allowing the power cable to come ashore. Why not? “Insufficient information”.
Given the amount of vetting this project has had, that is extremely weak tea. And as the Globe’s op-ed points out, they’ve already approved twice as much cable — 26 miles — to Nantucket. Is there any rhyme or reason to the difference, or just pure obstructionism?
Fortunately, the Commission doesn’t have final say on whether the cable gets sited — that’s up to the Massachusetts Energy and Siting Board, which has already approved the cables. But it’s still a nuisance, and another legal battle that could delay the project another year. If need be, Governor Patrick ought to find a way to start twisting some arms on this. He’s staked a good part of his vision and reputation on this thing happening, and it’s too important to let it get nickeled-and-dimed to death.
Today figured out what it means when a politician in Massachusetts says “I support Cape Wind.” What it really means is 1) I’m not going to do anything to prevent the project from proceeding. 2) I’m not going to do anything that will help it proceed either. 3) If I do these things then I won’t find myself on Ted Kennedy’s “enemies list” so I won’t be screwed politically.
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I have a message for these politicians, GET A BACKBONE WILL YA!
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Charley, I agree with the 2nd part of the statement.
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But per the commenter above, has DP staked ANYTHING on this? I think he’s just staked out a “I support it” position expecting all the while to spend zero energy (wind generated or otherwise) to make it happen. And I just don’t see how it will affect his reputation.
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I’m open to persuasion, though. What makes you see it otherwise?
DP must see it through within his first term, or his name will be as mud as Romney around here.
Cape Wind was the catalyst that made his campaign lift off. I’d say it’s maybe half the reason he was elected governor. It was the positive reason that allowed his support to go beyond mere dissatisfaction with Reilly as a candidate. He’s got a great Secretary in the way of Ian Bowles and I think they will do what needs to be done when it needs to be done.
It’s all done. Ted won. Time to move on. We’ll just have to fine a a good supplier for several billions of cubic feet of natural gas. What’s a few hundred extra thousand tons of carbon for the atmosphere. After his view of Nantucket narrows—his constituency is N0.1
where is the data for this assesment coming from? Hasn’t Cape Wind scaled every barrier set in it’s way so far, for how many years has it been?
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Remember how Kennedy’s big legislative victory against Cape Wind was to put these projects, which are in FEDERAL waters, up for a veto from the state’s governor?
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If anything, the project’s future is looking brigher than it has in long, long time.
Half? That may be overstating it. but it was important, symbolically, I agree with that.
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Tough to be Ted in Washington. Harder still in–literally–his backyard. Think of all the chits he’s earned but rarely had to call in.
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I keep hoping–against hope, I’m know–that Ted will have an epiphany and get behind the project.
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Short of that, I’ll be happy to see it get done and I believe that ultimately it will.
After some agonizing in the summer of ’05, he was one of the first people to say he supported it, and it was one of the big differences between him and both Romney and Reilly — as well as much of the rest of the Dem establishment, which was falling in line behind the Kennedys. The windmill became a symbol of the campaign itself — you could accumulate a little windmill on the community tool website for every person you confirmed as a Deval supporter.
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Maybe that was just dog-whistle politics, but I took it to be a substantive position, and one that he’d work to realize.
It was dog whistle politics. Just like Congresswoman Tsongas. BS
Look, I called Gov. Patrick’s constituent line today and asked his staff what exactly he meant by “I support Cape Wind.” I was told that the Gov. supports the recommendations of the Army Corps of Engineers report. I asked what specific actions he has taken in support of Cape Wind. The staff said that it was out of his hands. I reminded the staff person that the former Gov. Romney did quite a bit to kill and delay Cape Wind. I was hoping Gov. Patrick would give more than lip service.
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I suspect he won’t.
Preferably with some expansion, and I’ll promote. People need to know that.
“I oppose casino gambling as a revenue solution”-at Jimmy Tingles during the primary.
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It wouldnt surprise me if he doesn’t do much about Cape Wind.It would redeem him if he did but he won’t.
He was also right in the election that question about casinos should not be about revenue, but simply “Do we want expanded gambling in Massachusetts?”
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I’m torn on whether casinos are a good idea or not. I think having a state with smoke-free casinos will be a competitive advantage and is a real reason to support casinos in Massachusetts. But the revenue issue is BS, and the governor knows it, so it’s sad to see him promote it that way.
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But a vote for Deval could never have been considered an up-or-down on casino gambling in any way, but on something like Cape Wind or immigration fairness where there were stark constrasts, it was definitely clear.
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This rejection by the Cape Cod Commission is not a surprise, and it seems the governor’s office and the OEE are just quietly keeping things going, and the state will override this. If it becomes neccesary to be loud and active on it, I expect the governor to take the lead, but right now things are moving through the sludgingly slow process towards completing Cape Wind. The Governor doesn’t need a public fight with the Senior Senator over this when he’s already in this stand-off with the Speaker over how to balance the budget since the spring.
Long story short-ish – Keyspan wished to install bigger pipe in order to increase capacity for natural gas down Cape. Energy Facilities Siting Board chose a route in Yarmouth and Dennis on two moderately travelled roads, so area over pipes would be plowed in winter for emergency access, and pipes would enjoy insulation in form of asphalt roads. Commission says – No! We don’t WANT the pipes there! WE think they should go under old railroad beds and Rail Trail, so they can freeeze in winter, and have no emergency access!
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After about 7 months – too late for natural gas for THIS winter, sorry lower Cape – the Facilities Siting Board said – gee, that’s interesting. Now put the damn pipes where we said.
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This SAME agency has jurisdiction over ocean electrical cables – they’re the ones who approved the new Nantucket cable which ALSO scrapes the pristine floor of the sea that the Commission said bupkis about. WAKE UP, DEVAL! Have the EFSB approve the cable NOW, and get the Commission off our backs!
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(Additional point of interest – the town the Commission claims to be protecting, Yarmouth, has already placed a warrant article on the town meeting warrant and has scheduled a referendum to LEAVE the Commission’s ‘protection’ – of course, it needs special legislation as well, and O’Leary and Turner are lemming-like Commission supporters).
Do you know Alex Levine at all?