Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

Putting the pressure on Markey to support Cape Wind (updated)

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Markey's office invites his constituents in … with coffee and doughnuts for all. “We'd rather have his support!” said a number of folks … but they still ate the doughnuts.

Markey staffer Mark Gallagher addresses the group, promising a statement later today and talking up Markey's support for wind power elsewhere …

So, we're waiting for the statement … and for Markey's outright support of the project. Markey's language has been pretty blank and bureaucratic heretofore; he needs to be a politician — one who listens to his constituents and acts in the public interest. Massachusetts needs to lead on this issue, not say “another time, another place.” 

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  1. Click here for their website:

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    America’s offshore winds are a vast and untapped source of endless clean energy. If properly developed, they can generate substantial new energy with significantly less environmental impact than the fossil fuels and nuclear energy we currently use. Cape Wind, the first offshore wind farm proposed in the United States, would generate enough clean, renewable energy to supply three-quarters of Cape Cod and neighboring islands’ energy needs. The wind farm would include 130 turbines located near the center of Nantucket Sound approximately five miles offshore. For more information on the project, see the links below.

    Last month the federal government issued a detailed draft environmental impact statement on Cape Wind. Based on our review of the report, the environmental effects of the project are acceptable and far preferable to those of the conventional energy sources displaced by the project’s clean, renewable wind energy.

    Public hearings in Massachusetts, March 10 through 13, offer an important opportunity to show strong public support for this precedent-setting project. We invite you to attend and weigh in on the urgent need to develop sensible offshore wind projects like Cape Wind (see the full hearing schedule below). We will also be making it possible for you to submit written comments on the project, so look for that email in the weeks ahead.

    Our review of key areas of the environmental impact statement suggests that there is:

    No “showstopper” – This thorough and articulate assessment is the most important to date. It continues to show, as have the long string of reviews that have preceded it, that the vast majority of effects will be minor, negligible, or even positive, and finds no significant lasting negative impact.
    No alternative – The report’s important and comprehensive review of alternatives to Cape Wind-other possible wind farm sites in the area, other technology options, different configurations or approaches, or the no-project option leading to heavier reliance on coal, gas, or oil-show that the project design, the technology, and the location are right for Massachusetts, right for New England, and right for our time.
    No time like the present – Since the Cape Wind Project began the permitting process in 2001, the importance of addressing global warming, and the importance of significantly increasing the use of renewable energy toward that end, have become even more apparent. The review process must be allowed to move quickly to conclusion.
    Scheduled hearings: Registration for each public hearing will begin one hour before the hearing starts. Attendees wishing to speak will be required to sign up at the hearing.

    March 10: West Yarmouth, 6:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.
    Mattacheese Middle School Auditorium, 400 Higgins-Crowell Road
    March 11: Nantucket, 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
    Nantucket High School Auditorium, 10 Surfside Road
    March 12: Martha’s Vineyard, 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
    Martha’s Vineyard Regional HS Auditorium, 100 Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road, Oak Bluffs
    March 13: Boston, 6:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.
    UMASS Boston, Campus Center Ballroom, 100 Morrissey Boulevard, South Boston
    The Union of Concerned Scientists will also be presenting testimony. We hope to see you there.

    Sincerely,

    Ben Larson
    National Field Organizer
    Clean Energy Program

  3. As I drove through Medford Square I saw about 40 people holding signs. They signs were hard to make out.

      • I came down forest street and took a right so I didn’t see all those people to the left of Citizens (in the picture), so yea including them it must have been more than 40.

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        p>PS – I do support Cape Wind.

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  4. While, I’m sure a few people their are concerned about the environment, I bet the majority of them were paid union people bused in for the event.  

    • It seemed very strongly to me that most were volunteers. There were some union guys, for sure, but it was not just a union event. Greenpeace folks were there; I saw several local Medford folks; it was really a mix.

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      p>Not what you wanted to believe, I’m sure. In any event, yes, there are money and jobs at stake, and I don’t think anyone should apologize for that.

        • I got the “horror” sarcasm, but there is a long tradition of labor-green alliance going back to Environmentalists for Full Employment in the 70s.

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          p>The economics of renewable energy and conservation versus capital-intensive mega generation have long been compelling.

  5. It was a book reading at the Coolidge Corner Theater; Wendy Williams, author of Cape Wind read a bit, and Cape Wind developer Jim Gordon was there to answer questions too.

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    p>Pretty good turnout, I wasn’t a fan of what I considered Mrs. Williams’ disrespectfulness toward Senator Kennedy (even if I do agree with her sentiments), and Jim Gordon clearly knows his stuff.

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    p>This project — and many others — have got to get built.  Electricity generation is responsible for about 1/3 of tUSA’s GHG emissions, and for all sorts of nasty air, water, and ground pollution.  Of course nationally, most of that pollution is from coal; in New England, coal and oil share the dubious honor.  The more we generate from wind in New England, the less coal and oil we’ll burn for energy.  As an added bonus, wind energy will actually serve to lower our electricity bills [the highest in the continental US] because the marginal cost of a kWh of wind generated electricity is almost $0.00; the marginal cost of a coal-fired kWh is certainly more than that [though apparently somewhat of an industry secret; little is available with just a click or two of the mouse].

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    p>So, why can’t we get our politicians to sign on?

  6.  
     
     

     

    Barbara Hill
    Executive director of Clean Power Now

    Fred Schlicher,
    Program manager of the Mass Climate Action Network

    Marty Aiken
    I.B.E.W. Local 103

    Andrea LeClair
    Steering Committee Member Planning Team Massachusetts Power Shift

    Craig S. Altemose
    Executive Committee Sierra Student Coalition
     

    Dropping post cards at
    Congressman Edward Markey office

     

     
       

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