(D)emocracy: Tell the Feds What You Think About Cape Wind

d_picker_offshore_wind.jpg (Author’s Note: As I write this, the current weather conditions in Nantucket Sound [Wed Feb 13 16:41 EDST] are ideal for wind power generation. With wind speeds of 38 knots and gusts of up to 45 knots at the location of the proposed offshore wind energy installation, Cape Wind would have produced 422 megawatts of clean, renewable energy local in the last hour).

1. Do you have an opinion about offshore wind energy development?

2. Are you an American citizen?

3. Do you give a s#!t about this planet?

If you answered yes to all of the above, then you might be interested to know that the comment period for the Cape Wind project, the proposed offshore windfarm near Cape Cod, MA, is open to the general public until March 20th. This project is proposed for development in Federal waters, so it is open to all American citizens. You can submit an e-comment via the Department of Interior’s Minerals Management Service Public Connect system. Since the release of the draft EIS last month, most seem to think the report is generally favorable on the Cape Wind proposal. But the process is far from over. The anti-Cape Wind effort is still well-funded and persistent. The public commenting period can have a significant impact on the final determination in an EIS, so go ahead and speak your mind.

Post E-Comment via MMS Public Connect

From the MMS Website:

 

The 60-day comment period for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement is about half way through, assesses the physical, biological and social/human impacts of the proposed project and all reasonable alternatives, including action not taken (i.e., the project is not built), in an objective fashion in order to determine if the proposal is environmentally sound. A final decision will be made, which will account for the regional, state and local benefits and impacts as well as for the overall public interest of the United States. A final approval will be granted only if, after consideration of both environmental and non-environmental issues, the MMS finds that the proposed action is in the public interest.

Post E-Comment via MMS Public Connect

Photo: dpicker via flickr

5 thoughts on “(D)emocracy: Tell the Feds What You Think About Cape Wind”

  1. Nadine – Thanks for your comment, and I completely agree.

    L. Oke – yup. Sen. Kennedy has been pretty outspoken about his opposition to Cape Wind and has used several different political tools to slow or halt the project.

    And I think the actual quote when he was asked about the project was, “But, that’s where we go sailing!”

    It’s a shame really. He has a pretty solid environmental voting record otherwise.

  2. If wind power does not appeal because of aesthetics…what will the remaining prospect look like in a few years?
    i am not a citizen, but i encourage others to sign on to pass this–wind .

  3. Oh, it’s back baby. It actually never went away, it was just the victim of some bureaucratic reshuffling.

    It was basically approved three years ago when Sen. Ted Kennedy et al., blocked its passage by moving siting responsibilities from the Army Corps of Engineers to the Department of Interior’s MMS. MMS also oversees all of the offshore oil and gas leases.

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