World Wind Watch | Green Energy News

November 7, 2004 – Vol.9 No.33

WORLD WIND WATCH.

Opposition to the Cape Wind offshore wind project near Cape Cod, Massachusetts has been fierce. But supporters of the 470-megawatt project have strong spines and held their ground, won court battles and now have a positive Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in their favor.

The 3800-page report showed that:

--- Cape Wind will displace conventional sources of energy used in power generation, such as natural gas, and help put downward price pressure on the electricity produced in the region.

--- Cape Wind will reduce the region’s dependency on imported oil.

--- During construction Cape Wind will create 600 -1000 new jobs. When complete Barnstable County (the Massachusetts county nearest the project) will have 154 new permanent jobs. The county, too, will increase its economic output by $21.8 million per year with an additional $7 million in labor income annually.

--- Tourism won’t be affected (Cape Wind could be a tourist attraction in itself with sightseeing and educational tours to the project: Wind Watches to go along with the Whale Watches already in the area.)

--- Real estate values aren’t expected to drop, overall. (The turbines will be seen on the distant (often hazy) horizon. It seems possible that some home owners/buyers will shun the view. Others might consider the turbines a from of art while appreciating the need for clean energy.)

--- Cape Wind will offset one million tons of greenhouse gases each year.

--- The project will supply 75-percent of the power needed for Cape Cod and offshore islands and thus remove the equivalent amount of pollution from fossil fuel generated power.

--- Several hundred birds could be killed each year from collisions with the turbines. However, reduction in air and water pollution from nearby fossil power plants may save as many avian lives.

--- Turbine towers will be far enough apart to not deter maritime traffic.

For the full DEIS click through Cape Wind at http://www.capewind.org/ .