Cape Wind Project Approved

by Jordan Yerman | April 28, 2010 at 10:36 am

70 views | 2 Recommendations | 0 comments

Cape Wind Project Approved

US Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has announced that the Cape Wind project has been approved by the Obama administration after nine years of federal review. The project would see a 130-turbine wind farm built off the coast of Martha's Vineyard. The Cape Wind turbines are expected to produce 75% of power for Cape Cod residents by 2012. Meanwhile, the US hopes to use wind power to supply up to 4% of its domestic energy needs.

Cape Wind is opposed by conservation groups such as The Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound.

Cape Wind Pros, According to Supporters:

Creates green jobs
Supplies clean, reliable energy
Kick-starts local industry
Far enough out to sea to be nearly invisible to vacationers and locals

Cape Wind Cons, According to Opponents:

Makes the landscape look ugly
Endangers wildlife
Desecrates a Wampanoag Tribe burial ground

"We are beginning a new direction in our nation's energy future," Salazar said.

But members of the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe of Martha's Vineyard have vowed to sue to stop Cape Wind from being built, saying it would interfere with sacred rituals and desecrate tribal burial sites. Others opposed to the project on environmental grounds also have said they'll sue.

"Cape Wind is the first offshore wind farm to be built in the wrong place, in the wrong way, stimulating the wrong economies," Delahunt said Wednesday.