Cape Wind is a Breath of Fresh Air

The people of Massachusetts know first hand the drastic effects of an oil spill – the 100,000-gallon spill in Buzzard’s Bay in 2003 soiled coastlines, closed shellfish beds, and killed nesting shore birds and seals.  And we are all feeling the pain of our country’s reliance on foreign oil.  Cape Wind will be an important step toward putting all that to an end, and that is why Greenpeace strongly supports offshore wind for Cape Cod.

For thirty years, Greenpeace has worked to protect the world’s oceans.  We successfully campaigned to end dumping of radioactive and industrial wastes at sea, helped create a moratorium on commercial whaling, and have played a crucial role in the development of other laws and policies that safeguard our oceans. By supporting offshore wind for Cape Cod, residents of the Cape and Islands have the opportunity to join Greenpeace and dozens of other environmental groups in defending the Cape’s beaches and marine life from the dangerous impacts of dirty energy.

The Cape Wind project is undergoing a comprehensive and thorough review process that looks at all aspects of the proposal.  A draft environmental impact statement was released late 2004: two years in the making and over 4,000 pages long, initial analysis found that the environmental, public health, and economic benefits of Cape Wind far exceed any minor short-term environmental costs that may be associated with the project.  Let me say unequivocally that if Greenpeace had any concerns that this project would have long-term consequences for the marine ecosystem of Nantucket Sound, we would be the first to oppose it.  We have opposed wind farms both on and offshore in the past, and we will continue to do so when projects are ill sited or improper in size and scope.  Cape Wind, however, is the right project, in the right place, at the right time.

Unlike opponents of Cape Wind, Greenpeace has first hand experience with offshore wind.  In the United Kingdom, where Greenpeace worked to develop the country’s first offshore wind farms, initial fears that the projects would lower property values, decrease tourism, or harm the environment were completely unfounded.  In fact, because of broad public support, the UK now plans to build additional offshore wind farms that will supply 1 in 6 UK households with energy from this clean renewable resource. Europe is proof of the benefits created by offshore wind; now that opportunity is coming to Massachusetts.

The wind farm proposed for Nantucket Sound will provide 75 percent of the Cape and Island’s energy without emitting asthma-causing pollution, spilling oil in the water, or producing any of the greenhouse gasses that cause global warming. In addition to protecting the environment, the wind farm will benefit the Cape’s economy by creating jobs and attracting tourists.

The opponents of Cape Wind would have you believe that to protect the environment, we need to oppose the wind farm.  In fact, the opposite is true. Global warming poses significant risks for the Cape and Islands.  From more frequent and severe red tides to rising sea levels and more intense storms, a warming planet is a big problem for the same beachfront homeowners who oppose Cape Wind.  The environment that is so important to the way of life on Cape Cod is in jeopardy, and projects like Cape Wind are the solution.

John Passacantando
Executive Director, Greenpeace USA