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