Feature story - June 27, 2006
For a while it looked like America's first offshore wind project
might be dead in the water. But thanks to a massive public outcry,
some of the project's most powerful Congressional opponents have
figured out which way the political winds are blowing.
Despite backroom
deals and dirty politics, development of America's first
offshore wind project will move ahead. The Coast Guard
Reauthorization bill passed in Congress today, after an amendment
giving the Governor of Massachusetts the power to veto the project
was removed.
On June 21st, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chairman Pete
Domenici and Ranking Member Jeff Bingaman reached an agreement with
Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK) on
changes to an amendment of the Coast Guard reauthorization bill.
This amendment would have given Governor Mitt Romney, who has gone
on record opposing the project, a damaging final say over the fate
of Cape Wind. The changes made to this amendment give the Coast
Guard a final say over any possible navigational hazards of the
wind project.
The bill passed this afternoon with a vote of 413 to 0.
This is a positive step forward, but we won't declare victory
until we have Cape Wind producing clean energy for
Massachusetts.
This offshore wind project, located in Nantucket Sound, will
provide 75 percent of Cape Cod's energy needs with clean and safe
wind power. As America's first offshore wind project, Cape Wind
will set an important precedent in the fight to turn the tide of
global warming. We hope you will join us in supporting these
projects - say "
Yes to Wind!"