Border bid may imperil wind farm

[midnight armadillo]

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/02/16/border_bid_may_imperil_wind_farm/

Border bid may imperil wind farm

By David Abel and Beth Daley, Globe Staff | February 16, 2005

In a move that could give Governor Mitt Romney more power over the proposed Cape
Cod wind farm, state and federal officials appear to have come up with a unique
plan: Move the coastline.

State officials said yesterday that a pile of rocks the size of a sport utility
vehicle in Nantucket Sound may redefine the borders of Massachusetts, expanding
state waters about 12 square miles. The expansion would push back federal waters
, which could imperil a developer's bid to erect the country's first offshore wi
nd farm, 130 turbines in the sound.


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If you read the article, this indicates that 10-13 turbines may be effected. The rest of the 130 would still be in federal waters, and the Army Corps of Engineers should be giving them the go-ahead shortly.

Anything to protect the rights of yachtsmen, right?
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[One_Life_To_Give]

1. yachtsmen?

If a Yachtsman can't avoid hitting those towers. They shouldn't be allowed out on any body of water larger than a bathtub.

[midnight armadillo]

2. They're bitching, loudly

The yachters are amongst the biggest complainers over Cape Wind, along with the McMansion owners on the seashore who might see the towers on a really clear day.

[One_Life_To_Give]

3. They should know better

You would think Yachtsmen would know better. What with Coal, Oil, gas, nuc all being "StinkPot" fuel. They know the beauty of fresh clean air better than most.

But I guess as long as they can get the poor to eat coal dust.

[midnight armadillo]

4. That's right

Let's compare: level the Appalachians in West Virginia, or impede on some rich person's ocean view. Hmmm.

[Kolesar]

5. Those generators would cast a "wind shadow" onto the yacht racers

I used to do a lot of yacht racing, and I know what would happen. Yachtsmen regard that area, and Buzzard Bay in particular, as the best winds in America. So let's show a little consideration for the yacht club set here at the Democratic Underground!

[One_Life_To_Give]

6. Not meant to Insult Yachtsmen

Maybe get them to think a bit more about the issue but not insult.
Is there a reason a Yacht Race if condcuted on Nantucket sound, would have to come within a NM of the WindFarm?

From a quick look it would add about 90 minutes each way. For a Yacht out of Hyannis to reach open waters either South or East of Nantucket.

[Kolesar]

7. Those yachters can be real snots

Even if it was not a problem they would howl out of principle. Actually, I was just having a little fun with the topic: "Democrats advocating for the silver-service yachters".

[primavera]

8. How confident are we that wind farms are eco-safe?

I've been hearing lately about how a wind farm in the Shanandoahs has been killing large numbers of bats who get caught in its blades. Consequently, as I'm reading this post, I'm wondering whether an offshore windfarm might inadvertently chop up a bunch of sea birds.

Has anyone else heard about this and steps that can be taken to eliminate such unanticipated damage to wildlife?

[midnight armadillo]

9. Let's compare to fossil fuels

Coal mining is massively environmentally destructive, plus the burning of coal releases radiation, mercury, CO2, etc etc etc. Ditto for oil, although it burns cleaner. Natural gas is pretty clean-burning but is rapidly growing scarce. The environmental effects of Mass's "Filthy Five" nastiest power plants are pretty awful, and those 5 plants are largely resonsible for our occasional 'bad air' days in the summers, when we're advised to breath as little as possible.

The ecological toll of wind turbines should certainly be accurately estimated, but then must be considered in comparison to existing technologies and methods. Same with the impact on human activities.

And I gotta say, considering how fossil power plants have a tendency to be built in the poorest areas of the state, it's high time the upper crust shared the power generation burden.

[primavera]

10. No argument

I never claimed fossil fuels were better, I'm just wondering what efforts, if any, are being undertaken to prevent windmills from slicing and dicing flying wildlife.