Opinions on the wind farm???

[Rob C.]

I dont live on the cape, what is the opinion of the wind farm off the cape? It wont impact me at all. It seems like a pretty good idea. And i could do without the power plant on the canal trying to give me a heart attack when it lets off some steam.

[beachwalker]

ask the world weary

it is the end of the world as they know it

[Nebe]

I have family in Cotuit and they are for it but they dont own waterfront property.. the people who seem to be really opposed to it are the folks who own houses on the water. The way they see it, but wont mention it, is that that their property value is going to drop if those windmills do go up...... and thats the main reason for their gripe.

[Jimbo]

My understanding from something I read a while ago was that, if it indeed works, little if any of the energy generated by the windmill farm would benefit the residents of the Cape, but they'd probably be paying for it both monetarilay and in some cases having to see the monstrocity on the horizon day in day out. It would also be located smack dab in the middle of a prime fishing and recreational boating area, thus considered a hazard. There's probably some logic behind it, but I truly don't understand why it had to be that exact spot.
Is it that hard to find a place far enough off shore that it can't be seen and doesn't hinder shipping or boating lanes? I'm usually a bit more protective in my neck, but hey, we already have the most toxic dumps in the nation here in NJ, off shore dumping is pretty much the norm, why not put the windmills out where they do all that and rename us "The Garden, Offshore Windmill, and Dumping State". What view are you going to ruin where they already dump garbage and what boater would make it a point of going there on purpose to relax, let alone fish?

[Homerun04]

simplify life....go back to old ways....no on the the wind farm.....IMO

[BigFish]

This is the only wind farm that I am in favor of!> Think of all the energy it would create if we could harness the methane gas expended by humans in just one day of fishing??? I think the wind-farm is a bad idea from the start....I liken it to the brilliant idea of the express lane headed into Boston! Stupid, expensive and a huge waste of resources and money and then when it becomes some idiots "folly"....there they will stand, just a huge blight on the landscape! Personally, I don't think it will ever happen!

[likwid]

A hazard to fishermen?

Can you imagine just how much baitfish will make the pillars home?!

Freaking tuna heaven during the late summer!@#!!!

[Raven]

that the windfarm would be so far out that it would be difficult to be seen and that surplus electricity would be sold back to the grid for a state profit. the added structure would most definately increase fishing cover ...most people look out at the waves and see a few sailboat sails and would need binoculars to see them.
~
but we have to stop relying on nuclear power plants and fossil fuels at some point as both technologys are polluting the earth
at an alarming pace. barrels of nuclear waste are being stored
inside salt mines deep within the earth. thats crazy! the best sources of power is either solar ,wind, hydro or geothermal to make steam engines run. Other than that hydrogen derived from ethanol seems to be another healthier renewable alternative.

[beachwalker]

you forgot methane

[PNG]

Instead of putting it on Horseshoe Shoal do this:

If your in favor of it you get a free 300' turbine in your back yard

This whole thing is ludicrous

Its not a "wind farm" Its an Industrial Site.

[Raven]

i guess it just hasnt come of age yet.

[Fishpart]

Why is it OK to have an "Industrial Site" in rural America where it is relatively sparsly populated, or in the inner city, but it isn't OK to have one where the rich (powerful) live and play???????????

We as a society sometimes need to sacrifice for the better of humanity in the future..............................We need to look at new ways to generate electricity..........

[beachwalker]

I knew I was powerful but rich ?

The sound isn't some wheat field or desert ridge.

No blame to you FP but it seems to be a frequent tactic in politics to play the Blame Game instead of the Facts Jack. That windfarm should be out in the ocean somewhere. Out of visual range. That would shut up all the whiners.
If it isn't good enough then they should bag it.

What is going to happen when all our utilitie costs start going up this summer ?

[rwilhelm]

I think it is a good idea, this was also mentioned of a Point Judith before. I think they were talking about 6 miles offshore which I do not think would be too bad. Think about rising energy costs today, natural gas and oil have been very high for the last couple of years now and eventually we are going to deplete these resources if we don't seek alternatives. Of course none of us will probably see that day but how about our kids they might? Also maybe it will lower prices because we won't need to rely solely on gas and oil. They have these wind farms in California it seems to work for them.

[macojoe]

I live here on the Cape and they say it will be abut 4 miles from me. You ever look at something 4 miles away?? What do you think you are going to see?? I will tell you, not much!!

I think it isa good idea!! We need clean engery and we need start some were.

Why is Horseshoe shoal a good site? well it is close to shore and not very deep. This will make building and supply to the main land a good thing.

Bad for the fish?? I belive it will be a great thing for them!! The bait fish will have a place to hide and make there home. The bigger fish are going to come to were the baitfish are making us all happy!!

Bad thing we will not be able to fish right near them and have to wait till the population exploades the boundry around the area.

The only thing I have against the wind farm is this: We here on the cape pay some of the higest Eletric bill in the state! And we will not benfit from the farm!! All elt. will be sold to the grid and then sold back to us at a profit!!
If we are going to host this site then we should be getting something back form the site!
I don't say this cause I live here!! I think any area that allows a clean air source for power what ever it may be should benfit from it.

[RIROCKHOUND]

My take on it is that it's not the terrible idea that everyone immediatly judges it to be...
One simple fact; The north-east as a whole uses an insane amount of energy (fossil fuel, nuclear etc..) but we produce almost none... So I think that if it could lessen the amount of fuel consumed, even by a few % it's not a bad thing...

These things will be well offshore and barely visable to beachgoers/homeowners... just rich people trying to stop a good idea... but to each his own... this is a hotly contested topic, and was a good post....

[chris L]

wind farms BLOW !

[Thom]

Let see they want to put a three hundred foot wind turbine on my land. If they pay me what the cell phone company pays my culb to have there tower on our land all, i can say is build it baby build it. ThomT

[capesams]

[Bigcat]

Windfarm-Yes

[Raven]

QUOTE: the proposed wind farm off the coast of Massachusetts, for example, seeks to build 130 towers over more than 24 square miles of ocean. The facility would produce only 450 megawatts of power, a relative pittance compared with total demand.
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it would produce only 1 percent of newenglands demand for power and aside from the fact of creating new habitat for the oceans food chain its not even close for a good return on investment....................
that being the 130 statue of liberty sized UGLY metal structures
covered in bird crap. All this.... is a waste. New Englanders could easily find ways of reducing consumption rather than have to navigate around 24 SQUARE MILES or MORE of rusty metal.
I am Voting NO! One percent...try 95 percent! then maybe.130 STATUE OF LIBERTY sized UGLY metal structures for 1% is a JOKE!

[bassmaster]

i dont want to see a friggen eye sore just cause some #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& from over the bridge wants to make doe

[JohnR]

I say - Nuclear Power Plant in Holyoke!!!

[CSK]

Ah John, that's NUCULAR Power plant

[Slipknot]

Put them on top of Mt. Washington instead, I won't have to see them then.

Or why not just build some hydro electric generators by using tidal power, the tides on the north shore and north are above 10' and that has alot of potential, I don't see why they don't do that??? maybe it would impact the fishies and stuff??

anyway, I would vote no.

[Nebe]

the sad thing is this- one day our little planet isnt going to have enough naural resources to support our energy needs.

[cheferson]

What kills me is the waste of our current resources. Like the milf driving the lexus suv by herself burning a gallon a mile going to church group.

[beachwalker]

You ain't shiitin' cheferson but then I suck down 40 gals a week during my fishing season and I wonder how commited I am to contributing to reduction in reliance of fossil fuel usage.

I understand that the S.O.S. gang brought forth an important issue of a guarantee on removal of the towers and it ends up that the current estimated usable life of the turbine is 30 years and they need to be replaced.

They are required to post a bond for removal. How is that guaranteed ?

[Hooper]

I take issue with some comments that those who are opposed to the wind farm are, among other things, rich and powerful waterfront property owners concerned about their real estate values. I am a hard working Cape Codder who routinely puts in 50, 60 and 70 hour weeks to continue to live on Cape Cod where I was born over thirty years ago. I am neither monitarily wealthy, nor powerful.

First, I wish that those opposed would plainly state their reasons for opposition, whatever they may be. Loss of real estate value is a legitimate concern if you are the owner of the property. Would you allow a wind farm across the street from your home.... honestly? I doubt it, because your single largest assest would suffer financially and there is nothing wrong with that IMHO! Others, just don't want to see these things when they go to the beach, fine. I don't have a problem with opposition simply for that reason. But say it like it is. Don't use things like a faliure to lower local electricty costs to make an opposition arguement when your real issue is with your view. Call it like it is.

Second, you will most certainly be able to see these turbines from shore. The Horseshoe Shoals area begins about 5 miles south of the Centerville/Osterville/Hyannisport coastline. To say that you won't be able to see these structures is simply not true.

Bass River Beach in South Yarmouth is exactly 5 nm from Bishop and Clerk Light which is to the southwest of the beach. This is about the same distance from shore as where the northernmost turbines would begin to be located on the Horseshoe. For comparison, Bishop Light is 45ft high according to the US Coast Guard Light List. It is highly visible to the naked eye when standing on the beach at sea level. Extremely visible! At only 45ft high it is about 372 ft SHORTER than these proposed turbines will be in hieght. PLUS, they have proposed 130 of these over a 24 square mile area! 130 wind turbines, 417 feet high, five miles offshore won't be visible? C'Mon, be real.... Cape Wind has a test tower which is about twelve miles from Bass River. I couldn't find data on the height of this structure, but it has to be 200' at a minimum. And yes, that is visible too. Admittedly, it is not easy to see, but my point is, even at twelve miles in distance it can be seen with the naked eye.

Please, don't tell those who live on Cape Cod, who were born and raised here, what is good for us when many of those commenting on this thread live out of state, not just off cape. Why do so many of you wait hours in traffic to vacation here? To see our wind farm???? I don' think so!

Third, I will certainly admit that structure is great for fish habitats. Years ago cement filled tires were dumped outside of the Bass River to form a fish reef. It is a great spot to do some bottom fishing, or trolling for bass & blues. But, I believe that there is a larger loss when these turbines are built. Horseshoe Shoals, and Nantucket Sound will be forever changed from the amazing beauty that it now holds. And folks, the fishing is already great there, it is its' own natural structure.

Having said all of this, I am still not certain that I am opposed to the farm! I haven't learned everything yet, or at least enough to make a truly informed decision. But, some of these comments on this thread needed to be addressed. I despise our country's dependence on foreign oil and I would love to see the US develop natural, clean energy resources! But, c'mon. Nantucket Sound is an incredibly unique and special spot. I fish there at least once a week in season. But, larger than my own personal concerns is that once changed, it cannot be restored to its' natural state. I know the Sound can be a windy place, but there are lots of windy places in this country, and I am sure many would embrace a project that could provide jobs and tax revenues.

On this project, I think right now, I have to come down on the side of caution and say that more research should be conducted and more locations should be explored. Unfortunately, I have seen in the past when projects, whether they are shopping centers, strip malls, fast food joints, or outfall pipes in Boston Harbor are awful hard to stop once the money has been invested to get the train rolling. I don't see how this project can be stopped from becoming a reality.

Finally, I am not a member of Save Our Sound, nor of the Cape Wind project. I am not a member of Greenpeace or any other environmental group. I am just one man, with one opinion. I do not speak for anyone other than myself.

If any of you are interested in both sides of the story:

http://www.saveoursound.org/

http://www.capewind.org/index.php

Thanks, Hooper

[Rob C.]

With the limited supply of fossil fuels and the polution they produce when used makes wind power a good alternative. I think it wouldbe kinda cool to see a wind farm, its clean energy. Even of it doesnt produce massive amounts of energy its a step in the right direction, we cant go on forever using fossil fuels. As i understand it Horseshoe shoals is uniquely suited for the wind farm. ive never been out there with a depth finder but i would assume the water isnt all that deep. It would be nice to throw the farm way outta sight, but often that means reallly deep water and i dont know how deep you could put a farm. Just imagine how much hydro power they could get out of the canal, but it would screw up the fishing.
I really think that people need to think of the limited supply of fossil fuels when they think of wind farms in general. We are going to run out of the stuff eventually. Its not going to happen in our lifetime and probably not in our childrens lifetimes either. But it will indeed happen we need to do all we can to reduce our consumption and a wind farm is a great way to do it. O dont live oin the cape unfortunatly but if i did i would be more than willing to have a wind farm withon sight. It would make me feel that we are doing something good for the environment on a global basis. I would be proud of it. Being an avid fisherman and hunter i have a vested intrest in the environment as i know that most people that visit this site do.