Offshore Wind: Right or Blight?

Published February 25, 2009 @ 08:45PM PT

Wind power has the potential to supply a big chunk of our energy needs -- all the light and heat with none of the climate-destabilizing carbon dioxide. But some communities object to potential wind farms as blots on their scenic horizons.

One of the most prominent battles over coastal, offshore wind turbines is still being fought on Cape Cod in Massachusetts. -- where the developer of Cape Wind first applied in 2001 for a permit to put 130 turbines (capable of generating up to 420 megawatts of power), about 16 miles off the shore of Nantucket.

Stop Global Warming reader Michele Brennan may be encountering a similar situation on the Jersey Shore. "CO2 perils?" she commented on one of my posts this week:

My partner and I own farm land in Ocean City County NJ, located in the city of Cream Ridge. Hardly a city, I might add, but it is beautiful country! We have 10 acres and would like to install wind turbines. We just found out today from the Planning Board of Ocean County that this will not be possible. "They don't want them here" according to a rep from the office of the planning board. Does anyone out there know how to persuade the planning board into accepting the idea of wind turbines?

Help!!!!!!!

Is keeping the viewscape pristine a reasonable objection to siting wind farms on mountain ridges or off seaside communities? Or is it the worst form of NIMBYsim? And what should Michele do to bring some wind turbines to Ocean City County, New Jersey?

Video: Trailer for the documentary "Wind Over Water" about the Cape Wind controversy.

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Comments (3)

I think windmills are attractive and I hope some day I see them at the top of every hill in America.

Posted by Charlie Reed on 02/26/2009 @ 05:35AM PT
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I agree with Charlie. If we continue polluting the Earth, then our pristine viewscape won't be quite so pristine, will it?

Posted by Eliza Goodpasture on 02/26/2009 @ 03:20PM PT
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"PRESIDENT OBAMA
Only one alternative fuel can avoid more $150 oil and chronic recession in 4 yrs. Bob Brinker proposed last yr slam-dunk Apollo: Order all new gov't cars run on Nat. Gas. Many fleets do. Fuel everywhere. Scares OPEC. The moon took 6 yrs. Detroit in 2 will make all cars run on all fuels – and affordable ethanol, when we get it. OPEC knows N.Amer. has more Nat Gas than they have oil. Threat alone stops next oil blackmail and $400B/yr more lost (kills stimulus and economy). Nat Gas gives us time, billions more for research on better solutions. Good quarterback pounds with the run before he throws the winning pass. Glad to show critics some numbers. Dr. Bill Wattenburg www.DrBill.us "

A note from Bill:

The president’s advisors do not seem to understand that there is no miracle “alternative fuel” to power the cars of this nation for at least the next eight years. To be sure, if the price of oil goes back over $100 a barrel, our country will be locked in permanent recession with ten million or more out of work and more millions of low income families driven toward bankruptcy and loss of their homes. That will be the end of the stimulus package. There will be no money in our economy to fulfill the dreams of this president. That could be the end of his administration.

There is more than can be said to help the president and this country.
Many believe that he should be ordering the building of more nuclear power plants as soon as possible to stop increasing the global warming pollution and radioactivity from coal-burning power plants -- and show the oil exporting countries that the U.S. will develop its own sources of energy. Even plug-in electric cars are a fantasy without cheap, non-polluting nuclear power to charge the batteries.

Ads such as this cost three thousand dollars. If you would like to join me with another ad like this one on nuclear power, please contact me at billwattenburg2@yahoo.com

Posted by Marvin Gill on 03/01/2009 @ 01:55AM PT
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