Secretary Salazar Approves Cape Wind Project

Yesterday, nine years after it was initially proposed, Secretary Salazar finally approved the nation's first offshore wind farm.  Located about 5 miles off Cape Cod in the waters of Nantucket Sound, the project will begin construction of 130 turbines by the end of this year.  The $1 billion dollar project has been stalled and long opposed by many residents of Nantucket, Cape Cod, and Martha's Vineyard.  It has also faced opposition from two Wampanoag Native American tribes who claim the area has cultural and spiritual significance and possibly sits atop burial grounds under the seabed.  The Secretary has worked to address the concerns of both the residents and the tribes and has altered the project as such.

 

The area where Cape Wind is to be built is considered one of the best places on the East Coast to build such a farm, according to wind experts.  We are pleased to see this project go forward responsibly and with minimal impact to the marine environment and sites of cultural significance.  It truly marks a step forward in our country's commitment to clean energy.  It will act as a model for numerous other such projects in the near future.

Read the Sierra Club's press release.