An ill wind from Congress

An ill wind from Congress - The Boston Globe: "April 7, 2006

THE COUNTRY'S most important renewable energy project is in danger of being sandbagged in Congress. An amendment to a spending bill for the US Coast Guard would grant veto power over the plan for a wind farm off Cape Cod to Governor Romney, an outspoken opponent. As important as funding for the Coast Guard is, Congress should reject this bill and stop playing games with the nation's hopes of weaning itself from fossil fuels and the greenhouse gases they emit.

The Cape Wind plan for 130 wind turbines capable of generating three-quarters of the power needs of the Cape and Islands has already undergone more than three years of regulatory scrutiny at the state and federal levels. Since passage of the federal Energy Act last summer, it faces even more monitoring under the auspices of the Interior Department.

In Massachusetts, project backers passed muster with the state's Energy Facilities Siting Board to win approval for the wind farm's cables in state waters. Years ago, that board was established to include officials from state agencies. But to keep politics out of such controversial decisions as much as possible, the siting process does not allow for a gubernatorial veto.

The wisdom of that has been proven in the Cape Wind project. While Romney has stuck to"