Cape Cod Town to Get Wind Farm Benefits

Cape Cod Town to Get Wind Farm Benefits

Cape Cod Town of Yarmouth to Get Wind Farm Benefits While Pushing for Its Defeat

BOSTON Dec 28, 2004 — Town leaders in the Cape Cod community of Yarmouth have long been on record opposing the wind farm proposed for the waters off its beaches, even passing a resolution two years ago expressing their disapproval for the plan to erect 130 wind turbines in Nantucket Sound.

But the Yarmouth Board of Selectmen also quietly negotiated with Cape Wind Associates for a raft of benefits worth millions. If the $700 million project gets federal and state approval, underwater transmission lines would come ashore in Yarmouth and tie into the electrical grid.

"We did it essentially to protect Yarmouth," said Suzanne McAuliffe, chairwoman of the Board of Selectman. "We don't have a say in the actual wind farm, whether its going to happen or not. But we felt we had an obligation to protect the town's infrastructure and the construction and the disruption of people's lives."

The wind farm proposal has inflamed passions both in favor of and against the project, which would be the nation's first offshore wind energy plant.

While the board's stance was against the turbines from the start, the town hired an attorney to negotiate with Cape Wind, and the deal was sealed in July of 2003. Yarmouth is the only town to strike such a deal with the company.

The deal calls for Cape Wind to pay $25,000 for road construction oversight; $125,000 for improvements to Englewood Beach, where the lines would come ashore; $250,000 a year in lieu of taxes; and $100,000 a year for charitable causes of the board's choosing.

Cape Wind spokesman Mark Rodgers said that despite the board's vote, there are "many, many people" in the town who support the project.

"We look forward to being a substantial taxpayer in the town of Yarmouth and being a good corporate citizen," he said. "We believe that over time, this is something the town of Yarmouth will be very proud of."

The deal also includes some caveats the town insisted on during substantial negotiations between the two sides. For instance, there is language indicating the deal should not be construed as Yarmouth's endorsement of the project, and may not be used for advertising.

Both sides agree that there's no contradiction in negotiating over the nuts and bolts of the project, even as town leaders continue to register their disapproval.

McAuliffe said it would be "irresponsible" not to protect the town's interests, while Rodgers said many residents see the project "as a sign of a more hopeful future … and they like the idea of their town being associated with something forward-looking."