Favorable Federal Environmental Report Should Clear Major Obstacle for Nation's First Offshore Wind Power Facility

Finding Praised by Labor, Environmental and Civic Leaders Across Massachusetts and the nation.

The U.S. Minerals Management Service (MMS) today issued its long-awaited final environmental impact statement for Cape Wind, the nation's first proposed offshore wind energy project. According to local and national clean energy advocates, the agency's favorable assessment should now clear the way for the path-breaking project to move forward after languishing for years in agency review.

Labor, environmental and civic leaders across Massachusetts and the nation today hailed the agency's largely positive findings as a major hurdle cleared by Cape Wind, which is projected to create as many as 1,000 jobs in the Bay State and provide up to 454 megawatts (MW) of clean energy.

"We are hopeful that Cape Wind will now move expeditiously through the permitting process so that our region can benefit from the cleaner air and healthier future that wind-generated energy will deliver," said Conservation Law Foundation Staff Attorney Sue Reid.

"The Cape Wind facility shows we can repower America, and we can start today. This project opens the door to offshore wind development in the United States and is exactly the type of clean energy investment that will jumpstart our economy, create jobs, and lead to energy security," said Nathanael Greene, director of renewable energy policy at the Natural Resources Defense Council. "We look forward to reviewing the final environmental impact statement in greater detail and working to ensure that any ocean impacts generated as a result of the facility's construction and operation are minimized."

Over a seven-year period, numerous state and federal government agencies have rigorously reviewed the Cape Wind project. Locally, Cape Wind recently received conditional approval from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection for pieces of the project located in state waters. The project previously received a favorable and final environmental impact review from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and approval by the Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Board. On the federal level, Cape Wind received a favorable draft environmental impact statement from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in November 2004, and in January 2008 it received a favorable draft environmental impact statement from the MMS.

"Global warming is real, and we are already seeing signs of it here in the Northeast," said John Rogers, senior energy analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists. "In order to avoid many more extreme heat days, dramatically shorter winters, impaired fisheries, and rising sea levels, we need to move quickly away from fossil fuels to generate electricity. Projects like Cape Wind give us a chance to do just that."

Opinion polls indicate a clear majority of residents of Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket support Cape Wind, as do a vast majority of other Massachusetts residents. The project will provide the Cape and the two islands with three-quarters of their electricity needs. During a difficult economic period, the project will directly create hundreds of construction jobs and additional new jobs to service and supply the effort.

A large coalition of labor, business, environmental and civic groups support the project moving forward.

"This is the perfect job at a perfect time," said Marty Aikens, business agent for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 13. "Local 103 has worked very hard and waited for a long time to get federal approval for Cape Wind, and is very excited to see the project finally get built, especially in economic times such as these."

"We need to put to rest the notion that a healthy economy and a healthy environment are in conflict," said George Bachrach, president of the Environmental League of Massachusetts. "Cape Wind represents the best example of where new development can provide both new jobs and a new source of clean and renewable energy."

"The time for political delays and disinformation by special interest groups must end. Now is the time to build wind turbines and solar panels and other renewable energy sources," said Kate Smolski, a Greenpeace global warming campaigner. "Before climate change passes the point of no return, we need to control global warming emissions and protect the planet with projects like Cape Wind."

"With new administrations in both Washington and on Beacon Hill supportive of renewable energy, we believe Cape Wind signals the beginning of a new national commitment to safe, clean and renewable energy," said Ben Wright, an advocate for Environment Massachusetts.

American Lung Association of New England *** Boston & New England Maritime Trade Council, AFL-CIO *** Civil Society Institute ***Clean Power Now *** Climate Action Network *** Conservation Law Foundation *** Environment Massachusetts *** Environmental League of Massachusetts *** Greenpeace *** International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 103 ***Natural Resources Defense Council *** Union of Concerned Scientists

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