Cape Wind Conversation

Will the Madness Never End?

Opponents Suddenly Fall in Love with Terns and Plovers

One of the most aggravating behaviors of Cape Wind critics is the way they react to the findings of expert agencies.  Here's how the process works:

1. A concern is raised over the impact of Cape Wind.
2. The appropriate federal agency is assigned to review the concern.
3. Cape Wind opponents accept the assignment of the agency and are content while it works.
4. The agency finds in favor of Cape Wind.
5. Cape Wind critics, either:
   1. Claim that the agency was unqualified to begin with
   2. Trash the outcome and threaten to sue

The one I loved a couple of years ago involved maritime navigation and the Coast Guard.  Now, I would think that the Coast Guard is the best agency to review navigation safety, wouldn't you?  But after it produced a finding favorable to Cape Wind, we suddenly heard:  "The Coast Guard has never evaluated a wind farm!".  It was laughable.

Now, with Ken Salazar's final decision on Cape Wind just around the corner, opponents have suddenly decided that another expert federal agency - the Fish and Wildlife Service - can't get out of its own way.  Project opponents have announced a federal lawsuit over supposed violations of the Endangered Species Act.  Click here to read and article about the lawsuit.

The first thing to note is the interesting timing of this suit.  The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) produced its report on Cape Wind's impact upon the endangered Roseate Tern and Piping Plover in November of 2008.  That's not a type-O and you didn't read that wrong.  That's November of 2008 - nearly ayear and a half ago!  Boy, those critics have been losing sleep over those poor birdies for a long time haven't they?  No wonder they've been a little wild eyed of late.   A little birdy tells me that it's  Salazar's impending decision that drove this timing, not concern for the birdy's endangered friends.

In its report the FWS says:

• Consultation with Cape Wind began in 2001
• The projected number of Roseate Terns that would die from collision with turbines is insignificant:   4 to 5 birds per year.
• The news is even better for Piping Plovers:  "A maximum of 10 piping plovers will be taken over the life of the project". 
• Cape Wind will give a major assist to increasing the population of Roseate Terns through its contribution to the restoration of Bird Island, a critical nesting site.

Overall, the FWS concludes that Cape Wind does not threaten the endangered terns and plovers.  Read the FWS report here (search for "CONCLUSIONS").  Read an article about Cape Wind's planned contribution to Bird Island here.

This is a new low for Cape Wind critics.  Will the madness never end?