General Discussion

sheshe2

(83,764 posts) Fri Jun 20, 2014, 06:44 PM Jun 2014

State Opens Large Ocean Area to Commercial Wind Leases

State and local officials announced this week that 742,000 acres of ocean south of Martha’s Vineyard will soon be available for commercial wind energy leases.

The project would be the largest wind energy project in federal waters. A public meeting about commercial offshore wind energy leases is scheduled for Monday on the Vineyard.

Gov. Deval Patrick, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management acting director Walter Cruickshank announced Tuesday that the Massachusetts Wind Energy Area will be available for commercial wind energy leasing. The area is about 12 nautical miles south of the Vineyard, extends 33 miles south and is 47 nautical miles east to west. The Bureau of Ocean Management is proposing to auction the area as four leases. The project would nearly double federal offshore areas available for wind energy projects.

snip

“Today’s announcement is a momentous occasion and the culmination of years of cooperation and hard work between the commonwealth and federal officials,” Governor Patrick said in a press release. “Through our investments and proactive planning, Massachusetts is poised to lead the charge in offshore wind energy development, with the economic and environmental benefits that come with it.”

- See more at: http://mvgazette.com/news/2014/06/19/state-opens-large-ocean-area-commercial-wind-leases?k=vg53a4b75d1c314&r=1#sthash.IFzuwGqD.dpuf

36 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

State Opens Large Ocean Area to Commercial Wind Leases (Original Post) sheshe2 Jun 2014 OP

Kicked and recommended. Uncle Joe Jun 2014 #1

Congratulations to your state and the Environment, she! Cha Jun 2014 #2

Thank you Cha! sheshe2 Jun 2014 #3

Show other states how it's done. :) Cha Jun 2014 #5

Texas Unknown Beatle Jun 2014 #31

Great news! brer cat Jun 2014 #4

Feel good about it, m'kay. nt DocMac Jun 2014 #14

Cue the oil company propagandists to say how ugly windmills are. tclambert Jun 2014 #6

Ted Kennedy... awoke_in_2003 Jun 2014 #8

I know and that saddened me awoke. eom sheshe2 Jun 2014 #10

he did more good than bad. though... awoke_in_2003 Jun 2014 #13

You have that right! sheshe2 Jun 2014 #16

But what if there's a wind spill into the ocean! nonoxy9 Jun 2014 #15

You're right. 'Cause fish can't breathe air. tclambert Jun 2014 #29

Oh yeah, exactly! eom sheshe2 Jun 2014 #25

Ted Kennedy is spinning is his grave..... whistler162 Jun 2014 #7

OMGosh, that's the first thing I thought too..... a kennedy Jun 2014 #9

It does need to be done. sheshe2 Jun 2014 #11

Wish I could get a single family style home turbine...... a kennedy Jun 2014 #12

This is the size I can afford: tclambert Jun 2014 #30

Go Massachusetts! Fred Friendlier Jun 2014 #17

Thanks Fred. Massachusetts rocks. sheshe2 Jun 2014 #19

Can't wait till some of these projects get underway NightWatcher Jun 2014 #18

Hey NightWatcher, sheshe2 Jun 2014 #21

I don't live up there, my wife works on those jobs NightWatcher Jun 2014 #23

Wow! Good for you and your wife, thank you. sheshe2 Jun 2014 #24

It was a fun place to visit, I'd go back if we get the jobs NightWatcher Jun 2014 #27

What do wind turbines sound like under water? dilby Jun 2014 #20

They did a lot of environmental studies... sheshe2 Jun 2014 #22

Interesting they don't list aquatic animals in their list of potential impact. dilby Jun 2014 #26

It might be that all the moving parts are Jenoch Jun 2014 #35

Good Rosa Luxemburg Jun 2014 #28

K Cha Jun 2014 #32

We still have time to save her Cha. sheshe2 Jun 2014 #33

So beautiful, she~ Our Planet Earth Needs the Caretakers.. Cha Jun 2014 #34

More Love to Mother Nature.. Cha Jun 2014 #36

Uncle Joe

(58,362 posts)

1. Kicked and recommended.

Reply to sheshe2 (Original post)

Fri Jun 20, 2014, 06:56 PM

Jun 2014

Thanks for the thread, sheshe.

Cha

(297,229 posts)

2. Congratulations to your state and the Environment, she!

Reply to sheshe2 (Original post)

Fri Jun 20, 2014, 06:58 PM

Jun 2014

sheshe2

(83,764 posts)

3. Thank you Cha!

Reply to Cha (Reply #2)

Fri Jun 20, 2014, 07:25 PM

Jun 2014

This is wonderful news for Massachusetts!

Cha

(297,229 posts)

5. Show other states how it's done. :)

Reply to sheshe2 (Reply #3)

Fri Jun 20, 2014, 07:50 PM

Jun 2014

Unknown Beatle

(2,672 posts)

31. Texas

Reply to Cha (Reply #5)

Fri Jun 20, 2014, 10:48 PM

Jun 2014

Texas, with 12,355 MW of capacity, has the most installed wind power capacity of any U.S. state, followed by California and Iowa with 5,830 MW and 5,178 MW respectively. The Alta Wind Energy Center in California is the largest wind farm in the United States with a capacity of 1320 MW of power. GE Energy is the largest domestic wind turbine manufacturer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_power_in_the_United_States

The more states adopt wind power, the better. Congratulations Massachusetts!

brer cat

(24,565 posts)

4. Great news!

Reply to sheshe2 (Original post)

Fri Jun 20, 2014, 07:43 PM

Jun 2014

Besides the benefits, I just love to see wind farms. That said, I have never lived near one.

DocMac

(1,628 posts)

14. Feel good about it, m'kay. nt

Reply to brer cat (Reply #4)

Fri Jun 20, 2014, 09:23 PM

Jun 2014

tclambert

(11,086 posts)

6. Cue the oil company propagandists to say how ugly windmills are.

Reply to sheshe2 (Original post)

Fri Jun 20, 2014, 08:28 PM

Jun 2014

'Cause this is their idea of beauty:

awoke_in_2003

(34,582 posts)

8. Ted Kennedy...

Reply to tclambert (Reply #6)

Fri Jun 20, 2014, 08:36 PM

Jun 2014

fought against these, too. Wouldn't want his precious property values to fall.

sheshe2

(83,764 posts)

10. I know and that saddened me awoke. eom

Reply to awoke_in_2003 (Reply #8)

Fri Jun 20, 2014, 08:40 PM

Jun 2014

awoke_in_2003

(34,582 posts)

13. he did more good than bad. though...

Reply to sheshe2 (Reply #10)

Fri Jun 20, 2014, 09:20 PM

Jun 2014

he was better than most we get these days

sheshe2

(83,764 posts)

16. You have that right!

Reply to awoke_in_2003 (Reply #13)

Fri Jun 20, 2014, 09:27 PM

Jun 2014

I miss him.

nonoxy9

(236 posts)

15. But what if there's a wind spill into the ocean!

Reply to tclambert (Reply #6)

Fri Jun 20, 2014, 09:25 PM

Jun 2014

It could be a disaster!

tclambert

(11,086 posts)

29. You're right. 'Cause fish can't breathe air.

Reply to nonoxy9 (Reply #15)

Fri Jun 20, 2014, 10:42 PM

Jun 2014

sheshe2

(83,764 posts)

25. Oh yeah, exactly! eom

Reply to tclambert (Reply #6)

Fri Jun 20, 2014, 09:57 PM

Jun 2014

whistler162

(11,155 posts)

7. Ted Kennedy is spinning is his grave.....

Reply to sheshe2 (Original post)

Fri Jun 20, 2014, 08:31 PM

Jun 2014

http://www.reuters.com/article/2007/10/19/environment-utilities-operations-capewin-idUSN1930289620071019

"Sen. Ted Kennedy and many residents who own coastal property from where they could see the wind turbines on a clear day oppose the project along with some environmental groups concerned about disrupting the patterns of migratory birds and the potential effect on local sea life."

a kennedy

(29,661 posts)

9. OMGosh, that's the first thing I thought too.....

Reply to whistler162 (Reply #7)

Fri Jun 20, 2014, 08:36 PM

Jun 2014

Oh my, he's really going to be pissed off, but, he's no longer with us to stop the project. IT NEEDS TO BE DONE. JMHO.

sheshe2

(83,764 posts)

11. It does need to be done.

Reply to a kennedy (Reply #9)

Fri Jun 20, 2014, 08:41 PM

Jun 2014

It is a move toward the future.

a kennedy

(29,661 posts)

12. Wish I could get a single family style home turbine......

Reply to sheshe2 (Reply #11)

Fri Jun 20, 2014, 08:52 PM

Jun 2014

just not windy enough in my area. *sigh*

tclambert

(11,086 posts)

30. This is the size I can afford:

Reply to a kennedy (Reply #12)

Fri Jun 20, 2014, 10:45 PM

Jun 2014

Fred Friendlier

(81 posts)

17. Go Massachusetts!

Reply to sheshe2 (Original post)

Fri Jun 20, 2014, 09:42 PM

Jun 2014

Green power for the Boston tech hub.

sheshe2

(83,764 posts)

19. Thanks Fred. Massachusetts rocks.

Reply to Fred Friendlier (Reply #17)

Fri Jun 20, 2014, 09:47 PM

Jun 2014

I just love my state

And a warm welcome to DU Fred.

NightWatcher

(39,343 posts)

18. Can't wait till some of these projects get underway

Reply to sheshe2 (Original post)

Fri Jun 20, 2014, 09:44 PM

Jun 2014

Went to the AWEA (American Wind Energy Association) conference last year in Providence and it seemed like they are getting finished with all of the lawsuits that have been holding these projects up. Let's get cracking guys.

sheshe2

(83,764 posts)

21. Hey NightWatcher,

Reply to NightWatcher (Reply #18)

Fri Jun 20, 2014, 09:49 PM

Jun 2014

we're neighbors!

I can't wait to see it fly! To our future~

NightWatcher

(39,343 posts)

23. I don't live up there, my wife works on those jobs

Reply to sheshe2 (Reply #21)

Fri Jun 20, 2014, 09:53 PM

Jun 2014

We do environmental compliance for marine projects. Save the whales, sea turtles, manatee kind of thing

sheshe2

(83,764 posts)

24. Wow! Good for you and your wife, thank you.

Reply to NightWatcher (Reply #23)

Fri Jun 20, 2014, 09:54 PM

Jun 2014

NightWatcher

(39,343 posts)

27. It was a fun place to visit, I'd go back if we get the jobs

Reply to sheshe2 (Reply #24)

Fri Jun 20, 2014, 09:59 PM

Jun 2014

dilby

(2,273 posts)

20. What do wind turbines sound like under water?

Reply to sheshe2 (Original post)

Fri Jun 20, 2014, 09:48 PM

Jun 2014

I have heard them in Eastern Oregon and it's not a big deal to the human ear but was wondering if this will have any type of impact on oceanic wildlife. Not like it really matters even if all the fish in that area died or avoided the area it would still be a worthy investment.

sheshe2

(83,764 posts)

22. They did a lot of environmental studies...

Reply to dilby (Reply #20)

Fri Jun 20, 2014, 09:53 PM

Jun 2014

According to the press release, the state has collected a variety of information about the wind area and the potential impact from offshore wind farms on mammals, birds, geology, commercial fish traffic and boating. There have also been many public meetings, including one on the Vineyard. There was a finding of no significant impact for the area, meaning the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management determined there is no reasonable foreseeable significant impacts from issuing the leases.

More here...

- See more at: http://mvgazette.com/news/2014/06/19/state-opens-large-ocean-area-commercial-wind-leases?k=vg53a4b75d1c314&r=1#sthash.IFzuwGqD.5IcQGwhD.dpuf

dilby

(2,273 posts)

26. Interesting they don't list aquatic animals in their list of potential impact.

Reply to sheshe2 (Reply #22)

Fri Jun 20, 2014, 09:58 PM

Jun 2014

I guess mammals could be whales and such but they don't really have fish or other oceanic life listed. Probably will be a dead spot in the ocean, but there is a dead spot in the Gulf of Mexico and it seems to be doing ok.