Earth Equity News

U.S. to Make Decision on Cape Wind by April. By Ayesha Rascoe, Reuters, January 13, 2010. "The U.S. Interior Department said on Wednesday it will issue a final decision by the end of April on a proposal to build the first major U.S. offshore wind farm. The announcement followed three meetings in which key stakeholders could not reach an agreement to settle their nine-year regulatory struggle over the proposed $1 billion Cape Wind power project off the coast of Massachusetts. The wind farm would provide electricity to about 400,000 homes, with its tall turbines arranged in a grid pattern in 25 square miles of Nantucket Sound, just offshore of Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Island... Salazar reiterated that the groups still have the option of reaching agreement by March 1 on how to proceed with the project, ending the historical review process. 'I'm not sure that can be accomplished,' Salazar said. 'There is a tremendous amount of passion around this issue.' If no deal can be reached, Salazar said he will end the review process without an agreement. Ultimately, under either scenario Interior will still have to make the final decision." National Park Service Issues Setback to Cape Wind. By Abby Goodnough, NYTimes, January 5, 2010.