March 13, 2008
Massachusetts
Massachusetts
Wants to change DiMasi’s mind on wind turbines
Rep. John Quinn, a Democrat from Dartmouth, on Monday invited House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi on a boat tour of Buzzards Bay next month, in an apparent attempt to change DiMasi’s mind about wind turbines in those waters.
Quinn, who last month delivered perhaps the most restive floor speech of the DiMasi era, sent a letter to the speaker offering to take him around the bay to show the potential sites where Patriot Renewables, a Quincy-based affiliate of Jay Cashman Inc., plans to build wind turbines.
South Coast legislators have objected to the quiet insertion of an amendment into the speaker’s energy bill that would clear the way for a 120-turbine project developed by Jay Cashman, who is close friends with DiMasi.
After the energy bill’s passage, DiMasi allowed open debate on the amendment during the House’s deliberations on offshore development legislation, when Quinn argued unsuccessfully against the amendment, which carried in the House. That bill is now before a House-Senate conference committee.
Quinn said Wednesday that the speaker had not responded to his request and that he did not necessarily expect a response.
“The magnitude of this project and the way it was handled, getting passed through the House without even a public hearing it’s quite appropriate for the speaker to have an opportunity to come and look at some of the impacts I listed in the letter,” he said, adding, “He seems to want to avoid talking about the issue with any of the membership.”
Quinn’s invitation is timed to a trip DiMasi has scheduled to the New Bedford area on April 9. In an e-mail, DiMasi spokesman David Guarino said the speaker “has received the generous offer from Rep. Quinn and he’s certainly considering it.”
Guarino said he expects DiMasi’s visit to the South Coast will be a busy day, but he also wants to spend time with members of the area’s legislative delegation.
13 March 2008
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2008/03/13/take-a-look-lawmaker-invites-speaker-on-boat-tour-of-buzzards-bay/