December 17, 2010
Massachusetts

County-wide wind DCPC moved to back-up plan

Written by Patriot Staff, The Barnstable Patriot, www.barnstablepatriot.com 16 December 2010

A county-wide District of Critical Planning Concern is being discussed as more of a second option by the county Assembly of Delegates.
That assessment comes after an update this week about how quickly the Cape Cod Commission can return to the Assembly with an amendment to the Regional Policy Plan.
Falmouth Delegate Julia Taylor told the Assembly she had “a good conversation” with Cape Cod Commission Executive Director Paul Niedzwiecki. She said that he seemed confident that the commission was in a position to come back quicker than expected, perhaps by February, with a new draft regulation.
At its Nov. 17 meeting the Assembly sent a proposal back to the Cape Cod Commission to be strengthened, and briefly discussed the possibility of a Cape-wide District of Critical Planning Concern nomination covering land-based wind turbines.
At the time, Niedzwiecki estimated a six-month delay in getting something back for the Assembly’s consideration.
As part of that discussion, the Assembly was also reluctant to approve the regulations, without seeing the Technical Bulletin that will serve as the implementing regulations.
Taylor indicated that a bulleted list of items to be covered in the Technical Bulletin would be drafted.
Richard Anderson of Bourne, where a proposal for six sizeable land-based turbines is in the permitting stages, again expressed a desire to see those details, or at least an outline of them.
“It’s nice that he says he’s going to do it, but is he going to do it?” Anderson asked.
From the audience, Niedzwiecki answered, “Yes.” He was either not heard or ignored, as the conversation continued. A request for Niedzwiecki to address the Assembly was voted down.
Sandwich delegate Tom Keyes, who introduced the idea of a DCPC in November, was pleased to hear that a shorter timeframe was possible for the commission to come back with a second proposal.
On hearing it could come in February, Keyes said, “That’s quick and I think that’s desirable.”
“This is a political conversation and the politics have changed,” Taylor said, adding that she thinks it’s a good thing.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2010/12/17/county-wide-wind-dcpc-moved-to-back-up-plan/