June 25, 2016
Massachusetts

Mashpee selectmen balk at signing wind power letter

By SAM HOUGHTON | The Mashpee Enterprise | June 24, 2016 | www.capenews.net

Notes from the June 20, 2016, meeting of the Mashpee Board of Selectmen.

The Mashpee Board of Selectmen refused to endorse a letter destined for Governor Charles D. Baker’s desk calling for a “strong commitment” to off-shore wind power.

Environment Massachusetts requested that the local board urge the governor to support offshore wind power as a key component of the state’s energy plan, but selectmen voted 3-2 against the proposal, calling the letter too general.

Environment Massachusetts is a subgroup of Environment America, a national advocacy federation that lobbies and mobilizes the public for the purposes of clean energy and to advocate for stricter policies to address climate change.

Selectmen John J. Cahalane, Carol A. Sherman, and Thomas F. O’Hara voted to reject the proposal while John J. Cotton and Andrew R. Gottlieb voted in favor.

Mr. Cahalane said that the letter from Environment Massachusetts did not identify any areas on the state’s coast where a wind farm would go.

“As sea levels rise and extreme weather events become more frequent, climate change is posting an urgent threat to Massachusetts communities,” the letter requested for selectmen’s endorsement read. “To protect our health, wildlife, economy and the quality of life for future generations, we must reduce pollution and shift away from fossil fuels to truly launch a new clean energy chapter for the Commonwealth.”

Mr. Gottlieb said that he was comfortable supporting the letter even as a broad statement.

In her request to place the letter on the selectmen’s agenda, intern Julie Kindlon with the group said that the state’s coast could produce 8,000 megawatts of offshore wind power.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2016/06/25/mashpee-selectmen-balk-at-signing-wind-power-letter/