Washington, D.C. — Today, Michael Conathan, Director of Ocean Policy at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement on Interior Secretary Ken Salazar’s announcement in Boston that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Regulation, Management, and Enforcement has approved the Construction Operations Plan for the Cape Wind project, now poised to become the first offshore wind energy facility in U.S. waters:
“Secretary Salazar’s announcement that Cape Wind has now received its final federal permit is a huge step toward America’s energy future. That it occurred the day before the one-year anniversary of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico serves as a stark reminder of the choice we have as energy consumers—to continue our ever-increasing reliance on the dangerous, dirty fuels of yesterday or to seek to diversify our energy portfolio by expanding our use of clean, renewable resources.
For more than a decade, Cape Wind Associates has fought off one challenge after another in its bid to construct the first offshore wind energy facility in U.S. waters. In addition to finally making America a player in the rapidly expanding offshore wind energy field, this project will provide enough electricity to power about 250,000 homes and will bring jobs and revenue to the region for years to come.
The permitting process for this project has been an unconscionable quagmire lasting more than a decade and costing millions of dollars. The federal government must continue to work to streamline the permitting process for future offshore wind facilities where appropriate so we can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels; create new, green employment opportunities; and move America aggressively into a new energy economy.”
To speak with Michael Conathan, please contact Christina DiPasquale at 202.481.8181 or [email protected].
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