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Update October 8 2004 To all of you who read and acted on the message from yesterday, concerning the proposed Warner amendment to the Defense Authorization Bill that would have killed the wind energy industry in this country, THANK YOU ! Late last night I heard from Washington that Sen. Warner's amendment had NOT been included in the final bill. It seems that the Senate members of the committee were deluged with phone calls and messages that told them in no uncertain terms that the people want renewable energy, and would not tolerate back-door tactics such as Warner used. Your voices have been heard, and you represent a power in the land. Andrew Stern October 7 2004 - Andrew Stern- NOW IS THE TIME TO STAND UP FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY. TODAY! Yesterday Senator John Warner (R-VA) submitted a last-minute amendment to the Defense Authorization Bill currently in Conference Committee that will have the effect of stopping not only the Nantucket Sound Wind Farm but, in effect, ALL OFFSHORE WIND-BASED RENEWABLE ENERGY INITIATIVES IN THE UNITED STATES. If you care about the future of energy in this country, and are as outraged as we are about Sen. Warner's methods, please take some time to make your feelings heard. Warner, the Republican Senate Chair of the Committee, is proposing language that would prevent the Army Corps of Engineers (the approved permitting authority for offshore development) from acting on any offshore wind farm application, INCLUDING ANY CURRENTLY PENDING, until Congress specifically authorizes the use of outer Continental Shelf land for such purposes. Although this sounds benign, anyone who knows how our government works knows that this will, in reality, stop all offshore wind projects in the US. In other words, Warner, WHO OWNS A SUMMER HOME IN OSTERVILLE, is effectively sacrificing the future of renewable energy in the U.S. so that the Nantucket Sound Wind Farm will not go ahead. Worse, he is inserting this amendment into the bill at such a late stage that there will be virtually no time to debate it. In other words, he is sneaking a provision that will be harmful to the country into an inappropriate bill at the last moment to ensure its passage. Whatever ! your position on renewable energy, you may well be disgusted at these tactics, which masquerade as government of the people by the people for the people . THE FULL TEXT OF THE AMENDMENT AND ADDRESSES OF THE RELEVANT LEGISLATORS WHO NEED TO HEAR YOUR OPINION ARE INCLUDED AT THE END OF THIS MESSAGE. To put this development into context: At a time when Americans are more concerned then ever in reducing our dependence on Mideast oil with our soldiers fighting and dying in Iraq and with record oil prices, Senator Warner is attempting to block one of America's options for reducing our dependence on the Middle East - developing clean, offshore, American wind power. Senator Warner's amendment would prevent the US Army Corps of Engineers from being involved in permitting offshore wind projects, a move that would set back America's offshore wind energy projects for years if not decades. Right now, seventeen federal and state agencies are in their third year of reviewing Cape Wind's proposal to provide three quarters of the electricity for Cape Cod and the Islands from clean wind power, a region that is now heavily dependent upon oil to generate its electricity. This review process is using the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the process is supported by many of America's most respected environmental organizations for being thorough, and for protecting the public interest. Senator Warner's amendment would also prevent Governor Pataki and the Long Island Power Authority from moving forward in their efforts to initiate a permitting process for an offshore wind farm south of Long Island as well as blocking any other potential for harvesting offshore wind off the coasts of the United States. Warner's amendment would directly contradict and impede President Bush's Executive Order to expedite the production of domestic energy resources. Offshore wind energy projects can significantly reduce operations at fossil fuel power plants, thereby improving air quality and the health of all Americans. Cape Wind would also offset over a million tons of greenhouse gases each year, equal to taking over 150,000 cars off the road from this one offshore wind farm alone. The 4,000 page Draft Environmental Impact Statement of the US Army Corps of Engineers on Cape Wind will thoroughly address all of the environmental and economic issues that government agencies need to consider. However, the document is currently being held up at the Pentagon, a development that is possibly related to Senator Warner's amendment. Meanwhile, the tentative decision of the Massachusetts Energy Facility Siting Board found that Cape Wind's power is needed for both regional reliability and economic reasons. Warner's amendment is predicated upon the need for offshore wind projects to have a competitive bidding process, despite the fact that it is the policy of the United States government not to require this of commercial wind energy projects on federal lands because the Bureau of Land Management is actively trying to encourage greater commercial wind energy development on federal lands. Issues regarding leasing or rent can be addressed concurrently with the ongoing and crucial NEPA permitting review on these projects designed to reduce America's reliance on foreign oil and to improve the air quality for all Americans. Introducing this amendment late into the Conference Committee process is a blatant attempt to prevent public scrutiny and input into this crucial public policy decision. When the House held hearings on the issue last year, the overwhelming testimony (including labor and environmental witnesses, as well as the Massachusetts legislative leadership) was that any changes should not interfere or disrupt the ongoing review of existing project applications. Warner's amendment would single out clean offshore wind power from any other type of proposed commercial activity on the outer continental shelf. *****THE COMMITTEE MAY TAKE UP THIS ISSUE AS EARLY AS TOMORROW, FRIDAY OCT 8TH. IF YOU ARE CONCERNED WITH RENEWABLE ENERGY AND RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT, PLEASE FAX OR TELEPHONE (PREFERRED OPTIONS) YOUR OPINIONS TO THE FOLLOWING LEGISLATORS, IN DESCENDING ORDER OF PRIORITY.***** Key Officials: Republican House Chair: Congressman Duncan Hunter 52nd District of California 2265 Rayburn House Office Bldg. Washington, D.C. 20515 (202) 225-5672 FAX: (202) 225-0235 Democrat House Chair: Congressman Ike Skelton 4th Congressional District of Missouri U.S. House of Representatives 2206 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515-2504 Telephone: 202-225-2876 Democrat Senate Chair: Senator Carl Levin Michigan 269 Russell Office Building U.S. Senate Washington, DC 20510-2202 Phone (202) 224-6221 Fax (202) 224-1388 Republican Senate Chair Senator John Warner Virginia 225 Russell Building Washington, D.C. 20510 Telephone: (202) 224-2023 (202) 224-6295 FAX LANGUAGE OF THE AMENDMENT: Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of the Army shall not process or otherwise act on any application (including an application pending on the date of enactment of this Act) submitted under section 10 of the Act of March 3, 1899 (30 Stat.1151, chapter 425) for any wind energy project to be located on the outer Continental Shelf until such time as Congress provides to the Federal Government express authorization (including authorization to establish requirements for competitive bidding, compensation to the United States for any land use rights granted, and promulgation of environmental and other standards to govern the aurthorization) to grant interests in land of the outer Continental Shelf for use for wind energy projects. |
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