This New England

Simulated view from the nearest point on Cape Cod of the Cape Wind project. (Cape Wind Associates picture.

So Cape Wind, the most tortured power-plant project in American history, has received federal environmental approval, 7 and 1/2 years after it was proposed. The Minerals Management Service of the Interior Department made the announcement Friday.

This is a big day in alternative-energy and environmental history, and Jim Gordon, Dennis Duffy and their colleagues at Cape Wind in Boston must be popping corks.

But it's not over: They still have to get through lawsuits planned by fossil-fuel and other plutocrats represented at the Oyster Harbors and Wianno clubs, in Osterville; last-minute regulatory barriers put up by the Kennedy family, and the need to go to Wall Street at a terrible time to try to borrow over $1 billion to pay for this overdue project. Lehman Bros. was to help handle that, but Lehman has gone kaput.

Still, courage, persistence and visionary entrepreneurialsm have been at least tentatively rewarded.

New England electric ratepayers hope that with the help of President Obama and Governor Patrick (a strong supporter of Cape Wind and other windpower plans in the state) that building this project can start by this summer.

God knows, New Englanders could use the well-paying jobs to do that, as well as the lower and more stable elecric rates that the New England Independent System Operator, which oversees the regional grid, expects from the fulfillment of Jim Gordon's dream -- a crazed dream, some might argue, considering the power elite he has taken on to pursue his mission.

My condolences to Hugo Chavez, the Saudi royal family and the West Virginia coal industry for their economic reversal. But maybe they can do a joint deal with the Nova Scotians who want to drill for oil and gas on the Georges Bank.

Spirtually Blessed,'' by Claudine DePina, showing at AS220's galleries at 115 Empire St., in downtown Providence Feb. 1-21. Below, at the same show, photograph by Deb Demarko.

 Tags  AS220 Cape Wind Claudine DePina Jim Gordon

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