A movie that has been years in the making about the controversy over
Cape Wind, a massive wind farm planned in Nantucket Sound off the coast
of Cape Cod, will be unveiled next month.
Cape Spin: An American Power Struggle, by Rebirth Productions, will be shown in a sneak preview on Martha's Vineyard August 2. Other "sneak peaks" are planned but haven't been announced yet. I here the movie is supposed to provide a balanced view of the controversy--if you see it let me know what you think.
Cape Wind, a 130-turbine wind farm that some say will cost more than $2.5 billion, has attracted widespread attention with big names on both sides of the argument. Opponents, who include the Kennedys, Senator Scott Brown and many others, says the project will destroy bird populations and fishing grounds, as well as historic land and views. They add the electricity the project generates will end up costing consumers a lot more than conventional power.
Meanwhile, project supporters, including federal officials, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and some environmental groups like Greenpeace and the Sierra Club, say the wind farm would provide clean, renewable energy; reduce reliance on fossil fuels; and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
Mark Rodgers, a spokesman for project developer Cape Wind Associates, told the Boston Globe that about 14 legal challenges against Cape Wind have been rejected by various courts over the last eight years. In April 2010, the federal government approved the project, although other regulatory hurdles must be cleared before the project actually is started.