Save Our SeaShore Alliance to Protect Cape Cod National SeaShore from Wind Turbines!

Letter Concerning Wellfleet building a Wind Turbine in a National Park

To Whom it May Concern:

Please forward to Wellfleet BOS, Energy Committee and Planning

I am writing about Wellfleet's plan to build a 400 foot wind turbine
On-Shore in Cape Cod National Seashore, one of only 10 National Seashores in
the country. I was reviewing various wind turbine siting guidelines.
Wyoming's seem so sensible and you would guess Massachusetts would have a
similar one. I am forwarding you a link to Wyoming's. Their slogan "Doing it
Smart from the Start". That is so important to avoid a BIG backlash against
Wind Power . That backlash for me has already begun; in that I was
ambivalent to wind power and thought National Parks were safe from Wind
Turbine. How wrong I was and how blind people in the pursuit money can be!

Here is a challenge to the people allowing this wind turbine in a National
Park Is Wyoming a more informed and caring State than Massachusetts? You
would think that MTC the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative with their
$250,000,000 budget and a state with it's a renowned progressive liberal
very "green" establishment, would put a bunch of cowboys in a conservative
state such as Wyoming to shame. But alas Massachusetts, the Town of
Wellfleet and CCNS "show me the money guide to Wind Turbines Siting" and a
complete disregard for a NATIONAL PARK is SHAMEFUL!

Please read the State of Wyoming Wind Turbine Guidelines. A beautiful
example of owning up to responsibilities of conservation! What exactly would
the town of Wellfleet, CCNS and state protect?

http://www.voiceforthewild.org/WindPowerReport.pdf

The Superintendent of Cape Cod National Seashore says it is town land and he
is fine with a big industrial wind turbine. Again we have to look at a
responsible group in Wyoming who clearly state:

Exclude from wind power siting consideration: National Parks, Monuments,
and Wildlife Refuges; USFS Roadless..and even "citizens proposed wilderness"

Or

National Parks and Monuments

Units of the National Park system (including National Parks and National

Monuments) are managed under a strong legal mandate which

directs the federal government to "protect and preserve" these

lands and their natural resources "for the use and enjoyment of

the public." National Park units are precluded from industrial

development (although commercial development for tourism is

permitted. Wind energy development would not be allowed by

law in these units regardless of their wind energy potential, and

key viewsheds visible from park overlooks should be protected

from visible wind energy development as well.

Even the town of Wellfleet's own Audubon Society claims no position on the
turbine, no matter what birds fly or live where the turbine will be built.
Ideology over conservation is not a position of pride. Shame on
them...Wyoming's guide states:

Many types of wildlife are expected to be sensitive to wind power
development. The propensity for wind turbines to kill birds (particularly
raptors) and bats through collisions with spinning blades is well known, and
thus turbines sited in areas where bird and bat activity is not concentrated
are preferable.

Obviously Wyoming has lots more land, though a lot is federal and national
park and Massachusetts has lots more money. Responsibility is not relative!
Anyone who proposes or accepts a commercial industrial wind turbine in a
NATIONAL PARK is at fault EVERY STEP OF THE WAY! I am not waiting till the
studies roll in! A National Park is ZERO Tolerance for Industrial Wind
Turbines and I call on everyone involved to stop the Wellfleet Wind Turbine
in Cape Cod National Seashore TODAY!

Shame on all involved!

Sincerely

Barry Doyle

barry@saveourshore.org