Renewable Energy Failure Massachusetts

New Bedford, Massachusetts Ocean Wind Turbine Port Another Giant Renewable Energy Fiasco

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The U.S. Department of Interior Minerals Management Service in December 2009 issued Cape Wind a federal construction permit for ocean wind turbines. Quonset Point, Rhode Island is the only permitted construction site. New Bedford has three maintenance boats assigned under the federal permit.

In 2010 Governor Deval Patrick announced the construction of the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal.The construction price was 35 million.

In 2012 the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center announced the project estimate at 50 million. After an EPA review the project jumped up to 100 million because of toxins on the property.

In 2013 the project went out to bid at under 100 million dollars. The Massachusetts Secretary of Environmental Affairs testified to a Massachusetts legislative bonding committee that he was 100 percent sure Cape Wind would use New Bedford as a construction port. The Massachusetts legislature provided over 25 million in initial bonding while the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center took over the construction of the ocean wind turbine port.

Rick Sullivan was recently promoted to Chief of Staff for Governor Patrick.

There are four months and a couple of weeks before the completion of the port.

State and local officials are looking at a laundry list of problems at the unfinished ocean wind turbine port.

Four acres of the project still has an AM radio antenna that needs to be moved. It's one of the oldest radio station in the United States AM 1340. The new location is a residential neighborhood. The Mass CEC has notified the residents 2000 feet from the antenna. Many claim they were never notified. How much ?

The railroad tracks are still over 2000 feet away from the project. How much ? Tug boat operators have complained the channel is still to narrow. How much ? The hurricane gates only have a clearance of 120 feet and Jack- Up barges world wide are wider than the clearance allow.

Tug boat operators have complained the channel isn’t wide enough and more blasting, dredging and environmental reviews are ahead. How much ?

A special small Jack -Up barge is being built in New Jersey that can fit through the hurricane gates. The ship has been given a comical name the RD MacDonald probably after the burger.

The hiring of minority workers has been an ongoing problem on the construction site. How much ?

Cape Wind has signed a lease with Quonset Point, Rhode Island as the construction base. The MassCEC CEO Alicia Barton announced : the port may end up with a much bigger focus on moving freight in and out of New England than on assembling wind turbines. Bananas rather than turbines ? How much ?

Folks, The project went out to bid at under 100 million dollars. The big question is being avoided : How much has the project cost already ? Knowing the list of problems what is the actual cost of the project and where is the money coming from ? Why won’t they tell us how much more the project will cost ?