ENVIRONMENT

Our communities offer some of the world's most unique conditions and natural habitats. From our farmlands, to landmark beaches, to the vast waterways that surround us, we are poised to become a leader for protecting some of the country's most valuable and diverse natural resources.

I will be a proactive leader and will ensure that local organizations focused on preserving and protecting our natural resources have a voice in the State House. As an avid sportsman, I grew up fishing these waters and hunting these lands with my dad. I have run and biked on our preserved trails. I have spent countless days enjoying our beaches. These are privileges that I have not taken for granted and privileges in which we each have a vested interest to preserve for future generations.

Cape Wind

I oppose the Cape Wind project. I consider myself an environmentalist and as a result, truly struggled with this policy stance. But while I agree that wind power will become a piece of the future answer to our nation's power search, I do not support this project's slated location on Horseshoe Shoals.

I recently attended one of the local public hearings administered by the Interior Department's Minerals Management Service (MMS) and I was proud to see a respectful and open debate about the subject. I admire those willing to step up to the microphone and voice their opinions and was particularly moved by a speech made by a local fisherman, whose livelihood is directly tied to the shoals. I realize emotions run high over environmental issues in our community and I respect our residents' opinions.

What I am in favor of is greater research for deep-water locations for wind (and wave) technology, similar to experiments on-going in the North Sea. Currently, demonstration turbines are being built 14 miles off the Scottish coast in 150 feet of water. You also may have read about a proposal to build a floating 120-turbine offshore wind farm in 167 feet of water, twenty-three miles southwest of Martha's Vineyard.

While these projects come with their own financial costs, we must not disregard the idea of investing our time and resources in developing technology (wind or otherwise) for new energy sources that directly benefit our respective communities. If we take the time to invest now, twenty years from now we will be able to look back in amazement at the progress we have made in bringing clean energy to the marketplace and reducing our nation's dependence on foreign oil.