Kennedys Kill Clean Power Project

A House-Senate conference committee slipped an amendment into a Coast Guard budget that effectively kills a major offshore wind project near Nantucket that would have provided up to 75% of Cape Cods' power. The amendment gives veto rights to Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, though he doesnt have them on any other type of power plant. This veto was engineered by the Massachusetts congressional delegation, led by Senators Kennedy and Kerry, supposed strong supporters of alternative energy in general and wind power in particular. The project was also opposed by Robert Kennedy and his Riverkeeper organization. It seems that alternative energy support only goes so far when NIMBY issues come into play. A more benign explanation might be that even so-called clean energy has environmental repercussions-environmental harm is in the eyes of the beholder. But this is particularly pathetic-the Kennedys would support a wind project in anybody's backyard that wasnt their own. What makes their opposition particularly egregious is that the best and most efficient locations for windpower are offshore like this project. I guess the Kennedy's views are more important.