New York Times Wind Power Editorial

Posted on 17. Jan, 2010 by admin in Renewable Energy News

On January 9th, an editorial in the New York Times sends a clear signal to the world that the time has come to work together to resolve even the most intractable environmental issues to slow the impacts of global climate change and jumpstart our country’s green energy economy.

In the editorial, the New York Times sided four-square with Secretary Salazar to end the wrangling over the long-suffering Cape Wind project off Nantucket Sound. ‘Make a decision,’ the editors as much as charged, ‘and get building!’

I can’t help but read this editorial about a wind project off Cape Cod as a distant (but closely-related) cousin of our Echanis projects on Steens Mountain.

Our company has met with stakeholders concerned about our project numerous times over the past year. Listening to their concerns and adopting many of their ideas and suggestions, we have developed a package of seven major items we’re prepared to offer as concessions and mitigation IF they will agree not to sue after the Environmental Impact Study (EIS) for our transmission line and future project stage permits are issued. They can and certainly will be free to participate fully in those very thorough and public processes, but they must agree to live with the results (as will we) rather than sue to delay the inevitable in hopes of stopping the project on an economic basis.

The last sentence of the New York Times editorial reads as follows:

“We hope the administration can persuade the various sides to quickly reach a compromise that preserves the core of the project. If not, Mr. Salazar can and should decide on his own to allow Cape Wind to proceed.”

We at Columbia Energy Partners hope the various stakeholders will work with us to resolve their concerns in a binding agreement that will benefit all sides and allow this vitally important project to proceed.

Welcome!

Posted on 07. Jan, 2010 by admin in Blog

Welcome to CEP’s blog… We plan to use this space to communicate on timely issues surrounding our projects as well as news effecting renewable energy, climate change and the communities where we are at work.

We hope you will check in with this space from time to time for news and updates, as well as perspective on important issues facing the environment, our economy and the future. We believe our work crosses all those areas, which is why we care so much about what we do. That passion gets us up in the morning (and sometimes in the middle of the night) and keeps us going in long hours at the office, on the road and in the ever-challenging process of developing vital new renewable energy resources in a responsible, responsive manner.

We hope you will find these postings informative and helpful. We look forward to hearing from you, as well, along the way.