As part of the Chamber's ongoing support for all renewable energy projects, Bill Kovacs has contributed a piece in support of the Cape Wind offshore wind farm.  You can find it at voices.capewind.org, here is a snip:

It has been a long, hard road for Cape Wind, but finally the light at the end of the tunnel is beginning to shine after years of environmental permitting challenges and activist opposition...Today, Cape Wind is poised to become America’s first offshore wind farm. The ultimate success of this project will reflect the true spirit of American enterprise and entrepreneurship that persevered through mounds of bureaucratic red tape and deep-pocket opposition. Cape Wind will be embraced by the nation and, more importantly, will serve as a model of innovation as others look at developing coastal wind resources and other clean energy projects across the country...

Projects like Cape Wind not only create jobs and aid our nation’s energy security; they also offer a way to address climate change. Deploying wind, solar, nuclear, and other clean energy technologies will reduce carbon emissions while providing our economy with the fuel and power necessary to grow.

To make these clean energy projects a reality, however, it is important to address what is by far the largest hurdle to developing energy – of any kind – which is the ludicrous amount of time it takes to obtain environmental permits and related approvals for a new project. When you factor in NIMBY opposition, the problem becomes insurmountable. Lawsuits drag on, zoning laws are changed, financing dries up, and ultimately projects stop. All of this is killing jobs and stifling economic development.

To shed a bright light on this problem, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce launched “Project No Project,” an interactive website highlighting the numerous projects, like Cape Wind, that have been delayed or cancelled due to unreasonable opposition....To learn where and how our nation’s energy projects have been delayed or stopped, visit www.projectnoproject.com. Together, we need to get these projects back on track, help our nation responsibly meet its energy needs, and spur a robust economic recovery.