Abby_Cape Wind Midpoint Check-up

1. 

Despite its clear environmental impact, the Cape Wind project emerged into a two-sided controversy between those who favored it and those who did not. The evolution of media coverage throughout the project proposals, debates, and policies has allowed this important environmental issue to gain widespread popularity nationally and internationally. Not only does it have the potential to catalyze future offshore wind farms, but it will inspire political activism about the environment. The Cape Wind project and controversy were recognized by notable media outlets including the New York Times. The voices behind and against the project have extended over blogs, National Public Radio, Facebook, Twitter, and more. Some journalists covered the people involved, some the environmental impacts, and others the politics and finances regarding the project.

2. 

• Intro

• Background on Cape Wind, Timeline, etc.

• Those for it--Environmental activists, Deval Patrick

• Those against it--Wealthy landowners, Bill Koch

• Local coverage

• Impacts for environmental journalism...long-term, short-term, etc.

• Media takes on the project

• Conclusion

3.


"Wind Power." Saving Wildlife from Mass Extinction Due to Global Warming. N.p., n.d. Web. 

 This chart illustrates the breakdown of those in support of the Cape Wind Project.  It compares the change in support numbers between 2006 and 2007.  There is an important five percent increase in those who strongly support the project between the two years.


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"Offshore Wind: State by State Analysis." Oceana, 2012. Web. 

 This chart is fairly recent.  It is a breakdown of all the East Coast/New England states and their energy abundance.  The Cape Cod project is located in Massachusetts, which not surprisingly ranks number two after Delaware in potential energy from offshore wind.  A jaw-dropping one hundred and thirty percent of the small state could be powered by the offshore wind supply.


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"The Cape Wind Project." Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound. N.p., 2014. Web.

This is a fairly simplified map of the proposed sites for wind power plants off of the Cape Cod and Nantucket Sound region.  The red indicates where proposed sites could be, and the grey indicates alternative sites.  The pale yellow is federally owned waters.  This is an important geographical chart as it shows the heart of where the offshore turbines would be built.



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"Koch Brother Wages 12-Year Fight Over Wind Farm." New York Times, 23 Oct. 2013. Web. 

This picture, taken from the New York Times, is of Bill Koch.  Koch is the leader of most anti-Cape Wind ideas.  He is an extremely wealthy businessman with houses in Cape Cod.  He has pooled many millions of dollars into anti-Cape Wind projects and discussions.  Koch's main opponent in the project is Jim Gordon, one of the leading activists in favor of the Cape Wind project.