Why Wind?

THE LOCAL CASE FOR OFFSHORE WIND ENERGY

WE HAVE A WORLD CLASS WIND RESOURCE.
Wind off the coast of Eastern Long Island is among the strongest and most consistent of any area on our planet. With just 15 offshore windmills 35 miles off Montauk we can provide power for up to 70,000 homes.

CLEAN POWER THAT IS OUT OF SIGHT.
At 35 miles from shore, you’d have to be superwoman (or superman) to see these offshore windmills. So, we get lots of clean power, and our treasured view is unchanged. For the solar fans: We love sun power too, but these 12 turbines are the power equivalent of nearly 1,700 acres of solar panels. Hard to find that kind of space in East Hampton.

BECAUSE WE NEED MORE POWER. AND IT’S THE MOST COST-EFFECTIVE SOLUTION.
We already experience frequent brown outs and power surges during the peak summer season. And our power needs on the South Fork are projected to keep on growing. If additional power is not provided by offshore windmills, it will have to come from another source – like fossil fired generators – and it will only cost more. The South Fork Wind Farm was selected by LIPA through a competitive process because it was part of the least costly solution to the area’s power supply problem. The bill impact is only about $1.50 per month.

BECAUSE A TRANSMISSION CABLE IS NOT A BIG DEAL.
We have loads of big, buried infrastructure throughout our community today from electric lines to water and gas mains, storm drains and septic systems. Offshore, hundreds of telecommunication cables crisscross the ocean, and submarine power cables are laid across oceans, lakes and rivers – they have been for decades. We can manage the short-term inconvenience of construction for the installation of critical infrastructure. It happens all the time.

BECAUSE FISHERMEN’S CONCERNS ARE BEING CONSIDERED.
After listening to commercial fishermen, BOEM (Bureau of Ocean Energy Management), made sure that windmills would not be allowed on the prime fishing spots at Cox’s Ledge. And according to recreational fishermen, existing windmills off Block Island actually attract marine life to them as they form an artificial reef.

BECAUSE WE SHOULD LEAD THE WAY.
We are fortunate to live in an extraordinary place. The natural beauty and unique way of life in East Hampton is recognized the world over, and we have worked very hard to protect it. Chief among the goals we have set for our Town is a commitment to 100% renewable energy, because we understand the critical importance of transitioning away from fossil fuels. Many us of do our part in small ways – with hybrid cars and LED lights. But this project is a chance to make a giant leap towards our goal! We have been given the opportunity to host New York’s first offshore wind farm. It’s an honor we should embrace.

THE NATIONAL & GLOBAL CASE FOR WIND ENERGY

IS THE CLIMATE CRISIS REAL, AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO ME?
Scientific evidence continues to mount as to the urgency of reducing carbon emissions before it is too late.

We have all heard about the threats to:

The Environment – numerous species are threatened with extinction as habitat disappears, the arctic polar bear being only one. The Audubon Society reports that the greatest threat to bird life in America is Global Climate Change, and the organization supports the use of wind power. Audubon has identified 314 species of birds that will be extinct by 2080 at current rates of Climate Change, due primarily to loss of habitat.

The World’s Fisheries – are already undergoing rapid change and tremendous stress as the marine environment is altered by Climate Change: Landings of multiple food-fish species are dramatically reduced, and cold-water species are migrating further north while tropical water fish are suddenly appearing in local waters off the East Coast.

Acidification of the Oceans – will spell extinction for many species of marine life as their environment becomes increasingly toxic due to carbon overload in the atmosphere. Ocean reefs, home to abundant varieties of marine life for thousands of years, are disappearing entirely. Locally, eel grass which many fish require for spawning, is being killed off.

Rising Sea Levels – caused by melting polar ice sheets, threaten coastal communities around the world, including our own.

Violent Weather Events – Climate Change is producing weather anomalies (flooding in the Midwest, tornados in the South, violent coastal storms in the East and South) are already wreaking havoc on communities around the world with high public and personal costs, including loss of life.

Public Health – Warmer winters are dramatically increasing insect populations in areas that are unprepared to handle the challenge of disease-carrying vectors simultaneous with the migration of insects north from warmer environments. Locally, the surge in the incidence, the variety, and the virulence of insect-borne diseases causes untold costs and hardship. A local example of insect migration is the recent devastation of thousands of pine trees in Northwest Woods due to a migration of the Southern Pine Beetle.

Food Supply – A recent New York Times article documented the loss of important crops (coffee!) in Central America due primarily to Climate Change. This is an economic disaster for farmers and their families many of whom are joining a mass migration north. Climate Change, which destroys crops on farms that were already marginal, is a major contributor to refugee desperation around the globe. “The world could see over 1 billion climate migrants by the end of this century.” (The Lancet Countdown Report. October 2017)