April 28, 2010 – BOSTON — It’s been stalled for nine long years, but at last the nation’s first offshore Wind Farm could become a reality, pending the final decision of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar Wednesday. Salazar’s noon announcement in Boston, while still a few hours away at the time of this writing, will determine whether the ‘Cape Wind’ project will proceed.

Officials in Massachusetts expressed hopeful optimism regarding the decision, noting that Mr. Salazar would most likely not have made such a trip just to can the project, especially considering that the public announcement will take place at the Massachusetts Statehouse – in the company of Gov. Deval Patrick no less.

The proposed Wind Farm would include 130 turbines, it would cover nearly 25 square miles, built in Nantucket Sound, about 5 miles off shore. The highest blade on each turbine would reach nearly 450 feet above the water’s surface. Supporters of the Cape Wind project claim that the benefits of producing such a volume of clean, renewable energy would greatly outweigh any negative effects.

The project does have its naysayers, including an Indian tribe whose members require a clear view of the sunrise in that area for sacred rituals. The tribe promises a forthcoming lawsuit in the event that the turbines obstruct their view. Other pockets of opposition also rally behind the claim that the scenic beauty of the iconic cape shouldn’t suffer at the hands of private development with many unexamined cost issues.

Those who are actively pushing to bring the project to fruition say that the clean energy could supply up to 75% of the power to the Cape Cod, Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard area, not to mention the positive impact of reduced dependence on ‘dirty energy’ and the creation of more jobs. Having reached a stalemate on the issue, Salazar will settle the issue once and for all.

The secretary of the state’s executive office of environmental affairs, Ian Bowles commented on Mr. Salazar’s visit. “I don’t think he is coming to tell Governor Patrick, who has steadfastly championed the project, bad news,” said Bowles, “I think this is likely the shot heard around the world for American clean energy.”