Sat, 08/02/2008 - 5:12pm

The DEP would ban thier grandmothers from sunbathinf if its a threat to birds.Time to staert thinking about the people for once and not some stupid bird who lays eggs in the high tide area anyway.

Fri, 08/01/2008 - 6:47pm

The DEP has a Cardinal Rule:....if it makes sense....if it's good for the public....then don't approve it! If Corzine had been serious about cutting govt agencies....he would have started with this useless dept.

Fri, 08/01/2008 - 3:47am

Of course the DEP will drag their feet on this project, modify it or limit it, if not kill it. They basically cater to the environmental lobbyists. Look at their prposed ruling that the high windmills can't be built south of Stone Harbor...why's that? For the birds!!! If you don't think they can hold up a project for years or kill it all together, you need only look at the terminal end of Rte. 55 which is in Maurice Twp. instead of Cape May. The completion of that road has been held up for 25 years. If the Parkway wasn't already built, they would have axed that project too.
As far as windmills, I would have preferred they build them on the old railroad roads that still exist way out into the marshes. It would have been much easier and cheaper to build and maintain then building them out at sea.

Thu, 07/31/2008 - 2:03pm

Private industry and public opioion will eventually win the battle for renewable energy, regardless. Private enviromental groups holding projects hostage until they receive a charitable contribution hmmmmm, These groups need to be held accountable, their all about hot air and passing wind, they just don't see the logic in harnessing it for renewable energy. Something stinks...

Thu, 07/31/2008 - 1:42pm

If the EPA decides against wind in the lower 10K we should give them the bird...let them study that.

Thu, 07/31/2008 - 1:37pm

No environmental group would want to doctor bird-strike records to limit wind turbines, because wind turbines are better for the environment (and if any one of the dozens of bird-watch stations around the coast said "they're headed right for you!" our officials could simply turn the turbine OFF for a few hours - no problem to migration). That said, the state's efforts to turn Cape May County into an ecotourism attraction would be great overall - more wind turbines would attract more visitors (such as those who travel to other sites, including A.C., to see them). So I have to say, that argument (environmentalists don't want turbines) makes no sense. And speaking as one who's attended these meetings, joined the groups, and been involved in some of this discussion since the late 80's - We. Want. Turbines.

It may be that some people have been uninformed about the risk to birds. The best way to counter-act that is to simply say, loudly and often, "it won't affect migration." Because it won't.

That said - I can't agree more that the birds, flowers and trees of CMC do matter - to both tourists and those of us whose livelihoods depend on them. They need to still be here when our kids and grandkids are here. If you think it should be all about convenience and power, I welcome you to take a look at Trenton and Newark sometime. Personally, I'd rather live here. We can make improvements while protecting the only industry that supports us year-round locals who have to actually WORK. We can't ALL inherit paid-in-full beach homes, you know. And those who did won't have much of a view when the water rises 20 vertical feet. So let's try to work together here, and simply deal with the facts instead of turning everything into a hate-filled rant.

Turbines: Good. Birds: Good. (Especially with hot sauce.) Trees, Flowers, Protected Space: Good. Money from Tourists: Good. Quiet spaces to get away from them and enjoy trees, flowers, et al: Better!

Wed, 07/30/2008 - 5:47pm

I heard piping plover tastes like chicken. Seriously, this is the most densely populated and highly taxed state in the U.S. Anything that will reduce energy payables for the avg. NJ family should take precedence and be given priority by our elected and payrolled officials.

Wed, 07/30/2008 - 5:07am

The state submitted a totally outrageous number of bird kills prior to the building of the windmills at Atlantic City, because they folded to the environmentalist groups and the wanted the project severely limited. The actual number of bird kills in all the years of operation was TWO birds and I believe they were sea gulls, which are not endangered. Why wouldn't the state use that number? Because it doesn't suit their purpose of basically making the southern end of Cape May County one big nature preserve and tourist attraction. Who cares about the people who live here?...not the state....not the environmentalist groups. If they cared about the PEOPLE who live here, they would have completed the state drinking water study for CMC that is 2 years overdue. Get it people?...Get out, move....the people don't matter in CMC, only the preserved land and tourists, birds, flowers and trees.

Tue, 07/29/2008 - 7:13pm

Now try and do a search of any actual study about how the turbines really affect any birds. In Europe, they have entire fields of turbines and there are no problems with birds. Let's get real here people. Enough of the fear spreading, let's go forward wind some kind of alternative energy.