July 20, 2010—Yesterday, President Obama’s administration released “Final Recommendations of the Ocean Policy Task Force”, which includes suggestions for zoning and regulation of the Great Lakes (Council on Environmental Quality, 2010). Although some pessimists say policy does not necessarily mean action, Obama’s plan includes the near-future signing of an executive order which will allow federal agencies to enforce the recommendations of the Policy presented yesterday (Tankersley, 2010)..
Jim Tankersley of the Tribune Washington Bureau reported yesterday in his article, “Obama to launch ocean initiative”, that the policy can greatly affect the regulations on fishing, drilling and other marine activities in the Great Lakes Region. Mostly, the article states the policy aims to increase fish and marine life populations and sustain a more ecological-friendly environment while aptly providing for human energy needs. Tankersley also foresees the heightened development in alternative forms of energy in the Oceans and Great Lakes Region.
The possibility of wind power being harnessed on Erie shores is heightened by U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown. Brown desires the first offshore freshwater wind farm to be at home in the waters of Lake Erie (Official Website of Sherrod Brown, 2010). Creating jobs in a growing industry such as wind power will allow Cleveland’s unemployed population to obtain positions as high-paid, skilled laborers (Official Website of Sherrod Brown, 2010).
An offshore wind farm may not have a smooth process when it comes to residents’ approval. The Cape Cod’s wind farm made some residents fear that the promise of clean electricity by 2012 may not justify a wind farm being a visual obstruction to oceanic views (Associated Press 2010). Cleveland’s developers of the offshore wind farm project should carefully consider the concerns of citizens and scientists in other regions of the world where wind farms have already been installed. Hopefully we will avoid lawsuits if we carefully consider all parties who may be affected by the wind farm off our shores before installation.
It is obvious that a successful wind farm on Lake Erie would greatly change the nation’s outlook of Cleveland as a city. Nation-wide fame of our city is based on past environmental disasters such as the burning river and polluted lake waters. Instead of being the city who most neglects our environment, we can transform into an environmentally conscious city, leading the way in wind power and welcoming sustainable energy.
Other potential environmental issues with wind farms:
German study of environmental issues from wind power 2002
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