[MassHistPres] ACHP Comments on the Cape Wind Project
Bjdurk at aol.com
Bjdurk at aol.com
Sat Apr 3 17:02:50 EDT 2010
Thank you, Mr. Bird, for this acknowledgement and for providing your
comments. I offer that many ardent preservationists, including more than 25
Federally recognized Tribes, the SHPO, ACHP, National Trust, National Parks
and the Keeper identify Nantucket Sound as a significant traditional,
cultural, historic and archaeological property. Given the political firestorm
associated with competing interests, I consider their individual and
collective actions to be courageous.
Take heart as Salazar has said, "what happens to Cape Wind, whether it
goes up or it goes down, will not be determinative of the future of (offshore)
wind energy in the United States."
Thank You,
Barbara Durkin
Northboro, MA
In a message dated 4/3/2010 2:27:32 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
greenbird-architect at comcast.net writes:
Ms. Durkin,
I confess, I made a shorthand and sarcastic response as a follow up to my
earlier comments on this listserve and on this topic. Perhaps you missed my
original comments which are copied below. Perhaps I was too flip, however
I hoped to emphasize the absurdity of this decision, in my humble opinion.
To: Paul Bourdon
Cc: _masshistpres at cs.umb.edu_ (mailto:masshistpres at cs.umb.edu) ;
_Forum-L at lists.nationaltrust.org_ (mailto:Forum-L at lists.nationaltrust.org)
Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] Areas of Water on the NR
I have to chime in here. This is an incredibly transparent use of
"preservation" by folks who only want to defeat Cape Wind. I am an ardent
preservationist - I've served on our local HDC for more years than I care to
remember, and some of the decisions I've made have cost me some relationships in
town - so be it. I have an 1892 farm in an area of Rhode Island I have to
sell - but at the cost of a hefty discount on the price, I'm insisting the
buyer place a preservation easement on it - I've sold land to conservation
groups at deep, deep discounts. In short, I've put my money where my mouth
is. I am also deeply concerned about our collective abuse of the environment.
Climate Change is a very real threat that, if not dealt with swiftly and
decisively, will certainly eclipse preservation concerns. The notion of
Nantucket Sound suddenly becoming a precious historic resource coincident with
the Cape Wind proposal is hog wash! Where were the Wampanoags and the
"preservationists" on the issue of their precious sound 20 years ago?
Someone please tell me - is there any other 560 square mile area of marine
bottom (or even dry land) currently on the NR on its own historic merits?
I didn't study the rulings but I did scan enough to get the flavor -
Nantucket Sound was (when it was dry) probably the type of area the Native
Americans might have hung out in. No one knows if they did - or if they didn't -
it's just possible, maybe even likely. Does this seem a little thin to
anyone else? Then let's ask - what would Nantucket Sound be preserved for?
Will the public ever experience any of the history made there? Will it become
a diving Mecca? If so, why isn't it one already? In short, what public good
would come of listing it? I don't see one.
The ridiculous bending and twisting of "historic preservation" into a
useful club to beat up a project unwanted by some for their own self interest
does tremendous harm to those who are trying to legitimately practice
preservation, which ain't easy. If this was such a valuable historic resource,
there would have been a push to protect it long before Cape Wind appeared on
the horizon. If the push now is to preserve it, and it merits preservation
on its own qualities, then go all out - start by banning all commercial
fishing (the draggers have been ripping the bottom to shreds for decades).
For that matter, ban all boat traffic because we could risk an oil spill, or
a sinking, or anchors damaging some archaeological resource. Make the
ferries go around (and the planes, too - have to protect those birds). Let those
pushing for preservation pony up the bucks to pay for a massive underwater
research dig.......
I'm all for historic preservation. I'm all for alternative energy. Both
are vital - one for our physical survival, one for our cultural survival.
I'm all for a rational discussion and effective compromise to meet both goals
but that is clearly not the case here - we simply have a bunch of Nimby's
using whatever weapon they can find.
Sam Bird AIA, LEED AP
Concord
On Apr 3, 2010, at 11:27 AM, _Bjdurk at aol.com_ (mailto:Bjdurk at aol.com)
wrote:
We are all entitled to our opinions, Mr. Bird. I do take exception,
however, to what I consider to be disparaging and unsupported accusations made
against the Tribes, SHPO, ACHP, National Parks and the Keeper, with whom you
disagree.
Sincerely,
Barbara Durkin
Northboro, MA
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