Industry Updates

January 11, 2015 | Industry Updates

MetrowestDaily – Editorial-Partisanship wastes energy

The latest news provides three fresh examples of the interplay of politics, finance and energy production: – Republican leaders in Congress are making a vote in favor of the Keystone XL pipeline their first priority, daring President Obama to veto it. The pipeline will bring oil – an energy source Republicans approve of – from… More

January 11, 2015 | Industry Updates

Boston Herald: Wind energy shifts direction; Feds to auction sites off Martha’s Vineyard RIGHT WAY: Audra Parker, president of the Alliance to Save Nantucket Sound, says the sites off Martha’s Vineyard the federal government is auctioning off for wind energy development are superior to the Cape Wind site.

By: Lindsay Kalter With the Cape Wind project on the ropes, the industry’s future in Massachusetts may rest on a federal wind power auction later this month for a sprawling area off Martha’s Vineyard. Twelve companies have qualified to bid Jan. 29 as the federal government auctions four commercial leases for 742,000 acres of sea… More

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Q&A with Audra Parker, President & CEO, March 2019

I am frequently congratulated by our supporters on the defeat of Cape Wind. While I share their sense of accomplishment and relief, I remind people whenever I can that Nantucket Sound remains vulnerable to development. These discussions have led to many good questions, which I hope to answer here.

Didn’t we defeat Cape Wind? Yes, thanks to the persistence of the Alliance team, the dedication of our stakeholders, and the generosity of our donors, Cape Wind finally surrendered their lease in late 2017.

Hasn’t the Alliance achieved its mission? Not yet. While the state waters of the Sound are protected under Massachusetts law, the federal waters in the center remain open to development. Unless we can secure permanent protection for the Sound, we could face a future of industrial activity, especially as ocean-based technology continues to develop. The establishment of the Cape Cod National Seashore in the 1960s safeguarded this exceptional place from a future of parking lots, hotels, and other development. Now, we must do the same to ensure that Nantucket Sound remains the national treasure it is today.

Why does the Alliance still need funding? The Alliance is the only group that is fighting to protect Nantucket Sound, and as a non-profit, we rely solely on private donations. We need resources for lobbying, staff, and legal counsel in order to enact federal legislation which would designate the Sound as a National Historic Landmark to recognize its historic, environmental, and economic values, and prevent future development by prohibiting the federal government from authorizing industrial projects in the Sound. The best way to ensure the Sound retains its unique environment and pristine nature is through this federal legislation.

Nantucket Sound won’t stay a national treasure without your support. We urgently need your help to protect this special body of water that belongs to each and every one of us. Please contribute to our preservation campaign today. Your tax-deductible donation will help us leave a legacy for generations to come.

Audra Parker
President and CEO