A few years ago I had the opportunity to visit Denmark and witness firsthand what the promise of offshore wind could hold. Amazing. It was one of those moments where you feel the need to pinch yourself because you believe that you are witnessing something that will be a change agent in society. On the boat I understood that despite all of the concerns that accompany any project of immense scale coupled with technological novelty, it was possible...and America was behind.

Moving beyond the nostalgia, I acknowledge that there is no silver bullet to our appetite for energy and the launch of an offshore wind future in America will continue to be faced with obstacles. It is imperative that we are sensitive to the demands that we place on our oceans in an effort to offset our fossil fuel dependence. However, I am proud to see that today America has taken steps to join the ranks of Denmark and Germany in renewable energy, specifically with offshore wind.

Cape Wind has endured seven years of review, and NRDC has urged the Minerals Management Service to move forward with the release of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). Despite the inherent challenges we are bound to endure in moving forward, understanding the potential based on our own experience with offshore wind will certainly demonstrate a more concrete commitment to moving America beyond oil. In addition, offshore wind will create jobs in America while also addressing global warming by furthering the agenda of moving America beyond fossil fuels.

Since this announcement comes at the tail end of the Bush administration we must account for the pending transition of the Obama administration. As a matter of process, the Secretary of the Interior now has to wait 30 days before they then have to enter a record of decision based on the FEIS. Therefore, the Obama administration will give this project the final weigh-in. Provided that the Obama administration will stay on board with their message demonstrating a commitment to a clean energy future in America, additional delays are unexpected.

Kudos to the many who have poured all of their energy into creating energy options for our country. I hope to one day update this picture with offshore wind turbines in American waters...