Public Power - January/February 2008 - (Page 33) the final environmental impact statement (FEIS) from MMS is slated for the end of 2007. Once the FEIS is released, MMS can issue a use permit and lease for Cape Wind. Of course, delays like this are slowing down the project, but public opposition is also delaying the project. In fact, given the power of some of the individuals allied with the opposition, it is likely that they or their friends have directly contributed to delaying the project. For instance, in 2006, language was added to the Defense Authorization Act, which effectively halted construction on participation, though. As Judith Innes and David Booher of the Institute of Urban and Regional Development at the University of Califonia, Berkeley, have noted, “The traditional methods of public participation in government decision making simply do not work.” In today’s society, the more traditional forms of public participation — public hearings, town hall meetings and formal processes of review and comments, such as the DEIS for Cape Wind — are more likely to cause problems than resolve them. Innes and Booher see several inher- If the Cape Wind project sponsors had embraced collaborative public participation, they might have drawn a few more allies to their cause and avoided many of their confrontations with the public. 12 wind farms, including Cape Wind, while the Defense Department studied their impact on military radar. The speculation was that this language was added to the act specifically to halt the construction of Cape Wind. In this case, these citizens — senators and congressmen — had enough power to influence the process, but in a democracy even the average citizen has the means to wield a lot of power and either delay or halt the construction of a project like Cape Wind. While many of the players in the conflict over Cape Wind are rich, famous and powerful, many are not. Many people have lined up to oppose what seems to be a very beneficial project for the community, the state and, potentially, the nation, since this would be the first offshore wind farm in the United States. This highlights the need for greater public participation in the planning and implementation of projects like Cape Wind. If the Cape Wind project sponsors had embraced collaborative public participation, they might have drawn a few more allies to their cause and avoided many of their confrontations with the public. Greater public participation can speed up, not hinder, the process of building a large-scale project. It’s not enough to employ the old mechanisms of public www.APPAnet.org Line up the reels not the trailer ent pitfalls with traditional forms of public participation. Genuine public participation is rarely, if ever, achieved. Often, public forums are usually attended by individuals or groups that have a strong opinion, one way or the other, about a project and, therefore, by definition, represent only the extreme segments of society. Public officials often do not gain the type of information through traditional forms of public participation that would significantly influence their decisions. Due to the format of traditional forms of public participation, the public often feels their opinions have no influence on the process. The process is further complicated by the location. At a typical public hearing, the decision makers—elected officials, technical experts, company CEOs, etc.—often position themselves on a raised dais, looking down upon the public, in effect telling the public their opinions are more important than those of the public. This contributes to an adversarial relationship. In the case of public review and comment, such as the Cape Wind environmental impact statement, comments can come from anywhere, but response comes only at the discretion of the preparer of the EIS. If they do respond, these com- Turret Trailers Available in one, two, three, or four reel configurations. These galvanized turret frames lock on 6 degree intervals. Mobile frame units are ideal for use with your existing vehicles! Get more information on these and other useful products such as Pole Trailers, Self-Loading Trailers, Pullers and much more. Call our toll-free number below. 10 North Sauber Road Virgil, IL 60151 ph. 800.323.9147 fax 800.833.3264 SAUBERMFG.COM JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2008 33 http://www.saubermfg.com http://www.APPAnet.org
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