From Our Printed Sept. 1, 2025 Edition
by Susanne Conley
On Tuesday, July 29, 2025 I testified during public comment at the Massachusetts Legislature’s Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy. The listed topic was “offshore wind, clean energy, and energy storage.” My goal was to support two bills, H.3479 and H.3585, that would at least require the Legislature to take a hard look at the onshore impact of offshore wind.
Having fought for three years against the Healey administration’s disastrous “net zero” love affair with this expensive, intermittent source of electricity, my goal was to try and open some eyes. Sadly, my eyes were opened, and not to a welcome reality.
I’ve long suspected a dollar-fueled devil’s triangle populated by offshore wind developers, non-government organizations, and the people we send to Beacon Hill to represent our interests. This hearing made clear to me the extent and influence of the climate alarmist complex.
Never mind that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has stated in permitting documents that ocean wind farms would collectively have no mitigating effect on climate change — statements made during the Biden administration. Does that generate some critical thinking among highly educated, salaried professionals cheerleading for offshore wind? Not a chance.
In dismay, I watched the duly elected committee chair and chief purveyor of our state’s “green new deal” legislative policy hang on every word these shills uttered, knowing full well that not an iota of serious consideration would be given to my concerns.
The worst example of testimony from the net zero crowd was the claim that, unlike oil and natural gas, power from offshore wind has a “fixed price,” and is therefore shielded from fluctuations in the global fossil fuel markets. Never mind that the “fixed price” is the highest in the history of electricity and that ocean wind farms are influenced not by commodity prices but by the weather every day of the year.
Have they ever heard of nor’easters, hurricanes, and winds too strong to operate these monstrosities?
As for my testimony, my theme resonated with some of the sentiments expressed by members of the Nantucket select board on the same day.
Avangrid Renewables cares not one wit for the environment, our communities, or human health and safety. Our so-called leaders certainly don’t care about our ever-escalating electric bills.
I cited the unbelievable extent of extra high voltage infrastructure this arrogant developer plans for the Town of Barnstable — and that there are much better ways to make a gradual transition away from fossil fuels. I can assure everyone they could not have cared less.
The bottom line is that unachievable legislative mandates are driving us into a dangerous state of electrical service unreliability, soaring costs, and senseless environmental destruction. The time for change is here — and November 2026 cannot come fast enough. ♦
