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Windfarm price tag shouldn't be a shock Town of Babylon officials are pressing the Long Island Power Authority to give the public it serves key information regarding the proposed South Shore windfarm project. Despite LIPA's continued insistence that it will release information concerning the costs of the project, it has not done so to date. That is troubling. We are living in an area in which the cost of energy is among the highest in the nation. And our dependence upon foreign oil is also higher than most areas throughout the country. Add to that the fact that demand for energy is growing, and is expected continue to place pressure on energy sources, and you have the makings of a perfect storm. It is, therefore, responsible and reasonable for LIPA to look into alternative sources of energy to address energy shortages and Long Island's dependence on foreign oil. But LIPA cannot resolve those problems by exacerbating the other-energy costs. That is the unknown factor in this discussion- the factor that will make the key difference between supporting and rejecting the proposal. What we do know is that the proposal will generate a small amount of energy during the time of year when demand is low, and that it will cost millions to build the project. The question is whether it is worth it.
Babylon officials, to their credit, are not turning a blind's eye to something that is outside of their direct purview but integral to the lives of the public they are sworn to serve. LIPA has an obligation to give the public the truth about the costs of this project and to do so in in a timely manner so that the information is part of the public dialogue and enables the public to make an informed decision.
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