JOB WELL DONE

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

The fire on Monday, which rapidly engulfed the historic Coast Guard boathouse in Menemsha Harbor, was disastrous. But what could have been a horrific tragedy with loss of life, serious injuries and major loss of property was averted by the rapid and skilled response of emergency services personnel and members of the harbor community. While firemen from all over the Island fought the fire, fishermen helped to move local fishing boats and visiting boats to safe locations and other emergency personnel and volunteers helped to evacuate visitors and vehicles from Menemsha.

There are many unsung heroes and rather than pick out one, or even many names, for special commendation, I am writing on behalf of the harbor, the town and our wider maritime community, to thank everyone who acted that day or who has volunteered subsequently to help clean up and get the harbor up and functioning again.

Thank you, and well done.

Dennis Jason, Harbor Master

Chilmark

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FAMILY GRATITUDE

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

The Cottle family would like to express our deepest gratitude to all who responded and for the acts of kindness toward the Dececca family during this terrible tragedy. Our hearts and prayers are with you all.

Eddie Cottle

West Tisbury

PASSING SAFELY

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

The recent bicycle tragedy has elicited calls for safety but one area has been ignored. Too frequently vehicles, often trucks, move way over the center line to pass a bike even though cars are coming in the other direction. Drivers need to exercise a little patience or we are liable to have another tragic accident.

Elkan Katz

West Tisbury

and Philadelphia

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BIKE SAFETY CLINIC

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

On behalf of the Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association, I want to thank Chief Blake and the Oak Bluffs police for providing officers to conduct a bicycle safety clinic held at the Camp Ground on Saturday, July 10. Officers Trudel and Mendez were fantastic! About 30 kids and their parents from different areas of Oak Bluffs participated. The officers made the kids feel welcome, comfortable and involved. The officers reviewed basic safety rules, bike equipment and then conducted various activities (obstacle course, slow bike race, etc.). They also did helmet fitting and reminded children and parents that Massachusetts state law requires all children 16 years of age and under to wear a helmet. They also strongly recommended that everyone, regardless of age, wear a helmet for their own safety.

This was a tremendous community service and the Oak Bluffs police are to be commended for coordinating the clinic. In addition to learning bicycle safety and having fun, it was also a great way for the kids to interact with the police in a friendly, casual environment.

In light of the tragic accident on Tuesday in Vineyard Haven, bicycle safety should be a priority for everyone. The Oak Bluffs police and Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association will be conducting another bike safety clinic on Thursday, August 5 at 10 a.m. All children and parents are welcome and encouraged to attend this important safety event.

Craig Lowe

Oak Bluffs

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BIKE PATH PROPAGANDA

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

On Saturday morning about 50 Chappaquiddick residents gathered to hear Chappaquiddick bike path advocate Dan Dulaski, funded by the Chappaquiddick Path Committee, give the third presentation of his plan for a two-way side bike path along the north side of the Chappaquiddick Road. The timing was such that path committee chairman Bob Colvin and member Melissa Kagan could not stop themselves from mentioning the tragic accident involving the young mother falling from her bike which she was attempting to ride on a poorly designed and maintained sidewalk in Vineyard Haven. This, as if the accident along the busy road which carries more than 20,000 cars a day, 10 times the number ever recorded on the Chappaquiddick Road, had anything to do with the safety of bicyclists on Chappy.

The case for why the town, state or federal taxpayer money should be spent ripping up bucolic Chappaquiddick, where 18-wheelers are rarer than piping plovers, was never really made. Mr. Dulaski’s report was barren of any indication of a Chappy safety or traffic study but was full of “might, could, possibly-will-happen” fearmonger talk.

The fact is there have been only eight reported bike accidents on Chappy between 1991 and 2009, just 2.5 per cent of Edgartown’s total of 325 (135 involving motorists). Incidentally, more than 60 per cent of the town’s bike accidents occurred at locations where a bike path was available. It is easy to understand why only 85 of 498 Chappy property owners surveyed by Dulaski responded (using the provided prestamped return envelopes) that they wanted a multi-use path along the Chappaquiddick Road.

Mr. Dulaski reports that Stuart Fuller of the Edgartown highway department could build the substandard eight-foot wide path, including felling all but a few trees and filling the wetlands as necessary, for only $1.4 million. A vacationing selectman from Lenox reported that $6 million ($2 million per mile) was the cost there. Why either of these amounts would go to Chappaquiddick to satisfy the whims of 17 per cent of those property owners, when cyclists are dying along the roads of mainland Martha’s Vineyard, is beyond me.

Bob Colvin indicated he might ignore his friends and neighbors on Chappaquiddick and go to the Edgartown voters looking for approval to build his path on Chappaquiddick. I hope those who are looking to spend money on bicycle safety will follow the Martha’s Vineyard Commission’s bicycle and pedestrian path committee’s lead. They have studied the present paths and have plans to improve and expand the existing paths and route indicators where there are real dangers and traffic conflicts. Hopefully the money could fund the police and safety officers of Martha’s Vineyard together with the chamber of commerce to provide bicycle safety education for both our residents and visitors, rather than build a path on Chappaquiddick where it is not needed.

Roger Becker

Chappaquiddick

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CHAPPY PATH ADVOCATE

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

It is with sadness that we all were made aware of the bike accident that claimed the life of a young mother in Vineyard Haven. I wonder if those residents of Chappy fighting the bike path are now having second thoughts in their opposition. Do you guys really want to pick up a copy of the local newspaper and read of a similar bike accident on Chappy? Their real main argument is that they wish to curtail the tourist traffic and maintain the exclusiveness of their residences. With all the beauty on Chappy, the tourists will continue to come. It is just that most of us want to ensure their visit here to be a safe one.

Edward Duncan

Chappaquiddick

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NO SILVER BULLET

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

In a letter in last Friday’s Gazette the author, Paul Pimentel, commenting on a POINT ad, complains how tiresome it is to have to set the record straight, and then, in the guise of setting forth facts, goes on to mislead your readers in a number of particulars.

Mr. Pimentel states, “Wind power will reduce our oil dependence. Transportation, home heating and some electricity, comprising 62 per cent of our Island energy use, is derived from oil . . .”

How can this be when the transportation sector alone uses 70 per cent of our oil? ISO New England, the regional power grid operator, reports that in 2000, roughly 15 per cent of New England’s electricity came from oil-fired power plants. Today, it’s roughly 1.3 per cent.

“Some may recall that Cape Wind was pushed as a way to reduce our dependence on oil for electricity,” said Mark Forest, chief of staff for Cong. Bill Delahunt. “Looks like much has already been accomplished — without Cape Wind.”

Mr. Pimentel writes: “Wind power will reduce carbon dioxide emissions — about 1.3 pounds for every kilowatt hour we generate with wind.”

This, of course, assumes that wind can be “harvested” and used when needed. Unfortunately, without the ability to store wind for future use when needed, it can’t.

A far more effective and less expensive way to reduce CO2 emissions is to put some of the inordinate public monies currently devoted to subsidizing wind and use them for conservation — both retrofitting, thereby creating jobs and saving money estimated to be as much as $130 billion per year and reducing emissions by 1.1 gigatons a year.

Mr. Pimentel writes: “National Grid will pay about a third more per kilowatt hour for energy generated by Cape Wind than conventional sources . . . Vineyard Power members will pay less than they do now.”

If only that were true! Cape Wind is two to three times higher — not one third higher. They have contracted for 20.7 to 24.4 cents in year one. This rises to 40 cents per kilowatt hour in the final year of the contract. Today people pay eight cents per kilowatt hour. This is a windfall for the developer and a good deal less than a bargain to the rest of us who pay for it as both taxpayers and rate payers.

Mr. Pimentel asks, “As noted in the ad, taxpayers will pay 30 per cent of the cost to construct offshore wind turbines. According to Saturday’s New York Times, taxpayers already pay oil, coal and gas companies $4 billion a year in subsidies that began in the late 19th century to help stimulate a new business then. Give you any ideas?”

Cape Wind alone, one project among many, would receive $600 million in subsidies. Give you any ideas?

If the economics are so propitious, why are Walmart and others opposed to the Cape Wind contract because of its high price per kilowatt hour? Why did Spain just decide to eliminate subsidies for wind?

It is understandable that Mr. Pimentel, president of Vineyard Power, would take the position he does but perhaps his enthusiasm for wind has somewhat dimmed his objectivity.

Wind is not a silver bullet. It may be silver buckshot — but at what cost and allocation of resources which could go to more effective and efficient sources of alternative energy?

Let’s be smart in our public expenditures for a sustainable environment.

Andrew Goldman

Chilmark

The writer is director of POINT.

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FLYING HEAVEN

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

Thank you for your July 6 article about the Katama Airport hangar project. Your readers may also be interested in the following facts about our town’s beautiful grass airfield.

When the Gentle family sold the property to the town in the mid 1980s they did so in order that it be maintained as an airport. Developers had offered over $5 million for the land, but Steve Gentle accepted $1.6 million from the town and Nature Conservancy to save the airfield. Mr. Gentle had previously spent $800,000 in land court expense to assure clear title to the property.

In 1997 the Katama Airfield Trust was established. Through the generosity of many fans of the airfield this trust now has over $100,000 to be used in the construction of a new hangar along with the funds provided by the Community Preservation Act and the town.

Edgartonians may not realize the unique asset we have in the Katama Airfield. Its location next to South Beach and easy access to town make it a drawing card for not only the flying community of the New England region but also for tourists and residents of the Island to visit and enjoy special events and the Right Fork Restaurant.

Bob Stone

Edgartown

The writer is a Katama Airfield commissioner.

The Vineyard Gazette welcomes letters to the editor on any subject concerning Martha’s Vineyard. The newspaper strives to publish all letters as space allows, although the editor reserves the right to reject letters that in her judgment are inappropriate. Letters must be signed, and should include a place of residence and contact telephone number. The Gazette does not publish anonymous letters.