Although the public hearing was the fifth and last in the comment phase of the state's process, state officials said they would plan to come back for further less formal discussions with Islanders. The public comment period for the draft plan ends November 23. "We would like to say to the governor, yes we can, but it's ‘we' - you have to come and talk to us," Dukes County manager Russell Smith said.

A standing room only crowd packed the Katharine Cornell Memorial Theatre Wednesday at a public hearing about the state's ocean management plan . Had the energy from testimony during the three hour hearing been harnessed to a wind turbine, the blade would have been spun usefully.

Although the public hearing was the fifth and last in the comment phase of the state's process, state officials said they would plan to come back for further less formal discussions with Islanders. The public comment period for the draft plan ends November 23.

"We would like to say to the governor, yes we can, but it's ‘we' - you have to come and talk to us," Dukes County manager Russell Smith said.

Island leaders turned out in full force for the public hearing. The audience of about 100 included selectmen from every town, Dukes County commissioners, Martha's Vineyard Commission staff and members. State Senator Robert O'Leary, who serves as a legislative member on the Ocean Advisory Commission, and state Representative Tim Madden also attended.

Deerin Babb-Brott, assistant secretary for Oceans and Coastal Zone Management, in the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA), chaired the public hearing. Ocean services manager John Webber of the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management, who coordinated the plan's production, accompanied him.

Mr. Babb-Brott began with a brief overview of the draft ocean management plan. The plan would allow for small wind farms of 10 or fewer turbines off the immediate Vineyard coast and larger wind farms south and west of Nomans Land and west of Cuttyhunk.

Before calling on people who signed up to speak, Mr. Babb-Brott requested that comments be kept to three minutes. He suggested speakers submit detailed written comments for the record. Many speakers read statements that were several typewritten pages in length.

A parade of public officials repeated the same theme, as did members of the the public. The visual impact of near shore industrial scale wind turbines on the Vineyard's scenic vistas was the repeated concern. Island officials and community members alike also said they want the Vineyard to derive some benefit from having wind turbines in the "backyard." Although several participants also asked questions in their statements, Mr. Babb-Brott and Mr. Webber listened solemnly but did not respond.

Town leaders were united in their opinion that the MVC should continue to maintain local control over energy projects and that its decisions on such proposals should trump the authority of the state's Energy Facilities Siting Board.

"I have not heard from one individual opposed to wind farms," Representative Madden said. "But I think the people of Martha's Vineyard mean they need to have a say-so about what's going on."

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