STEARNS CALLS FOR INVESTIGATION INTO WIND FARM PROJECT THAT POSES A PUBLIC SAFETY RISK

WASHINGTON, JUNE 22, 2012 – E-mails obtained by a group of residents opposed to a wind farm project off of Cape Cod show that officials with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) felt political pressure from the Obama Administration to approve the project.  Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, who is leading the inquiry into Solyndra sees this as another instance of the Obama Administration pushing a dubious green energy project for political reasons.  Since the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the U.S Environmental Protection Agency are involved in approving portions of this project, the wind farm also comes under the jurisdiction of Stearns’ subcommittee. 

Said Stearns, “It appears that an investigation is warranted in the case of Cape Wind to determine if the FAA acted inappropriately due to political pressure from the Administration.  I intend to work with the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on this issue. The White House quickly responded with a statement, “This is the same member of Congress who wasted over $1 million of taxpayer dollars on a politically motivated investigation that has turned up zero evidence of wrongdoing.”

In correcting the White House, Stearns noted, “Although the White House is withholding subpoenaed documents, the Solyndra investigation has uncovered numerous instances of wrongdoing resulting in the loss of $535 million for the American taxpayer: the loan guarantee was rushed through for political purposes, the Administration ignored numerous red flag that Solyndra was not a viable venture, political supporters who also invested in Solyndra had ready access to the West Wing and top White House officials, and taxpayers were subordinated to two private firms in violation of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The White House is also trying to wish away the fact that Solyndra is a target of an ongoing criminal investigation by the FBI.”