The story behind the story implicates La Cosa Nostra.

'Cape Wind rate shock'

Electricity will cost twice as much as power plants

By Jay Fitzgerald
Saturday, May 8, 2010 -

Boston Herald General Economics Reporter
Jay Fitzgerald has been a journalist and blogger for years. He's now the general economics reporter for the Boston Herald.

The controversial Cape Wind project will cost taxpayers and ratepayers more than $2 billion to build - three times its original estimate.

That colossal cost is the driving force behind the sky-high electric rates it plans to charge Massachusetts customers in coming years.

Cape Wind, which wants to build 130 wind turbines off the coast of Cape Cod, and National Grid announced yesterday that they’ve reached an agreement to start charging customers 20.7 cents per kilowatt hour in 2013 - more than double the current rate of electricity from conventional power plants and land-based wind farms..."

"...Experts now project it will cost at least $2 billion, and possibly in excess of $2.5 billion. Three sources familiar with the Cape Wind-National Grid negotiations confirmed yesterday that Cape Wind’s final price tag will be above $2 billion.

Because of available federal tax credits, Cape Wind could reap about $600 million in taxpayer subsidies if the final cost is $2 billion, in addition to its higher power rates." [cut]

http://www.bostonherald.com/business/general/view/20100508cape_

wind_rate_shock_electricity_will_cost_twice_as_much_as_power_plants/srvc=home&position=3

Logic dictates that federal regulators as well as National Grid should have used due diligence by vetting the Massachustts near shore wind developer as the applicant, Cape Wind, LLC, et al.

But, Section 388 of the Energy Policy Act special interest language, with sole beneficiary Cape Wind, eliminated the bidding process intended to provide consumers and the environment with critical protections, and gave Cape Wind a "no bid" deal.

So, this question remains unanswered as it was never appropriately asked in a bidding process by responsible regulators, or National Grid.

Question: To whom do we entrust the stewardship of Nantucket Sound deemed eligible for listing to the National Register, and expose rate and taxpayers of Massachusetts?

Answer: Brian Caffyn as original Cape Wind and IVPC investor, the EMI in Cape Wind, with IVPC Oreste Vigorito La Cosa Nostra figure charged with fraud in connection with failing wind projects, through which developers still collect public subsidies:

The quick summary:

http://www.windtaskforce.org/photo/mafias-oreste-vigorito

Examiner.com Boston

'Global warming: The Oxburgh Inquiry was an offer he couldn't refuse'

April 25, 2010

"...And at Falck's windfarm at Buddusò - Alà dei Sardi: "Four people arrested, seven wind farms and 12 companies under sequestration, and 'that's the outcome of the operation' Gone With the Wind 'for which the magistrate court of Avellino has issued arrest warrants for Oreste Vigorito, 62 years Naples lawyer, administrator and president of IVPC Benevento Calcio; Vito Nicastro, 52 years of Alcamo, Ferdinand Renzulli, 42 years of Avellino, and Vincent Dongarra, 46 years of Enna. Another 11 people were investigated in various capacities for accountability in organized fraud for receiving government grants for the construction of wind farms. Nine of the seized companies are based in Avellino, the other 3 in Sicily."

As for Falck's windfarm at Minervino Murge, we reported on Friday, "the Anti-Mafia prosecutor in Trapani gave life operation "Aeolus", with 8 arrest warrants issued at the time of men linked to local clans, public administrators, municipal officials and entrepreneurs "for allowing the association called La Cosa Nostra mafia, and in particular the Mafia family Mazara del Vallo control of economic activities, permits, contracts and public services in the production of electricity through wind turbines and the exchange of vows political mafia. " identification of persons and companies involved in the investigation Sicilian revealed disturbing links with the construction of wind farms in the territory of Puglia: Minervino Murge, Spinazzola and Poggiorsini municipalities in whose territories some companies have shown interest and in some cases initiated installations without the necessary concessions."

As for their wind farm near Palermo, Petralia Sottana, what do "Puglia, Sicily, Mazara del Vallo-Minervino Murge have in common? Nothing but interest for wind power. Companies interested in plant wind turbines in Apulia are committed to the same plant in Sicily, the same involved in an investigation initiated by the hot anti-Mafia prosecutor in Trapani and actually called, "Aeolus." On 17 February, the Anti-Mafia prosecutor in Trapani gave life operation "Aeolus", with 8 arrest warrants issued at the time of men linked to local clans, public administrators, municipal officials and entrepreneurs "for allowing the association called La Cosa Nostra mafia, and in particular the Mafia family Mazara del Vallo control of economic activities, permits, contracts and public services in the production of electricity through wind turbines and the exchange of vows political mafia. " [cut]

http://www.examiner.com/x-9111-Environmental-Policy-Examiner~y2010m4d25-Global-warming-The-Oxburgh-Inquiry-was-an-offer-he-couldnt-refuse

This evidence strongly suggests there are no public or environmental benefits associated with wind projects built by UPC companies that include First Wind, and that include Cape Wind.

First Wind

05/01/2008

Boston, MA—May 1, 2008—UPC Wind, an independent North American wind power company, today announced that it is changing its name to First Wind.

http://www.firstwind.com/aboutFirstWind/news.cfm?ID=0222c1ec-aca0-47ce-93f9-f59032009184

KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE SHELL CORPORATIONS UPC, EMI, IVPC:

"The driver behind IVPC is US wind developer UPC through its UPC International Partnership CV…”

http://www.projectfinancemagazine.com/default.asp?page=7&PubID=4&ISS=10883&SID=432546

"Cape Wind Associates, a joint venture between Energy Management Inc. and Wind Management Inc. (a subsidiary of UPC, a European-based wind-energy company) of Boston"

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/16/science/offshore-harvest-of-wind-is-proposed-for-cape-cod.html

"As president and CEO of UPC Wind Management, located in Newton, Mass., Gaynor was tapped to bring the success of the parent company, UPC Group, to North America."

http://www.wpi.edu/News/Transformations/2005Summer/windpower.html.

Boston Business Journal (4/18/05)

"As James Gordon creeps closer to fulfilling his vision of a windmill power farm off Cape Cod, his erstwhile partner, Brian Caffyn, still faces headwinds in his efforts to plant turbines on Hardscrabble Mountain in Vermont and other peaks and plains across the country.

Caffyn, a Babson College graduate, is unaccustomed to wind projects getting mired in the doldrums. He founded UPC Group in Europe several years ago, and in 2000 a subsidiary completed what then was one of the world's largest wind plants, a 170 megawatt plant near Naples, Italy, that cost $260 million. It then put together a $325 million syndicate for more windmills in Italy."

http://boston.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2005/04/18/story8.html

"Brian and Timothy Caffyn to form Wind Management, Ltd. Brian Caffyn is a wind developer with considerable experience building medium-sized land-based wind farms in Italy. He was well aware of the potential wind development off the coast of Cape Cod. He expanded Braginton-Smith’s original plan and proposed to develop 2,400 megawatts of wind-generated electricity along Nantucket Sound.By the end of the year Wind Management had merged with EMI to form Cape Wind Associates."

http://wind.raabassociates.org/Articles/progress%20report%5B1%5D.final.draft.12.19.02.pdf

"Mr. Caffyn personally oversaw the establishment and construction of the largest wind energy company in Italy, Italian Vento Power Corporation."

http://www.upcsolar.com/about-management.asp

“Gone with the wind”, mounted by the finance ministry’s anti-fraud police, started in 2007 and began by blocking public subsidies worth €9.4m ($14m, £8.4m) granted by the ministry for economic development. Last year police confiscated seven wind farms with 185 turbines in Sicily linked to IVPC."

http://www.dakotavoice.com/2009/11/trouble-in-green-paradise-wind-farm-scams

Anti-mob prosecutor in operation Gone With the Wind Roberto Scapinato, in speaking about UPC to Financial Times Guy Dinmore states: \
"This is the amazing thing -- that developers got public money to build wind farms that did not produce electricity," he said.

Furthermore, locally-built wind farms are often bought up by multinational energy firms from other parts of Europe, none of which know the true identities of the original owners.

"A handful of people control the wind sector," said Scarpinato. "Many companies exist, but it is the same people behind them." Eight arrests have already been made."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,519000,00.html

Gone With the Wind: Carbon Millionaires Arrested for Fraud

http://cfact.eu/2009/11/15/gone-with-the-wind-arrests-for-massive-fraud-in-italy/

November 15, 2009 | CFACT EU |

Italian Wind Fraud Investigation Extends to the Netherlands, UK, Ireland, and Spain. Subsidies Questioned.

For some carbon millionaires, lining their pockets legally through taxpayer subsidies and hand outs is not enough. They choose to cheat even though they’re playing a game that’s already rigged.

The Financial Times reports that:

Oreste Vigorito, head of the IVPC energy company and president of Italy’s National Association of Wind Energy, was arrested on Tuesday in Naples. Vito Nicastri, a Sicilian business associate, was arrested in Alcamo, Sicily.

Two other men were arrested in Sicily and the Naples area, while 11 others were charged but not arrested.

Environmental Leader
November 17, 2009
Mafia Ties to Wind Fraud in Italy Investigated

Italian finance police have arrested two prominent businessmen — including one with ties to a former investor in the Cape Wind project in Nantucket — in the wind energy sector on charges of fraud. Arrested were Oreste Vigorito, head of the IVPC energy company and president of Italy’s National Association of Wind Energy, and Vito Nicastri, a Sicilian business associate, according to the Financial Times.

http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/17/mafia-tied-to-wind-fraud-in-italy/

Wall Street Journal

July 16, 2008

"New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has opened a probe of two companies that develop and operate wind farms over allegations of improper dealings with public officials and anti-competitive behavior.Mr. Cuomo said his office has subpoenaed First Wind -- formerly UPC Wind -- and Noble Environmental Power LLC, which has filed with the Securities and Exchange ..."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121617758961057329.html

New York AG identified First Wind SEC Filing states:

"On July 15, 2008, we were served with a civil subpoena by the New York State Attorney General relating to an investigation into our activities in the State of New York. The subpoena we received contains broad requests for documents and information relating to: (i) whether we improperly sought or obtained land-use agreements with citizens and public officials, (ii) whether improper benefits were given to public officials to influence their actions and (iii) whether we and our competitors entered into anti-competitive agreements or practices. "

http://www.windaction.org/news/17290

Environmental Leader November 17, 2009 excerpt: Mafia Tied to wind farm fraud in Italy (excerpts):

The anti-fraud team also is investigating IVPC’s sales of wind farms to foreign companies, and already has sent requests for documentation to five companies located in the Netherlands and Spain, as well as IVPC’s Italian affiliates in Ireland and the UK, according to the article.

Fraud appears to be an emerging problem in the nascent clean energy sector. Most recently, two clean energy auditors — SGS UK and DNV — were accused of not properly auditing projects in carbon trading markets.

Meanwhile, the UK is dealing with carbon trading credit scams that could cost millions of dollars. In Australia, to prevent bogus carbon offset schemes, federal police agents can now enter company premises and request paperwork to monitor their emissions.

http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/17/mafia-tied-to-wind-fraud-in-italy/

Ongoing, now, are raids by being conducted by Europol and Interpol by 1,000 agents, with 22 arrests with charges that include money laundering and VAT scams, and/or green tax scams and fraud..

http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2262417/eu-carbon-fraud-investigation

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2010/05/carbon_credit_traders_in_eu_ra.html

GLOBAL WARMING: LA CO2A NOSTRA

Thomas Fuller, SF Environmental Policy Examiner April 27, 2010

http://climatechangefraud.com/the-money-trail/6863-global-warming-la-co2a-nostra

May 7, 2010: Today it was announced that the Maine Attorney General is today being asked to investigate UPC First Wind... (First Wind changed their name from UPC in May of 2008)

http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/142846.html

My independent research in 2009/2010 is independently confirmed by 94 citizens unknown to me from New York, Vermont, Maryland and California in 2007:

"Complaint Filed With the Department Of Justice Under the Sherman Antitrust Act By Concerned Citizen From The States of New York, Vermont, Maryland, and California (filed April 25, 2007)"

"Nature of Complaint"

"This is an Antitrust Complaint alleging that an International Cartel is engaged in Market Allocation, Price Fixing and Big Rigging in Windfarm Developments in New York and Vermont, as well as other states across the nation. This Complaint was submitted by 94 concerned citizens via email to the U.S. Department of Justice, Anti-Trust Division on April 25, 2007."

Named:

"UPC Wind Management LLC: "an American subsidiary of UPC Group", formerly known as Wind Management LLC, founded by Brian Caffyn for U.S. developments."

"Cape Wind Associates LLC: a joint venture with EMI for development in Nantucket Sound, Cape Wind Project."

http://www.savewesternoh.org/pdf/Windfarms-antitrust%20complaint-FINAL.pdf