SOUTH BOSTON — Cape Wind Associates president Jim Gordon has refrained from commenting at a public hearing on his proposal to build 130 wind turbines in Nantucket Sound.

That changed last night.

"I have attended all of these public hearings and, until tonight, have not spoken, but rather intently listened to the heartfelt and passionate comments from both supporters and opponents," Gordon said in an expansive gymnasium on the campus of the University of Massachusetts.

Gordon talked about the region's history and how its citizens have responded to great challenges in the past. He called Cape Wind a response to one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century: addressing global warming.