Wind Power News: Delaware
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the organizations or individuals noted and are shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law.
Public submits robust input on turbines
After two month-long extensions, the state closed public comment Jan. 15 on Ørsted’s controversial proposal to connect the company’s offshore wind farm to the electrical grid by passing through Fenwick Island State Park. The connection project was revealed in late September. In return for being allowed to connect the wind farm, Ørsted has proposed $18 million of improvements at the state park. State Parks Director Ray Bivens said the second extension for comments was added because local officials and legislators . . . Complete story »
Huge crowd has their say over wind farms off Maryland and Delaware
OCEAN CITY, Md.- A standing room only crowd descended in Ocean City to hear and be heard on the issue of wind power off the coasts of Maryland and Delaware. The Ocean City Fire Department estimates there were 1,850 people in attendance. This past fall, the two companies hoping to build the wind farms increased the size of the turbines used to generate power to over 850 feet. Ocean City’s mayor, Rick Meehan, is adamantly opposed to the increased size, . . . Complete story »
Ocean City offshore wind: what you need to know from public hearing
Residents of Ocean City, the Eastern Shore and Delaware packed an exhibit hall at the Ocean City convention center to make known their opinions on offshore wind. The hours-long discussion at times strayed from the public hearing’s stated intention. At least 700 individuals came to the hearing, and 14 pages were filled with names of those registered to speak, according to the Maryland Public Service Commission. The public hearing was called by the commission to get public input on the . . . Complete story »
Survey say most Delaware beachfront residents oppose Skipjack Wind Project
Residents along Delaware’s beach areas don’t want a proposed offshore wind farm originally planned for Maryland. 84 percent of respondents to a survey on offshore wind are primarily opposed to two things, said the Caesar Rodney Institute’s David Stevenson. “One is visible wind turbines off the shore, and the second is using Fenwick Island State Park as place for landfall for the transmission line, which would result (in) a large electric(al) substation being placed in the state park,” said Stevenson. . . . Complete story »
Reject the wind farm; let Maryland deal with the issue if it benefits them
The proposed Skipjack Wind Turbine project planned for Fenwick Island should be rejected. The wind turbines will spoil the current pristine views from the Delaware shoreline. Since these 850-foot monstrosities will be built only 17 miles from the coast, a substantial – over 400 feet – portion will be visible from the beach. Secondly, although only 10-15 wind turbines will be constructed initially, it is safe to assume that more will be built, since it was noted a year or so ago . . . Complete story »
A rundown on the proposed offshore wind farm
When it comes to discussions of the proposed offshore Skipjack Wind Farm and the related proposals to bring cables carrying the wind-generated power ashore at the Fenwick Island State Park, there seem to be two – maybe three – schools of thought, generally. The offshore wind farm, which would be the second in the United States and the largest so far in this country, is slated to be constructed about 19 miles off the coast of southern Delaware. Officials from the company . . . Complete story »
Money from wind farm is not free money to improve state park
In response to the writer who thought the $18 million offered was free money: The offer that Orsted made to DNREC is not free money. It is a bribe in order to use state parkland to build an industrial electric substation on land that DNREC is supposed to protect. Are we supposed to look the other way and pretend that there won’t be any environmental impacts? The area that will house this beautiful substation is on the shore of the . . . Complete story »
CRI’s Stevenson responds to critics
Wow! The Cape Gazette is certainly hearing from progressives in Sussex County who want to question my motives in publicizing an alternative view on offshore wind projects. As stated before, our intent here is that property owners and citizens in Sussex County know about development plans that will potentially impact their property values and livelihoods. At the beginning we were only getting information from the state parks division and the project developer, Orsted. We heard how Orsted would pay about . . . Complete story »
Resolution asks that Fenwick be involved in wind-farm talks
The proposed wind farm off the coast of Delaware, and improvements the wind farm developer is offering to make to Fenwick Island State Park in return for access to the park for a transmitting station, were the main focus of the Friday, Dec. 6, Fenwick Island Town Council meeting. After hearing the concerns from residents and calls for an independent organization to be formed in opposition to the wind farm and its associated projects, the town council approved a resolution . . . Complete story »
DNREC extends deadline for comments on state park improvements tied to bringing power line into property
DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation extended the Fenwick Island State Park Proposed Improvements Survey deadline to Jan. 15, 2020. The extension is to allow further input regarding improvements to the park that are under consideration. The estimated $18 million in proposed improvements look at ways to improve traffic flow, upgrade infrastructure, and add new recreational amenities. Ørsted, an offshore wind developer, has proposed funding these projects as part of a public-private partnership. The plan has drawn fire from Fenwick . . . Complete story »
