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Wind Power News: Maryland
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch in its noncommercial educational effort 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.
Rep. Harris demands halt to windmill construction after whale washes up at Assateague
Maryland Congressman Andy Harris is calling for an immediate halt to offshore windmill construction and underwater geotechnical testing. Harris who represents most of Maryland’s Eastern Shore region made the demand after a dead whale washed ashore at Assateague Island Monday. Now in his seventh term in Congress, Harris argues there is no evidence suggesting that windmill construction did not cause the whale’s death. The lawmaker says he wants full transparent necropsy results. “I am also calling for a full and . . . Complete story »
U.S. Wind barrels through the BOEM scoping process
The second BOEM meeting on the U.S. Wind project off the coast of Ocean City, Md., and with cable power landfall at North Bethany Beach, was more spirited than the first. Still, the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is racing through these hearings on the environmental review process – with U.S. Wind permitting likely in 2024 and initial construction 10 nautical miles from OC’s shoreline in 2025. The “scoping” meetings based on construction and operations plans concluded Monday, June 27, . . . Complete story »
Fishermen concerned about wind turbines being built off Ocean City coast
OCEAN CITY, Md. — A federal agency will begin a series of public hearings Tuesday on the planned wind farm off the coast of Ocean City. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is looking at potential environmental impacts and what measures can be taken to reduce them. Members of the commercial fishing industry have concerns with wind turbines being built on their fishing grounds. Ted Smith has fished for conch off the coast of Ocean City for 20 years, setting . . . Complete story »
Maryland’s offshore wind project is a $4 billion boondoggle
Offshore wind power is coming here! Maryland’s Clean Energy Jobs Act of 2019 (CEJA) mandates the procurement of at least 1,200 megawatts of in-state offshore wind by 2030. Because offshore wind is one of the most expensive forms of renewable energy, this requirement will increase the electric bills of Maryland’s residential and small-business electricity consumers (large consumers are exempt). Considering how expensive this energy is, wouldn’t the logical decision be to build just the minimum capacity required to comply with . . . Complete story »
BOEM approves offshore wind plan
OCEAN CITY – Federal officials this week announced acceptance of US Wind’s first proposed offshore wind farm projects off the coast of Ocean City and will begin an environmental review of the project with the requisite public hearings scheduled for later this year. The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced on Monday it has accepted the construction and operations plan (COP) for US Wind’s Marwin project, in line to be the first offshore wind project off Maryland’s Atlantic . . . Complete story »
Fenwick committee holds first offshore wind symposium
DAGSBORO – An update on two offshore wind projects and presentations from local and national representatives highlighted the Fenwick Island Environmental Committee’s first Offshore Wind Symposium. Last Friday, the Fenwick Island committee hosted its Offshore Wind Symposium at Indian River High School. With representatives present from US Wind and Ørsted, and local mayors and national experts in attendance, emcee Janet Dudley-Eshbach said the goal of the event is to educate community members. “The purpose of this forum is to inform . . . Complete story »
Ocean City fishermen say US Wind is to blame for their damaged gear
DELMARVA— Some fishermen out of Ocean City claim their gear is being damaged by the company that wants to build a wind farm off the coast. One fisherman is claiming more than a hundred thousand dollars worth of lost equipment. Jimmy Hahn has been in the business for 30 years. He said multiple pots have been damaged and towed by US Wind, who denies those allegations. Hahn showed WRDE a video he shot with his phone when he was out . . . Complete story »
$11M research to study offshore wind farm impacts on local species
Maryland is vying to be one of the East Coast’s most important hubs for offshore wind energy, but there’s still the unknown about how massive wind farms will affect marine life just off the state’s shore. That’s why Baltimore-based US Wind, one of the companies planning to build wind turbines off the coast of Ocean City in the next decade, is funding research into how its wind farms will affect Maryland’s marine mammals, fish and birds, in partnership with the . . . Complete story »
Impact on marine mammals, fish and birds focus of new wind energy studies
$11 million over 10 years are the final numbers in a deal between US Wind and the University of Maryland for three research projects to study the impacts of offshore wind. The agreement between the company and the university’s Center for Environmental Science was announced Thursday, with the focus of the projects being repercussions of offshore wind farms on marine mammals, fish, and birds. The research will take place in US Wind’s 80,000-acre federal lease area off the coast of . . . Complete story »
Fenwick council requests 30-mile exclusion for turbines
The Fenwick Island Town Council on Friday, March 4, approved a resolution requesting that a federal agency that issues licenses for offshore wind farms require that wind turbines be placed at least 30 miles from the shoreline. The council made the move following a presentation by Council Member Paul Breger, who chairs the Town’s Environmental Committee. The resolution supports federal adoption of a 30-mile “exclusion zone” for offshore wind turbines for the entire state of Delaware. Breger cited precedents set . . . Complete story »
