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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.
Fenwick seeks exclusion zone for offshore wind projects
FENWICK ISLAND – Fenwick officials are calling on federal agencies to adopt an exclusion zone for offshore wind projects. Last Friday, the Fenwick Island Town Council voted unanimously to adopt a resolution asking federal agencies to update visualizations and radar studies to reflect the larger turbines being proposed for projects off the coast of Delaware and to move offshore wind lease areas at least 30 miles offshore. “If these turbines were out of sight of our tourist population I think . . . Complete story »
Wind reps, Ocean City fisherman still far apart
Offshore wind energy continues to press ahead, and while those companies that intend to erect scores of turbines off the Ocean City coast continue to work on strengthening their ties within the maritime community, chasms remain between their interests and those of commercial and recreational fishermen. Last week, representatives from US Wind – Director of External Affairs Nancy Sopko, Director of Marine Affairs Ben Cooper and Fisheries Liaison Ron Larsen – briefed the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council on their progress in the . . . Complete story »
State commission approves wind farm developers’ second phase plans
OCEAN CITY – The Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) approved a second round of offshore wind farm projects, which could greatly expand the spread of significant turbines off the resort coast. Last Friday, the PSC approved offshore renewable energy credits, or ORECs, for two, second-phase offshore wind energy projects off the coast of Ocean City. In 2017, the PSC approved ORECs for two projects including US Wind’s Marwin project and Orsted’s Skipjack 1 project. Those first-phase projects are currently going through . . . Complete story »
US Wind, Ørsted get green light for expanded Ocean City offshore wind projects
Offshore wind projects are moving forward after a Maryland Public Service Commission decision to grant more offshore wind credits to proposals by US Wind and Ørsted. The offshore wind renewable energy credits were given to the companies amid a total combined proposed output of 1600 megawatts of energy to be built off the coast of Maryland, according to the Friday announcement. US Wind will develop 55 turbines for Momentum Wind in addition to the 22 turbines anticipated for MarWin, the . . . Complete story »
Standoff at sea sours fishermen, US Wind relations
After an on-the-water standoff between commercial fisherman Jimmy Hahn and a US Wind survey boat, Rep. Andy Harris met with area fisherman to discuss encroachment into fishing areas. The closed meeting Wednesday, also attended by state Sen. Mary Beth Carozza, R-38-Worcester, included more than 12 fishermen primarily from Ocean City who discussed survey ships damaging potentially lucrative fishing pots in allowed fishing areas. “On Nov. 1 at approximately 3 p.m., we were on on our way to set more conch . . . Complete story »
Watermen, elected officials meet over offshore conflict; Commercial fisherman’s conch pots destroyed by wind farm survey boat
OCEAN CITY – There was a brief confrontation last week between a local commercial fishing boat and an offshore wind survey vessel, which ran afoul of the fishing boat’s gear, resulting in a meeting this week with elected officials. Last week, a US Wind vessel surveying offshore was outside the designated lease area and ran through a setup of conch pots and destroyed some of the commercial vessel’s equipment. Captain Jimmy Hahn, whose conch pots were destroyed, briefly confronted the survey . . . Complete story »
Maryland denies Ørsted petition to deny application
The Maryland PSC denied a motion filed by Baltimore law firm Venable, LLP, and lead counsel, J. Joseph Curran and partners, to disqualify U.S. Wind’s application for additional round two wind turbines to be sited off the coast of Ocean City. Because Ørsted contended they will not produce wind energy by the required date of 2026 but rather will produce by 2027. The Venable firm asks on behalf of Ørsted that PSC disqualify U.S. Wind’s Bids 2 and 3 from . . . Complete story »
Western Maryland ‘littered with wind turbines’
In response to Dan Rodricks’ column on coal, I would have to say I finally agree with something he wrote. Dan should cheer up, though. Any visitor to Western Maryland will notice that the entire mountain range in Western Maryland is now littered with wind turbines. They were, of course, built and installed by a company outside Maryland, so our state’s economy did not benefit much from their installation. In order to build those turbines, however, we had to clear . . . Complete story »
Spirited debate featured at offshore wind public hearing; City engineer fears ‘a wall of turbines’ on horizon
OCEAN CITY – In an often-spirited, three-hour plus virtual public hearing, the Maryland Public Service Commission heard a wide range of opinions on the proposed next phases of two offshore wind energy projects off the coast of Ocean City. The Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) on Tuesday held the first of two virtual public hearings on applications from US Wind and Ørsted for second phases of two offshore wind energy projects off the coast of the resort. In 2017, the PSC . . . Complete story »
Wind turbines are still made of harmful plastic
In the ’60s, the idea was to save the rain forest, so we switched from wood to plastic (vinyl siding & laminated flooring). Today our food comes wrapped in it, our cars are built with it, and we wear clothes made of it. After all plastic is made to last and it does. Every step of its lifecycle, plastic creates greenhouse gas emissions. The world now produces 380 million tons of plastic every year. Public hearings are scheduled on installing . . . Complete story »