The federal government says it intends to withdraw its approval of the US Wind offshore wind energy project and take another look at the conclusions that led to its acceptance by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM).
In an Aug. 22 Delaware court filing, federal defendants in a lawsuit involving the US Wind project asked that the case be halted as it seeks to withdraw approval of the company’s construction and operations plan (COP).
The defendants said a motion to voluntarily remand and vacate that approval will be filed by next month in Ocean City’s case against the federal government.
“This is an extremely positive development in our fight against the irresponsible and costly US Wind project,” resort City Manager Terry McGean said in a statement Monday. “We have stated all along that the approval of this project was fast-tracked without adequate public input and that approvals ignored significant risks to our economy, fishing industry, marine mammals and the horseshoe crab. We are glad that our concerns are finally being taken seriously.”
Earlier this year, months after the Town of Ocean City and several co-plaintiffs filed a lawsuit challenging the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s approval of the US Wind project, South Bethany property owner Ed Bintz filed a separate suit in Delaware’s U.S. District Court. His complaint alleges permits and approvals issued to US Wind by both BOEM and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers violated the Coastal Zone Management Act.
The Delaware lawsuit has since made its way through the court system. And last Friday, the U.S. Department of the Interior, BOEM and the Army Corps filed a motion to stay the case pending a court decision in the Maryland lawsuit.