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 awarded Offshore Renewable Energy Credits, or ORECS, for two projects including US Wind’s Marwin project and Ørsted ’s Skipjack I project.
Those projects are now going through the federal review period with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). Buoyed by federal and state calls for an expansion of offshore wind energy, both Ørsted and US Wind have submitted requests for ORECs from the PSC for their second-phase projects, which, if approved, would significantly increase the number of wind turbines sited off the resort coast.
To that end, the PSC on Tuesday held the first of two public hearings virtually. The second was scheduled for Thursday night. As expected, local officials remained adamant they continue to support clean energy, including offshore wind, but voiced opposition about the proposed scope and locations for the second-phase projects.
On the other side, environmental advocacy groups and private citizens praised the proposed expansion of offshore wind in Maryland and cited global warming and climate change as reasons to expand offshore wind and the state’s clean energy portfolio. Others extolled the estimated jobs created by the projects and the economic impact the industry will and is fostering in Maryland.
Like all the old highrise condos aren’t an eye sore from the point of view of this side of the bay.
let’s not focus on the important stuff , like; leaking oil in to the ocean, toxic to produce , toxic to dispose of , ocean life dead zones they create , toxic cement leaching into the ocean , bird kills , cost to the taxpayer , rising electric costs , etc.
unbelievable that we have seen how these turbines have failed en masse at various locations around the world for various reasons. but hogan and the bought and paid for DemonicRats in Maryland,s legislature don’t give a rats ass as long as the money keeps rolling in to their coffers! BOHICA rate payers of maryland!
criminals every last one of them!
Who pays to put these up and who pays to take them down? Who who pays for space that the old blades take up in the landfills?
How dare you ask logical questions that will never be answered! You must be new to the area!
Sarcasm OFF.
Sheesh….there is no money yet it continues and the next gen will be left to pick up the pieces.
Do these idiots that want to put up these wind turbine should wake the heck up and look at other countries that went in early for the turbines like Germany and England that are now reversing their decision and going back to traditional electricity generation.
The idea that they would even consider going forward with this expensive folly, is just plain nuts!
Nothing green about them.
Did anyone mention they are full of oil guaranteed to leak into the ocean
They have already duped you and are taking each step by the play book, by now revising the towers to be taller than originally planned because it would never have been approved, and they know it, and now you are considering approving it
Its a scam, a money grab at the taxpayers expense. They will be taking billions of dollars out of the state, that could have been put to better use.
Anyone that thinks their electric bill will be going down is ignorant and uninformed.
Wake up morons. you are inviting them to financially rape you. Between this and the fed, the whole state will be one big cesspool of poverty.
Educate yourself, and read about all the communities fighting this, all the communities that agreed to this and now regret it.
It’s a scam and your politicians are idiots for allow it.