OCEAN CITY, Md. — The view from the beaches of Ocean City could be changing.
The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) issued the permit and approvals for an offshore wind farm in Ocean City.
The final determination to issue the permit came on June 6th in a notice from MDE.
The proposed project will be located about 10 miles offshore of the coast in Worcester County on the outer continental shelf.
Mayor Rick Meehan sent a statement, Friday, expressing frustration over the lack of listening by those making the decision.
WMAR-2 News Jeff Morgan went to Ocean City in May to talk to people about the plans.
“It is unconscionable to believe that the Maryland Department of the Environment is ignoring pre-established permitting deadlines and fundamentally ignoring every shred of feedback offered by those who will be directly involved if this poorly conceived and potentially disastrous offshore wind project is allowed to move forward. The entire economy of our coastal resort town is dependent on tourism, our ecosystem, and commercial fishing, all of which will be significantly impacted if hundreds of these giant eyesores are constructed 10 miles from our beaches. And please stop the ridiculous comparison between the Block Island Project, which consists of 5 turbines, with US Wind’s plans to build 114 turbines almost twice the size!"
There is time for things to change. The final determination by MDE is subject to judicial review, outlined in their notice. A petition to review must be filed by July 14, 2025, in the circuit court where the application for the permit states the proposed activity will take place.
“Our city, our county, and our residents do not want this project to move forward, yet the state seems resolute on forcing it upon us. We will continue fighting this project forcefully in court and with those policymakers who have the power to stop it. It is time to put an end to subsidizing this cash cow for US Wind and for the state to invest time and energy on more realistic forms of alternative energy before we end up with a wind turbine graveyard off of our coast and the multi-generational nightmare of repairing our environment and economy.”
This is a rendering, submitted to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, of what the OC skyline could look like in the future.
According to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's Final Environmental Impact Statement, the wind farm could disrupt local wildlife, affect water and air quality, and negatively impact the recreation and tourism that Ocean City relies upon.