FENWICK ISLAND, DE -- On Friday, the Fenwick Island Town Council voted on if the town will join Ocean City as a co-plaintiff in legal action to vacate and set aside federal approval of the Maryland Offshore Wind Project.
In a recent meeting, Ocean City officials said that if the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) approves U.S. Wind's proposed project, the city will seek legal action.
Fenwick Island Mayor Natalie Magdeburger says Fenwick was asked to take part in the challenge.
Magdeburger has voiced her concerns for the project on several different occasions.
"We want more data, we want more information, and certainly, we don't want to see the destruction of a marine environment that's so natural," says Magdeburger. "This should be about what's good for Delaware, what's good for our environment, what's good for our people, and this project is not."
BOEM published its Maryland Offshore Wind Final Environmental Impact Statement on August 2, 2024.
BOEM's report notes that construction of the wind farm poses a high risk of negative effects for sea turtles in the area. It says the change could also potentially influence tourists' decisions on where they travel.
For Michelle Karrigan, that is enough reason for both towns to take legal action against the project's approval.
"I just think we should stop messing with nature," says Karrigan. "It's not natural, and it's not something that we should probably do as, you know. I think we should just leave it alone."
Andy Hoover says he understands those concerns, but doesn't think all will be lost with wind farms.
"I'm a big believer in green energy, in sustainable energy, I think it's important," says Hoover. "I think it's good for the planet and important for fighting climate change. So I'm glad that public policy makers and private companies are working to find solutions."
In a Friday vote, Fenwick's Town Council voted unanimously to support their neighbor, Ocean City, in potentially challenging BOEM.
