OCEAN CITY, MD - Ocean City officials have issued a statement in support of Worcester County, MD and Sussex County, DE following the counties’ decisions to oppose US Wind’s efforts to bring offshore wind to Delmarva’s coast.
On Tuesday, Worcester County Commissioners announced plans to possibly use eminent domain to prevent US Wind from purchasing seafood wholesale properties in West Ocean City’s commercial maritime harbor. That announcement was followed by a 4-1 Sussex County Council vote to deny US Wind’s proposed conditional use to build a transmission substation in Dagsboro to connect offshore wind turbines to the electrical grid.
On Wednesday, Ocean City voiced their support for the decisions, saying they will have a major impact on US Wind’s plans to build 114 wind turbines just under 11 miles off the coast. Ocean City officials pointed to the potential negative effects of the proposed project, including on the environment, coastal views, and economy, as reasons for their strong opposition.
In the statement, released December 18, Ocean City also criticized lawmakers on both the state and federal level for, what they say, was a dismissal of facts and their constituents’ concerns in approving US Wind’s plans.
“We want to thank the Worcester County Commissioners and the Sussex County Council Members for doing the right thing and truly representing the citizens they were elected to represent,” stated Mayor Rick Meehan
