WORCESTER COUNTY, Md. -- Recently, the state of Maryland's Public Service Commission ruled in favor of US Wind's request to expand its proposed project. The decision led to Worcester County Commissioners once again speaking out in protest.
At Tuesday's commissioner meeting, officials approved a letter of opposition in response to the PSC's ruling. The three-page document explains why county officials believe offshore wind is bad for Maryland.
"We need this to go away and it can't go away for just four years, or eight years, or 12 years, it needs to go away forever," said Commissioner Joe Mitrecic.
What the PSC Ruling Means:
- The Maryland Public Service Commission approved US Wind's rebid application
- It provides the offshore wind company with additional offshore wind renewable energy credits(OREC's)
- Those credits support the buildout of US Wind's project off Maryland's coast
- US Wind will take over the lease area abandoned by Orsted in January, 2024
PSC Chair Frederick Hoover defended the decision in a statement. Hoover stated the project will support renewable energy in Maryland and "advance the development of a project which will produce significant economic, environmental, and health benefits for our state."
The letter Worcester County Commissioners signed off on refutes several of the points made by Hoover.
Points Made in Worcester's Letter of Opposition:
1. It estimated homeowners electric bills will increase about $200 a year, not the misleading $18 stated in a recent press release.
2. US Wind boasts of the job creation of the project, but the majority of jobs will be temporary, with the increase costs of electricity in Maryland killing up to 6,000 jobs statewide.
3. The construction and presence of these turbines just off the beach frontare a serious threat to drive away visitors and tourists, the most important industry for all the coastal communities.
4. As tourism declines so will property values, as homeowners and business owners will face a loss of equity as the beachfront and aesthetics of the coast communities becomes increasingly industrial and recreation is limited.
5. Significantly harm the commercial fishing industry as generational fishing business will be forced to abandon traditional fishing grounds and cope with the unknown changes that the turbine construction and operation will have on the behavior of fish. Additionally, US Wind is seeking to take ownership of the land where the only two seafood off loading docks are located in Ocean City forcing fisherman to go elsewhere to offload their daily catch.
6. Significant harm to the coastal ecosystem as construction pile driving and operating noise have been shown to disturb and harm the natural behaviors of marine mammals, birds and other wildlife within the lease area.
7. Turbines will create substantial burdens on both marine vessel navigation and traffic, and US Coast Guard search and rescue missions.
8. Affect national security by limiting patrol area off the coast and cause radar interference.
9. Affect the ability for continued scientific research.
10. Have unknown impacts to horseshoe crabs in their protected preserve.
"We've done the different studies and the different information and science now has put it to the point where these things are detrimental to our coast, whether they're offshore or inshore," said Mitrecic.
WBOC did contact Governor Wes Moore's office on Tuesday to see if he could further defend the PSC's decision. Moore's office declined to comment.