OCEAN VIEW, Del. — Two Delaware lawmakers, Senate Republican Leader Gerald Hocker from Ocean View and Representative Ron Gray from Selbyville, are stepping up to keep the state’s beaches safe and the economy strong. On Friday, Feb. 9, they announced a plan that would make sure any new wind farms built off the coast do right by the environment and the local economy.
Their plan is all about setting rules for these wind farms before they start building. They want the companies to promise they’ll clean up any old windmill parts in Maryland, make sure the windmills don’t bother airplanes, and put money aside in case anything needs to be taken down. If a wind farm doesn’t follow these rules, it won’t be allowed to build.
Why are they doing this? Well, a lot of people come to Delaware’s beaches to have fun, and that’s a big deal for the state’s wallet. In 2021, tourists visiting Sussex County alone brought in $2.7 billion. But, there’s worry that if windmills pop up off the coast, it might scare tourists away. This could mean the state loses out on $65 million in taxes, over 5,000 jobs could disappear, and local shops could lose $640 million that tourists would have spent.
This new plan comes right after the Governor, John Carney, said he’s talking with a company about building two wind farms off the coast. But, Hocker and Gray believe that without their plan, Delaware’s beaches and jobs might not be protected.
Their idea needs to be checked out by other lawmakers and get the Governor’s okay before it can start helping protect the beaches and jobs. It’s a big deal because it’s like making a new law that says how things should be done.
Senator Hocker looks after the interests of people in the 20th Senate District, and Representative Gray does the same for folks in the 38th Representative District, which includes places like Selbyville, Ocean View, Bethany Beach, and Fenwick Island.