MARYLAND - The Maryland House Republican Caucus sent a letter Thursday to the Maryland Federal Delegation urging them to stop offshore wind development because of concerns over national security and the safety of marine wildlife.
According to the letter the Republican Caucus is calling for a temporary stop of offshore wind development until the Government Accountability Office completes an investigation of the effects of offshore wind developments.
The letter signed by delegates Jason Buckel, Jesse Pippy, April Rose, Wayne Hartman and April Miller talked about their concerns over national security and marine safety. The letter goes on to say that the Department of Defense has many concerns over offshore wind and how it could interact with military operations.
“The Department of Defense has designated a number of planned offshore sites in the mid-Atlantic as ‘highly problematic’ in relation to military operations,” the letter said.
The Republican Caucus also noted that the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine point out concerns about how offshore wind could interfere with radars.
“The Academies Report concluded that interference from offshore wind turbines could not only complicate navigational decisions by large and small marine vessels but also impact maritime search and rescue teams that rely on radar,” the letter said.
The safety of marine life was also a concern for the caucus. According to the letter, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association found that offshore wind has negatively impacted the whale population.
The caucus ended their letter with a warning about acting without looking and a plea to stop offshore wind.
“If we, as a society, have made the choice to industrialize our oceans, we must do so with the utmost caution,” the caucus said. “History is full of examples where mankind rushed in headfirst without looking and the consequences have been devastating. We can, and must, do better.”