BALTIMORE, Md. - Lawmakers, clean energy advocates, labor unions and business leaders gathered in Baltimore on Friday to push back against what they describe as the Trump administration’s renewed attacks on Maryland’s federally approved offshore wind projects.
At the Maryland Day of Action for Offshore Wind, held at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 24 union hall, speakers including U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Rep. Johnny Olszewski and Maryland Energy Administration Director Paul Pinsky championed offshore wind as key to the state’s economic and environmental future.
“Investing in offshore wind is key to unlocking good-paying jobs, lowering energy costs, and guaranteeing a cleaner future for Maryland,” said Sen. Chris Van Hollen.
Maryland State Senator Mary Beth Carozza recently said in a letter to Eugenio Piñeiro-Soler, Assistant Secretary at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, that the project would do more damage than good.
“Offshore wind projects threaten our shore way of life on multiple levels - On behalf of my constituents, I urge a complete stop to the development of offshore wind energy off Maryland’s Coast.”
According to a release from organizers, a poll taken in June, 70 percent of Maryland voters favored offshore wind projects.
Organizers say the Maryland’s Day of Action is part of a larger nationwide “Yes to Wind” campaign taking place across a dozen states this fall. In Maryland, the campaign is backed by a coalition of labor, business and environmental groups, including IBEW Local 24, the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Sierra Club Maryland Chapter, USW District 8, BlueGreen Alliance and more.
The offshore wind project for Ocean City includes over 100 wind turbine generators, up to four offshore substations, up to four offshore/onshore export cables and one meteorological tower. According to Attorney General Anthony Brown, the project is expected to generate 1,710 megawatts of electricity.
Local opposition group Stop Offshore Wind responded to Friday’s event, criticizing Maryland leaders for pushing the project.
“We are deeply concerned over the state of Maryland using taxpayer dollars to support foreign-owned US Wind against its own constituents, voters, and Maryland ratepayers,” said Kevin Gibbs, chairman of Stop Offshore Wind. “Partisan bureaucrats in Annapolis, along with nationally funded political groups, are imposing their will on the Eastern Shore. Ocean City and Worcester County remain strongly opposed to the wind project.”
Gibbs warned the project could result in higher taxes, increased electric rates, and the loss of generational jobs for fishermen, calling it “an expensive and inefficient green energy agenda” with little return. He urged Maryland leaders to prioritize local communities over “big green interests and national groups” that he said misrepresent the facts about offshore wind power.
