Dive Brief:
- Ocean City, Maryland, Mayor Rick Meehan announced last week that he rejected a proposed community benefit package from offshore wind developer US Wind in December.
- Meehan said that US Wind had offered packages to neighboring Delaware communities that promised benefits in exchange for “local government officials… [refraining] from making any negative comments or objections” about proposed projects, and offered Ocean City “the same opportunity.”
- Meehan said he found the idea “unconscionable.” Nancy Sopko, US Wind’s senior director of external affairs, said in an email that while Ocean City chose not to discuss a community benefit agreement, the company wants to continue to work with the city as “good neighbors.”
Dive Insight:
“As a member of this community, we believe it’s important to do what we can to help it thrive,” Sopko said. However, she added, “Ocean City’s position on community benefits has no impact on our project plans.”
US Wind holds the lease for an 80,000 acre area with a total capacity of around 2.2 GW around ten miles off the coast of Ocean City, where it plans to develop multiple projects as part of its Maryland Offshore Wind Project plan — including the 300 MW MarWin and 800 MW Momentum Wind projects, which have secured offshore renewable energy certificates from the state.
Meehan has for some time opposed the development of offshore wind off the coast of Ocean City. Throughout 2023, he warned about the potential impact of offshore wind development on tourism, and joined calls for a moratorium on development after a dead whale washed up on Assateague Island.
Developer Ørsted announced last month that it plans to reposition its 966-MW Skipjack Wind project, which is being developed around 17 miles off the coast of Delaware. This repositioning, which is part of the company’s new business plan, is aimed at taking advantage of future offtake opportunities. Ørsted has also withdrawn from the Maryland Public Service Commission orders approving the Skipjack 1 and 2 projects.
That leaves US Wind as the only company currently developing a wind project offshore Ocean City, and the town’s only opponent in its “battle of the proposed construction of wind turbines off our coast,” according to Ocean City’s official website.
“As of January 2024, The Town of Ocean City does not support any turbines built off our coast,” a release from the town said. “As of January 2024, US Wind is the only company with proposed plans to build turbines off the coast of Ocean City.”
Meehan’s release said that US Wind has discussed community benefit packages with neighboring Delaware resort communities, offering “payments up to [2 million] dollars” dispersed over a 20-year period.
“In December 2023, I received an email from Jeff Grybowski, Chief Executive Officer for US Wind, offering Ocean City the same opportunity that has been extended to the Delaware Beach Towns,” Meehan said. “My response was, ‘Respectfully the future of the Town of Ocean City cannot be bought and we intend to continue to do what is necessary to protect the interests of our residents, property owners and future generations.’”
Sopko said US Wind is working toward securing final federal permits later this year.
“We’re very confident that we will build Maryland’s first offshore wind farm and deliver clean energy to the people of Delmarva for years to come,” she said.
