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Maryland offshore wind project at risk after President Trump's executive order

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CBS News Baltimore Live

BALTIMORE -- An executive order issued by President Trump could threaten an offshore wind project in Maryland. 

The measure put a temporary halt on new federal leases, permits and loans for both offshore and onshore wind development projects until his administration conducts an environmental and economic review. 

The order also directs agencies to evaluate the "necessity of terminating or amending any existing wind energy leases, identifying any legal bases for such removal." 

An offshore wind analyst with ClearView Energy Partners told The Baltimore Banner that the direct impacts of the executive order could "significantly curtail" U.S. offshore development over the next four years, and even undo headway made under Biden."

While broad, existing federal law outlines the requirements that Trump would need to cancel finalized leases or grants. 

Maryland's offshore wind projects 

In December, the Maryland wind energy company U.S. Wind was approved to start construction on an offshore wind project off the coast of Ocean City. 

The construction would include up to 114 wind turbines, which could generate up to 2 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind power and power more than 718,000 homes in the region, according to U.S. Wind. 

The project would help supply the growing demand for energy by including up to four offshore export cables that run from the area to the shore, a meteorological tower and offshore export cable corridors, the company said. 

The project was the 10th commercial-scale wind project to be approved nationwide. 

U.S. Wind acquired the 8.7 nautical mile territory in an auction in 2014 and had since been in the planning and permit process. Onshore construction was expected to begin in 2026 with the goal of installing some wind turbines by the end of 2028, the company said. 

According to The Baltimore Banner, two other companies have leased waters off the coasts of Maryland and Delaware, but only U.S. Wind has received approval for construction from BOEM. 

Concern and backlash 

Some lawmakers on the Eastern Shore shared concern and frustration over the project. 

In October 2024, Ocean City leaders, along with local businesses, filed a lawsuit against the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), saying there would be negative impacts on the local environment, and tourism and fishing industries.

Leaders said they hired a consultant to express their concerns with BOEM and the project developer but felt the concerns fell on deaf ears. 

Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan said he was concerned about the impact on the local viewshed. He also feared the project would burden taxpayers who may take on a wind tax. 

"We're concerned about the carbon footprint. We're concerned about our environment, but we don't think a bad project is the answer," Meehan said. "There are so many things about this project that have just not been vetted properly."

In 2023, the impact of offshore wind development was the subject of an independent probe after Meehan joined 12 New Jersey mayors in calling for a pause development of offshore wind farms, the Associated Press reported.

It came after a dead whale was discovered on Maryland's Assateague Island, adding to an "unusual mortality event" along the east coast that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had been monitoring at the time.  

Maryland's commitment to clean energy

In 2023, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore shared an ambitious plan to achieve 100% clean energy by 2035 by generating more offshore electricity.

He also secured the U.S. Wind offshore wind manufacturing facility at Sparrows Point in Baltimore where 300-foot towers for wind turbines would be made with about 3,000 tons of steel. 

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