MD Senator Carozza Testifies in Opposition to US Wind’s Air Quality Permit on Offshore Wind

Image courtesy Maryland.gov

A public hearing was held at the Ocean City Convention Center on US Wind’s air quality permit-to-construct application through the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE). State Senator Mary Beth Carozza testified in opposition to the application and raised new questions based on information gathered from the installation of wind turbines in other locations outside of Maryland and the United States. She added that the opposition to US Wind’s offshore wind energy project continues to grow in an effort to protect our “Shore way of life.”

The Maryland Department of the Environment will accept additional written comments through January 14^th – and can be submitted via email to Ms. Shannon Heafey at Shannon.heafey@maryland.gov.

Additional information from Senator Carozza:

Senator Carozza has been a strong and long-time opponent since 2017 of the proposed offshore wind energy industrialization projects off Maryland’s Coast.

“We now know that offshore wind turbines are subject to the ‘wake effect’ which creates less energy in the airflow downwind than the airflow upwind. As turbines are in rows, each turbine reduces the airflow available to the one behind it. Not only does this reduce energy plume making the project inefficient, it increases the ozone levels in the surrounding area as ozone levels increase when airflow is reduced,” said Senator Carozza, who represents Maryland’s Coast and surrounding areas.

Senator Carozza specifically asked the following questions of MDE officials during her presentation:

“Is the negative impact of the ‘wake effect” from offshore wind turbines enough to justify the denial of this air quality permit?

“What is the amount of increase in ozone levels?

“Is it impacted by water salinity, current speed, ambient temperature, average wind speed, number, and position of turbines, or distance between them?

“It is imperative that the Maryland Department of the Environment review the significance of the negative impact of the ‘wake effect’ from the offshore wind turbines,” said Senator Carozza.   “My constituents and taxpayers across the State of Maryland would be dismayed to discover that the proposed offshore wind energy solution for increased clean energy would actually be the cause for increased ozone with its many negative health effects.”

Senator Carozza also noted that the opposition to US Wind’s proposed offshore wind energy project continues to mount with a working coalition made up of local residents and visitors, commercial watermen, boaters, environmentalists, hotel, motel, and restaurant operators, small business owners and their employees, elected officials at every level of  government, and a growing number of concerned residents from across the State of Maryland.

In her closing remarks, Senator Carozza implored the leadership of the Maryland Department of the Environment, the Moore Administration, and Governor Moore to “hear and respond to our voices” to protect our Shore way of life.