Earth Equity News

Maryland Gov. Throws Support Behind Offshore Turbines in Delaware. By Michael Dresser and Tom Pelton, Baltimore Sun, July 16, 2008. "[Maryland] Gov. Martin O'Malley threw his support yesterday behind a wind farm off the coast of Delaware -- a clean energy-generating system that could eventually extend to the waters off Ocean City. Maryland's support for the turbines 11 to 12 miles off Rehoboth Beach could be crucial toward launching the U.S.'s first offshore wind energy project... O'Malley's statement of interest... came in response to questions at a news conference about [the Bush Administration's] decision to [allow] oil drilling off most of the U.S. coastline... [O'Malley] rejected Bush's position in harsh terms... before volunteering that the proposed project off the Delaware coast is 'one offshore effort I would like to go in on.' While [he] did not explicitly endorse wind turbines off the Maryland coast, his comments reflected a willingness to consider such a proposal. His top energy adviser confirmed that building a field of turbines off Ocean City was one of several options under consideration. O'Malley said he had talked with Delaware's Lt. Gov. John Carney at a National Governors' Association conference over the weekend and expressed his willingness to have Maryland participate in [Delaware's] Bluewater Wind project. By encouraging Maryland utilities to purchase electricity generated by offshore turbines, the state could help the project achieve the economies of scale it needs to be viable."