Kudos for civil discourse on OC offshore wind project
Wind energy has been at the center of a good deal of dialogue on the Eastern Shore for several years now and recently has been staring Ocean City in the face.
Conflicting feelings about a proposed wind farm off the coast of Ocean City were aptly described by Ocean City Town Council member and secretary Mary Knight, who said, "What we're saying here is we're all for sustainable energy. We just don't want to see it."
While it would be easy to condemn such a statement as "Not In My Back Yard," the view in Maryland's only oceanfront beach resort is more than a simple case of privileged people complaining about the sight of spinning turbines offshore.
Tourism is Ocean City's lifeblood, and so its Town Council members are rightly concerned about anything that might affect the resort's appeal to visitors. They were justified in asking for the wind farm to be moved farther than 12 to 14 miles offshore. In the original configuration, turbine visibility was described as about the size of a thumbnail at arm's length.
BACKGROUND: OC Council protests 'visual pollution' from wind farms
US Wind, one of two contenders vying to erect turbines off the Maryland coast, heard the council's concerns land responded quickly, offering to move the turbines another 5 miles away from the coast, even with the cost of an addition $1 million per mile of cable running the power back, reducing the sight of the turbines to almost nothing most days.
The council deserves credit for hearing citizen and business complaints and instead of opposing the project as first was suggested, debating it and coming to the conclusion that moving it farther away from the beaches would serve everyone's interest.
US Wind deserves credit for considering the request and offering to move the turbines farther away, despite substantial additional cost to do so.
And the company spokesman was most graceful in the face of concern and criticism, saying he said he didn't see this as a bad thing, but as the start of a long and important conversation with Ocean City residents.
While the project has been in the works for years, a recent public hearing stirred up the concern that led to the council's request. While a vast majority of those attending the public hearing expressed enthusiastic support, council members say they've heard from residents who are concerned and even opposed, worried about tourism and land values.
OPINION: Wind energy gets broad support in Maryland. Here's why
We've all heard the pros and cons before. A few years ago, Somerset County residents strongly opposed a land-based wind farm project on the basis of concerns about turbine sounds, a threat to wildlife and "visual pollution." That project never came to fruition.
In an offshore project, though, sounds generated by the spinning turbines would not reach land, and the sight of the turbines on the horizon would be so slight they would be difficult to spot from the beach, even on a clear day.
It's also possible that tourists might actually come because of the wind farm, rather than being put off by its presence.
That said, the really positive and pertinent upshot here is that everyone is still talking, and minds appear to be open to negotiating ways to seal this deal. It promises not only to put Ocean City on the sustainable energy map, but also — and importantly — bring career-track jobs to the Lower Shore in the growing field of sustainable, clean energy.
The presence of a group of modern wind turbines positioned just out of sight offshore, coupled with both job creation and a step in the direction of cleaner air, add up to a good deal for everyone.
The time for public input on the project has expired. Now the principals in this project will discuss and iron out their differences.
We hope that this example of open and civil discourse that puts citizens concerns first will a model of how government and business can reach an agreement that's good for all.
We look forward to hearing the outcome.