Maryland Offshore Windfarm Becomes Renewed Target in Administration's Sights

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--After issuing a stop-work order for Orsted A/S' (Fredericia, Denmark) 80%-complete Revolution offshore windfarm near Rhode Island late last week, the Trump administration a few days later has stated it will revoke the key federal permit allowing the construction of US Wind's (Baltimore, Maryland) planned 2.2-gigawatt windfarm off the Maryland coast by September 12.

At the time, what seemed final federal approval for US Wind's project was issued in December 2024 in the waning days of the Biden administration. The windfarm was planned to occupy an 80,000-acre lease about 10 miles from Ocean City, Maryland, providing power to both Maryland and Delaware, from where it also would be visible. Prior to final approval, Ocean City and more than a dozen co-defendants filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), part of the Department of Interior, claiming the project's approval would bring economic damage to the city in the form of reduced tourism and damage to commercial fishing, and that approval process was out of compliance with various federal regulations. The lawsuit remained on the docket as the U.S. shifted from an offshore wind-supportive Biden administration to the Trump administration's active hostility toward all forms of wind power, particularly offshore installations.

The project received some initial pushback from the Feds earlier this year, when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said that a state-issued environmental permit was invalid due to incorrect information regarding the appeals process. However, in that case, the EPA issued guidance regarding how to correct what it judged to be erroneous information, which would allow the permit to be reissued.

However, what could be the final deathblow for the project appeared in a court filing Monday, in which the government asked for a remand of the Ocean City-led lawsuit, as the BOEM is now "in the process of reconsidering its prior approval of the project," and that it intends "to move no later than September 12 to remand and, separately, to vacate BOEM's COP [construction and operations plan] approval," making the plaintiffs' allegations a moot point.

News of the BOEM's intention to revoke the permit was, as expected, greeted with mixed responses. Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan told CBS affiliate WBOC, "President Trump's decision to move toward revoking US Wind's federal permit is a very positive development for Ocean City. This action acknowledges the validity of our objections and represents a major step in protecting our community, our coastal environment, our commercial and recreational fishing industries and the future of Ocean City."

Ocean City's U.S. Congressional Representative Andy Harris, Maryland's only Republican Congressional delegate, told the same media outlet, "US Wind's approval in Maryland was rushed, lacked transparency, and completely ignored the voices of the people who actually live and work on the Eastern Shore. I commend Attorney General (Pam) Bondi and the Trump Administration for stepping in, listening to our concerns, and taking the necessary steps to reevaluate this deeply flawed offshore wind project."

The state's Democratic governor, Wes Moore, was less than pleased with the BOEM's intentions, however, stating to WBOC, "Canceling a project set to bring in $1 billion in investment, create thousands of good-paying jobs in manufacturing, and generate more Maryland-made electrical supply is utterly shortsighted. The president's actions will directly lead to utility-rate hikes by taking off most promising ways for Maryland to meet its looming energy generation challenges."

US Wind is standing by the integrity of the Biden administration's approval. "Our construction and operations plan approval is the subject of ongoing litigation, but we remain confident that the federal permits we secured after a multi-year and rigorous public review process are legally sound," US Wind Vice President Nancy Sopko said in a statement regarding the court filing.

In addition to the jobs generated from the windfarm's construction, US Wind's plans surrounding the windfarm also extended further into Maryland in the form of plans to revitalize a former Bethlehem Steel property in Sparrow's Point, on the western side of Chesapeake Bay near Baltimore, in order to produce the monopiles for the project. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Metals & Minerals Project Database can learn more by viewing the project report.

The windfarm itself was to have included up to 114 turbines and be built in two phases, called MarWin and Momentum, which would have provided enough power for more than 700,000 homes. The project was anticipated to keep workers busy through 2030. Subscribers to Industrial Info's GMI Power Project Database can learn more by viewing the related project reports.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 trillion (USD).