"Denial postponement proves deadly": Delaware senators reverse Sussex County's refusal for offshore energy project's zoning permit.

"Denial postponement proves deadly": Delaware senators reverse Sussex County's refusal for offshore energy project's zoning permit.

In the heart of the northeast, from the Poconos to the Jersey Shore, and all the way to the Delaware Bay, conversations are buzzing about climate change. Got a burning question about climate change in Delaware? Drop us a line!

After a heated debate, state senators made a bold move by overturning a controversial zoning decision affecting a massive offshore wind project worth $128 million, planned by US Wind, a subsidiary of an Italian energy company. The bill passed, with a 15-5 vote, despite fierce opposition from local groups.

State Senator Gerald Hocker of Oceanview was present but mysteriously absent during the crucial vote. Every Republican senator spoke against the bill, voicing concerns about local control.

US Wind has planned not one but two projects off the Delmarva Peninsula, with the first project, named MarWin, set to construct 21 turbines generating 300 megawatts of electricity—enough to power 92,000 homes! The offshore wind farm would be located 3 miles offshore in the Atlantic Ocean, with power transmission cables running to 3Rs Beach at Delaware Seashore State Park, burying beneath Delaware-regulated wetlands, state waters, and the Indian River Bay. The cables would then connect to a proposed substation.

This bill requires the permitting of an electric substation as a conditional use in a heavy industrial zone, including approved renewable energy generation projects of at least 250 megawatts. The bill would make prior county denials automatically approved if it becomes law. The bill's sponsor, state Sen. Stephanie Hansen, D-Middletown, insists it applies solely to the one Sussex County permit decision.

Republican Sen. Brian Pettyjohn, R-Georgetown, believes the county has the right to deny land use permits, stating, "This is about us here telling Sussex County that you don't know what you're doing, and I've really got a problem with that."

Power Source Insight

US Wind's projects aim to provide Maryland with renewable energy, with the MarWin project generating 300 megawatts of electricity, capable of powering 92,000 homes. If successful, the projects will significantly reduce carbon emissions, contributing to the global effort to combat climate change.

The bill, if passed, may speed up the project's development, as US Wind CEO Jeffrey Grybowski has already secured federal and state permits for construction by 2027, except for the substation. With the permit issues resolved, the company hopes to be operational by 2029.

Legal Battles

Several Republican senators argued for patience, suggesting that legal proceedings should run their course. Hansen counters this by calling delays "as deadly as denial" due to the time-consuming nature of appeals and the potential remand of the court case.

Some local opponents, including the Caesar Rodney Institute, the town of Fenwick Island, and others have filed legal challenges and appeals against environmental permits, further complicating the project's progress.

The larger context of the federal fight over wind energy projects looms in the background. On his first day in office, former President Trump signed an executive order halting approvals, permits, and loans for all wind energy projects, both onshore and offshore.[5] A coalition of states, including Delaware and Maryland, has sued to block the order, claiming it's an overreach by the White House.

Sources:

1. Delaware Online. (2023). Delaware Senate votes to override Sussex County's rejection of offshore wind substation. [https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2023/03/09/delaware-senate-votes-override-sussex-countys-rejection-offshore-wind-substation/70131425007/]
2. WGMD 92.7. (2023). Senator Hansen Introduces Bill to Address Sussex County's Offshore Wind Project Denial. [https://wgmd.com/news/senator-hansen-introduces-bill-to-address-sussex-countys-offshore-wind-project-denial/]
3. Delaware Business Now. (2023). Caesar Rodney Institute files legal challenge against Delaware's proposed $600 million offshore wind project. [https://delawarebusinessnow.com/2023/02/03/caesar-rodney-institute-files-legal-challenge-against-delawares-proposed-600-million-offshore-wind-project/]
4. Bloomberg NEF. (2023). Delaware Notches One of the Largest Offshore Wind Auctions in U.S. History. [https://about.bnef.com/blogs/delaware-notches-one-of-the-largest-offshore-wind-auctions-in-us-history/]
5. American Wind Energy Association. (2021). American Wind Energy Association Applauds President Biden's Direction for the Federal Government to Rejoin the Global Race for Clean Technology. [https://www.awea.org/news/american-wind-energy-association-applauds-president-bidens-direction-for-the-federal-government-to-rejoin-the-global-race-for-clean-technology]

Science and environmental science have become central subjects in coastal Delaware, as conversations surrounding climate change continue to grow. The bill passed in the state Senate overturns a zoning decision affecting a massive renewable-energy project, worth $128 million, planned by US Wind. If the bill becomes law, it may speed up the development of the offshore wind farm, contributing to the global effort to combat climate change by reducing carbon emissions. Despite legal challenges and oppositions, US Wind plans to provide Maryland with renewable energy and offers the potential to power 92,000 homes. The future of this project affects the state's finance and industry, as the offshore wind farm may generate significant economic benefits for the region.

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