Maryland’s First Offshore Wind Project Receives Final Construction Approval

Oceantic Network congratulates member company US Wind for receiving approval on the Construction and Operations Plan (COP) for its Maryland Offshore Wind Project. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) released its Record of Decision (ROD) authorizing construction of up to 114 turbines totaling a 2,200 MW capacity, enough to power 770,000 homes with offshore wind energy. US Wind has been awarded offtake agreements with the state of Maryland and this fall is re-engaging the state’s public utility board to restructure those agreements. As part of its proposed project, US Wind has advanced plans to build an offshore wind turbine foundation facility in Baltimore Harbor, which, when fully operational, would employ up to 530 people including hundreds of unionized steelworkers. 

This action by BOEM marks the tenth project environmental review completed by the agency under the Biden-Harris Administration. Following today’s approval, the pipeline of approved projects now exceeds 15 GW, with more than 5 GW of projects under installation and 300+ MW in operation. The project will also make significant progress towards Maryland’s offshore wind goal of 8,500 MW by 2031 and bolster a growing local supply chain to support future projects.

The following statement can be attributed to Liz Burdock, president and CEO at Oceantic Network: 

“It has been wonderful to watch so many offshore wind projects along the East Coast receive their Records of Decision. However, this announcement is special for Oceantic Network. It is the tenth project to achieve this status, a milestone for the Biden-Harris Administration, and it’s also Maryland’s first offshore wind project. The Network began with the goal of building an offshore wind project in Maryland and today we are one ‘big approval’ closer. With a fully approved commercial scale project set to begin construction, the companies that have supported our organization from the beginning can now start working. US Wind will bring steel fabrication back to the old Bethlehem Steel facility in Dundalk, a dream we have had since the first days of talking about offshore wind in Maryland. Oceantic Network congratulates US Wind and thanks BOEM for its consistent efforts to advance offshore wind energy in our home state.”

Additional Information:

• Biden-Harris Administration Marks Major Milestones for Offshore Wind, Approves Tenth Project
• FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Hits Offshore Wind Milestone, Continues to Advance Clean Energy Opportunities
• Statement from President Biden on Offshore Wind Progress
• BOEM’s Maryland Offshore Wind Project Page

Oceantic Network | https://oceantic.org/