SUSSEX COUNTY, De. -- The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management hosted another public meeting on Thursday. Giving people a chance to voice any opinions or ask any questions about offshore wind.
BOEM held a meeting earlier this week at Ocean City Elementary School.
The meetings are about BOEM's environmental impact statement on US Winds proposed project. It would involve roughly 114 turbines, anywhere between 11 and 27 miles off the coasts of Maryland and Delaware.
In light of both of BOEM's public meetings, we are getting a clearer picture of a timeline for US Wind's project, if it get approved. Dave Wilson, US Wind's Development Manager for Maryland, said that day could come in the next few years.
"The draft environmental impact statement basically puts us on a path to begin construction around 2025," said Wilson.
Over the past couple of days, the feds have been getting an earful from people for and against.
"It's a game that everybody's playing, I don't think that they can produce enough electricity to satisfy the communities around here," said Ralston Linn, who lives in Bethany Beach.
Others, like Andy Vance, said they are looking forward to the turbines.
"I really appreciate the fact that these turbines can generate clean energy," said Vance.
Regardless of which camp you fall in, there are still a few steps before US Winds project is a done deal. The public comment period on BOEM's draft environmental impact statement ends on November 20th. Then, BOEM will release a final EIS in the spring or early summer of 2024. Once that's released, BOEM will make its decision.
"They'll take a month, probably a couple months, and they'll either approve, modify or disapprove of the project," said Wilson.
If the project is approved, a few federal agencies will still need to give US Wind the 'okay' before construction can begin.
"We still have Marine Mammal permitting to finish and National Marine Fisheries Service as well," said Wilson.
US Wind's goal is to begin construction by 2025. If they are able to make that happen, it will still take about a year or two before the turbines are up and running.
