Trump administration plans to revoke federal approval for Ocean City wind farm

The Trump administration said Monday it plans to revoke the key federal permit issued to US Wind for a wind farm proposed off the coast of Ocean City.

In a court filing Monday, the government said that the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management — which issued the critical construction and operations permit near the end of President Joe Biden’s (D) administration — is “in the process of reconsidering its prior approval” for the wind project.

The federal government is “intending to move no later than September 12 to remand and, separately, to vacate” the approval document, read the court filing in the U.S. District Court of Maryland.

The government’s proposal to rescind the “construction and operations plan” permit it issued in December was filed jointly with Ocean City — which had sued the government last year in an attempt to block the wind farm. The reversal by the government left the project developer, US Wind, fighting to keep the previously approved permit in place.

In a statement Monday, US Wind Vice President of External Affairs Nancy Sopko said that the company still believes in the validity of its 2024 federal permit.

“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,” Sopko’s statement said.

Trump EPA claws back $7 billion in solar funding already promised to states

Oceantic Network, a Baltimore nonprofit representing the offshore wind industry, echoed US Wind, arguing that the federal permit is valid, and that the project would be an economic boon to Maryland, thanks in part to a related steel facility planned for Baltimore County’s Sparrows Point.

“Once completed, the Maryland project and Sparrows Point Steel will enhance our national security and economic freedom by directly supporting steel mill investments and bring back important steel fabrication capabilities to America,” said Sam Salustro, Oceantic’s senior vice president for policy and market affairs, in a statement.

When the federal government gave a greenlight to Baltimore-based US Wind’s construction and operations plan in December, it marked a big victory in a permitting process about a decade in the making.

While the election of President Donald Trump (R) raised questions about the future of renewable energy projects, the US Wind project seemed more secure than others since it was federally permitted. Now, that crucial permit is officially in jeopardy.

It wouldn’t be the first time the Trump administration has intervened to slow construction on an offshore wind farm that had already received its federal permits. On Friday, the administration issued a “stop work” order to Revolution Wind in Rhode Island, which was 80% complete, according to builder Ørsted.

Since receiving its federal approval, the US Wind project has continued to progress, receiving an air pollution permit from the Maryland Department of the Environment in June.

The project has a vocal critic in the town of Ocean City, which took to the courts to challenge both the federal permit and, most recently, the state permit. Town officials believe the farm would hamper tourism by impeding scenic beach views, harm local fishermen and injure wildlife.

State Sen. Mary Beth Carozza (R-Lower Shore) said in a statement that the decision is “good news” and that she is “grateful that our voices are being heard by the Trump Administration.” But she added that the coalition of project opponents, named Stop Offshore Wind, “won’t stop fighting until the Maryland offshore wind project is completely dead.”

“Since 2017, we have been making the case that the costly industrialization of the ocean off Maryland’s Coast would harm the environment, economy and national security, plus drive up costs with an unreliable energy source,” Carozza’s statement said.

The proposed project would consist of up to 121 wind turbines about 10 nautical miles from shore, in addition to four offshore substations and one meteorological tower. The completed project would be able to generate 2,200 megawatts of energy, according to the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, enough to power more than 718,000 homes.

In a statement Tuesday, Republicans in Maryland’s House of Delegates expressed hope that the loss of its federal permit could spell the end of the Ocean City project.

“Hopefully, this is the last page in a very challenging chapter of our community’s history,” said Delegate Wayne Hartman (R-Lower Shore), who represents Ocean City.

– This story was updated on Tuesday, Aug. 26, to include reaction from Republican lawmakers.