David T. Stevenson is the director of the Center for Energy & Environmental Policy at the Caesar Rodney Institute.
On Tuesday, four of five members of Sussex County Council voted to deny a conditional use permit, putting brakes on an offshore wind project and delivering an early Christmas present to the citizens of Sussex County! This decision comes after widespread public concern, federal agency warnings and a controversial approval process led by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.
To understand the full scope of this decision, it’s important to look back at DNREC’s role and the federal concerns that were dismissed.
DNREC approves permits despite warnings
The department issued permits to US Wind for the Maryland Offshore Wind Project, allowing four offshore wind power cables to pass through Delaware’s Indian River Bay. This decision comes despite federal agency warnings to use land-based routes instead. DNREC is allowing the destruction of the bay’s environment for a paltry $2 million a year for 20 years.
Federal agencies sound alarm
First among the federal concerns was from the National Marine Fisheries Service, an agency responsible for marine conservation. It commented on the US Wind project:
“Given the significance of both inshore and offshore habitats to the ecology of the area, and because these sensitive habitats cannot be easily replaced when degraded by construction activity, we suggest that terrestrial cables be used.”
Note: Terrestrial cables are land-based rather than underwater, reducing risks to sensitive marine habitats.
Adding to these concerns, the Environmental Protection Agency made a similar recommendation. US Wind offered options to run cables on land either north or south of the bay to an electric substation near Dagsboro, and it has received federal approval to do so. We can assume US Wind prefers the bay option to save money.
DNREC ignores warnings, accepts payments
Contrary to federal recommendations, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control has ignored the advice and approved the project — despite having no way to fix the potential negative construction impacts once they occur — but is taking $62 million in payments over 20 years to measure the damage and to try to compensate injured parties. That is $40 million in current dollars, or $2 million annually.
Of that money:
Federal environmental impact statement
The federal final environmental impact statement notes that wind turbines just 10 miles off the coast will have a major negative impact by dominating the horizon.
DNREC tries to ignore the fact that allowing the power to come ashore will result in the construction of the turbines. It is not requiring a Coastal Zone Act permit, even though the stated purpose of the act is to protect coastal tourism and recreation.
According to federal environmental impact studies, US Wind’s proposed turbines will have a major negative impact and will:
All 20 years of the US Wind funding, including additional funds promised to the state and beach towns for not opposing the project, would be wiped out by a 3% loss in tourism in just one year.
Conditional use permit denied
This project required a Sussex County conditional use permit to build an electric substation as the destination for these cables. The county defines that a conditional use must promote the health, safety, morals, convenience, order, prosperity and welfare of the present and future inhabitants of Sussex County, and the conditional use must be for the general convenience and welfare of the inhabitants of Sussex County.
As discussed in detail in numerous public comments July 30, the conditional use permit did not meet these standards.
On Tuesday, four of five members of Sussex County Council voted to deny the conditional use, halting the offshore wind project and protecting the environmental and economic well-being of Sussex County.
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
