BOEM Okays Maryland Offshore Wind Plans
December 3, 2024
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has announced its approval of the Construction and Operations Plan for the Maryland Offshore Wind project.
This is the final approval needed for the project from BOEM following the Department of the Interior’s September 2024 Record of Decision. This significant milestone advances the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of deploying 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030.
“I am pleased to announce BOEM’s approval of our nation’s tenth commercial-scale offshore wind energy project. This project will power over 718,000 homes and support almost 2,680 jobs annually over seven years,” said BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein. “The Biden administration has been at the forefront of responsible offshore wind development. Our achievements are helping us drive job creation and foster economic growth while tackling the climate crisis."
The Maryland Offshore Wind Project – located approximately 8.7 nautical miles offshore Maryland and approximately 9 nautical miles from Sussex County, Delaware – will be able to generate over 2 gigawatts of clean, renewable energy for the Delmarva Peninsula.
The approved project includes the multiple-phase construction and operation of up to 114 wind turbine generators, up to four offshore substation platforms, one meteorological tower, and up to four offshore export cable corridors. Two phases, known as MarWin and Momentum Wind, already have offshore renewable energy certificates from the State of Maryland.
BOEM integrated meaningful feedback from Tribal Nations, government agencies, ocean users, and other interested parties before reaching this important decision. The feedback resulted in required measures to avoid, minimize, or mitigate any potential impacts from the project on marine life and other important ocean uses, such as fishing.
Since the beginning of the Biden-Harris administration, the Department of the Interior has approved more than 15 gigawatts of clean energy from ten offshore wind projects, enough to power nearly 5.25 million homes. It has also held six offshore wind lease auctions, including a record-breaking sale offshore New York and New Jersey, the first-ever sales offshore the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico coasts, and the first sale in the Gulf of Maine.
