Maryland will not allow the development of commercial wind projects on state-owned land, according to an announcement made over the weekend by Governor Martin O’Malley.
The decision was prompted by a proposal from Pennsylvania-based U.S. Wind Force to lease state-owned land in Garrett County to build 100 wind turbines, each 400 feet tall. The proposal drew opposition from residents, who feared the wind turbines would disturb the natural beauty and tourism of the region.
"A big part of our economy is based on tourism. You’d have to put in roads, dig up property to put these things in," said State Senator George C. Edwards (R-Garrett). "It would distract from the scenery of the forestlands."
The debate is sure to be repeated across the country as environmentalists committed to preserving open space butt heads with those who are pushing hard for sources of renewable energy to combat climate change.
"I definitely think this will be empowering to opponents," said Frank Maisano, a spokesman for the mid-Atlantic wind power industry, including U.S. Wind Force.
He cited polls showing that most state residents favor the use of wind energy, including the building of turbines on state land.
"We’ll have to keep fighting from every mountaintop, saying why these projects are important, not only to the environment but to local economies," he said.
Governor O’Malley said the state will continue exploring renewable energy sources but said the wind energy industry should look to other land for large-scale wind farms.
"While we must continue to explore and make progress on creating a more sustainable and independent energy future for Maryland, we will not do so at the expense of the special land we hold in the public trust," he said.
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