Dear Friend,

This past Saturday, I held a public forum in Ocean City, MD to discuss the impacts offshore wind industrialization is having on the environment, local economy, marine life, and our national security. The event was a tremendous success and I want to personally thank Congressmen Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) and Chris Smith (R-NJ) for joining me in hosting this event. I also want to thank our panel of experts who provided up-to-date information on the potentially harmful impacts of offshore wind industrialization. 

WHAT WE LEARNED:

Throughout the course of the forum, one thing remained clear: the people of Maryland do not want offshore wind industrialization off our coast. An estimated 500 people braved the cold temperatures on Saturday to learn how American taxpayer dollars are being used to subsidize green energy initiatives that may be harming local industries. 

Six experts at the event's panel testified on behalf of fishermen, local and state elected officials, environmental organizations, and economic concerns. In addition, the experience of the panelists was broad, ranging from community leaders and watermen advocates to experts on acoustics and marine life.

The message was clear: the Bureau of Ocean Management (BOEM) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have not taken due precautions to consider the national security, environmental, and economic repercussions of offshore wind projects. In addition, it was made clear that the process used to build offshore windmills disturbs marine life and may be a contributing factor to the unprecedented rise in whale deaths over the past few years.

Regrettably, it appears that environmental impact standards were bypassed to allow these projects to proceed. It is my hope that the Federal government immediately accounts for information from this forum and that NOAA and BOEM regulate these projects with an appropriate level of scrutiny, rather throwing caution to the wind in the interest of promoting a highly lucrative, taxpayer-subsidized green energy complex.

If you were not able to attend and are interested in watching the forum, you can access the recording of the event by visiting my YouTube channel, @RepAndyHarris, or by visiting the following link below.

Public Forum on the Harmful Effects of Offshore Wind Industrialization – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4ycVEcuEa4&t=2720s

As the representative of Maryland's Atlantic coast, know that I hear the concerns of my constituents and will continue to work diligently on their behalf to address their concerns about offshore wind industrialization.

Marylanders simply cannot afford the negative economic impacts of offshore wind farms.