Thanks to Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall for her commentary, “Don’t be hoodwinked by big oil.” The comment pointed out that oil and gas interests, and the conservative think tanks funded by them, are determined to maintain the fossil fuel status quo even though 68% of coastal residents support offshore wind.
Sussex County Council voted Dec. 17 to deny a conditional-use permit that would have allowed US Wind to construct a substation in Dagsboro next to the existing Indian River power plant. The new substation would have been located on land zoned HI-1, which specifically encourages the reuse of industrial sites and the development of renewable energy.
Former Council President Mike Vincent, the lone dissenting vote, warned the other council members that their job was not to make energy policy but only to rule on the appropriate use of the land in question. Former Councilman Mark Schaeffer, however, said that Delaware was getting no benefits from the project.
None? Really? US Wind will spend $200,000,000 to upgrade and strengthen the regional electricity grid. The project will employ Delaware electrical and construction workers. US Wind will supply $76,000,000 worth of renewable energy credits to Delaware, which is expected to reduce Delawareans’ electric bills. And of course, US Wind will pay Delaware corporate taxes.
The Cape Gazette published a commentary by Rep. Jeff Hilovsky Jan. 3 that states the project “will provide no electricity to Delaware.” However, US Wind’s turbines will supply approximately 1,750 MW of clean energy to the regional grid. Some amount of the wind energy electrons generated will indeed flow to Delaware homes and businesses. Plus, the clean energy will reduce greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change and will benefit Delawareans’ health.
Moreover, Delaware’s benefits are essentially risk-free. The risks cited by Hilovsky – repair and maintenance of the turbines, supply chain issues, the variability of wind and adequate energy storage, the possibility of rising interest rates and capital costs – will be assumed by US Wind and/or Maryland. It’s a sweet deal for Delaware.
On Dec. 26, a subsidiary of US Wind filed an appeal of the county council permit decision in Superior Court, citing Delaware case law as precedent. Specifically, permitting authorities cannot treat permit applicants differently who propose the same use of the land. Because the Indian River substation received a permit, denial of a permit for the US Wind substation could be considered arbitrary and overturned.
As Snyder-Hall stated, change always creates resistance. Indeed, industry has a long history of opposing changes that benefit public health and the environment to avoid expenditures. Industry fought the Clean Air Act tooth and nail. Corporations opposed lead-free paint and removing lead as a gasoline additive. Industry opposed asbestos removal and measures to curb acid rain. Automobile manufacturers opposed seat belts, with Henry Ford II saying, “We’ll have to close.”
The offshore wind fight has gone on long enough. It’s time to recognize and support the clear benefits for Delaware of this clean, renewable energy source.
-
A letter to the editor expresses a reader's opinion and, as such, is not reflective of the editorial opinions of this newspaper.
To submit a letter to the editor for publishing, send an email to newsroom@capegazette.com. Letters must be signed and include a telephone number and address for verification. Please keep letters to 500 words or fewer. We reserve the right to edit for content and length. Letters should be responsive to issues addressed in the Cape Gazette rather than content from other publications or media. Only one letter per author will be published every 30 days. Letters restating information and opinions already offered by the same author will not be used. Letters must focus on issues of general, local concern, not personalities or specific businesses.
