House urged to vote in favor of HB 170

On June 14, I testified before the Delaware Senate Environment and Energy Committee in favor of Senate Bill 170 for offshore wind energy. SB 170’s many sponsors include Sen. Russell Huxtable, who represents our Cape Region. On June 15, the Senate voted nearly unanimously in favor of SB 170, with only one opposed – impressive bipartisan support. 

The last time I testified at a public hearing in Delaware was in November 2007, when I appeared before the Public Service Commission with dozens of other witnesses all testifying strongly in favor of the proposed power purchase agreement between Delmarva Power and Bluewater Wind. That day, PSC commissioners were so impressed with the widespread support for offshore wind energy that they voted to advance the proposed agreement. Then in June 2008, timely intervention and strong support from then-Lt. Gov. John Carney helped convince the Legislature to approve the deal. It was an extraordinary moment of inspiring national leadership for Delaware, as the First State was the first state in the U.S. to commit to offshore wind energy, following the example of European countries such as Denmark.

Tragically, the global financial crisis came in September 2008, and as a result, Delaware’s offshore wind project never happened. During the past few years, many of our neighboring states, including Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, Virginia and North Carolina, have been moving forward with offshore wind, assisted by vital support from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and from Congress through financial and tax incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act. There are many good reasons why our neighboring states want offshore wind power: 1. it will save a lot of money on energy costs, particularly over the long run as nonrenewable fossil fuels become increasingly expensive; 2. it enhances energy independence; 3. it creates jobs and grows businesses; 4. it reduces emissions and protects from sea-level rise, coastal flooding and extreme weather caused by climate change; 5. it reduces air pollution and enhances quality of life; 6. it improves public health and cuts medical costs from cancer and respiratory diseases; 7. it accelerates the clean energy economy that will lead global economic competitiveness in the 21st century.

It is long past time for Delaware to get back in the game and join our neighboring states in developing offshore wind energy to strengthen our economy and protect our sustainable environment. The best way to move forward is for the House to pass SB 170 before the end of June. We ask House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf to support SB 170 by soon bringing it to the floor for a vote, now that the House Natural Resources and Energy Committee has approved the bill with bipartisan support. Once Gov. Carney signs this new law, DNREC can complete several key studies by the end of this year, enabling Delaware to initiate a competitive offshore wind procurement process in 2024, and hopefully we will begin enjoying many economic, business, employment, clean energy, climate, environmental and health benefits of offshore wind power by 2028.