Gov. Martin O'Malley plans to announce today that his administration will prohibit the construction of wind turbines in Maryland's state forests and parks, according to administration sources.
The decision ends a hotly protested proposal by a Pennsylvania company to clear about 400 mountaintop acres in two Western Maryland state forests to build 100 wind turbines.
O'Malley is scheduled to announce his decision this morning atop a scenic mountain overlook in Savage River State Forest that would have been altered by 40-story windmills.
U.S. Wind Force's proposal to lease state land in the Savage River and Potomac state forests was strongly opposed by Garrett County elected officials and citizens, who feared the industrialization of Western Maryland's scenic views.
"Wind turbines on state land would have absolutely destroyed for generations to come the pristine nature of our state forests," said John N. Bambacus, a former mayor of Frostburg and Republican state senator who led the fight against the turbines. "It's great news, and it's truly an indication that the governor is listening to the people up here."
The idea of leasing state forests for turbines as tall as the Statue of Liberty was also opposed by some environmentalists, who did not want private construction on public land.
But climate change activists argued that the state should allow the turbines in order to help fight global warming.
O'Malley listened to both sides but finally sided with preserving open space. "The governor feels very strongly that ... we need to protect our conservation lands because we hold them in trust for future generations," said one administration source.
Maryland has no wind farms today. Officials said O'Malley supports the construction of wind turbines on private land. Four companies are proposing to build windmills on privately owned farms in Western Maryland or in the Atlantic Ocean east of Ocean City. These proposals are moving forward or under discussion.
An administration bill passed during the recent General Assembly session gives a boost to the wind industry by requiring power companies to buy 20 percent of their electricity from alternative energy sources by 2022.
State residents expressed strong opposition to allowing turbines in state forests during a pair of public hearings in January in Western Maryland and Annapolis.
