Representatives of Hoboken, N.J.-based Bluewater Wind met with O'Malley and Maryland's Department of Natural Resources last year to pitch the idea of building 150 turbines, each 40 feet tall and a dozen miles out to sea, off Ocean City at a cost of $1.6 billion.
Woolf said the administration is not endorsing construction off Ocean City but isn't ruling it out. He said any such project would require study of its possible effects on birds, fish and other marine animals, though he added that Delaware's studies had found little reason to expect trouble.
Johanna Newman, state director of the Maryland Public Interest Research Group, said Maryland needs to embrace renewable-energy projects such as the offshore wind farm endorsed by O'Malley.
"Clearly, it should go through rigorous environmental review to make sure it doesn't harm offshore marine habitats, but offshore wind is something the state should be supportive of," she said. "I think it's a great idea. Offshore wind has tremendous potential to generate lots of electricity for the state with zero global warming pollution."
O'Malley's support for offshore wind power contrasts with his recent decision to block a proposal to build wind farms in state forests in Western Maryland.
That idea drew considerable local opposition because of the impact the turbines would have had on the region's scenic mountain ridges.
After heavy lobbying by both sides, O'Malley said state forests are not an appropriate place for industrial development.
Better than oil rigs
Kathy Phillips, who works as the coastkeeper for the Assateague Coastal Trust, said environmentalists in the Ocean City area appear willing to give close consideration to the latest proposal - particularly if studies reveal no threat to migratory birds.
"I'd say you'd call us cautiously optimistic that it could work well at producing clean energy," said Phillips. "I think a lot of people would rather see wind turbines than oil rigs."
Susan Jones, who heads the Hotel, Motel and Restaurant Association, says many of her 400 members are talking about the wind-powered towers. Some think the contraptions might be a tourist draw.
"The cost of energy is really on the minds of a lot of business people," she said.
"Maybe it would be something of interest for green tourists who want to see for themselves."
michael.dresser@baltsun.com
tom.pelton@baltsun.com
Sun reporter Chris Guy contributed to this article.
