Maryland has opened energy supply talks with a Delaware offshore wind developer, hoping to tap into green energy from an expanded wind farm off Rehoboth Beach. State Energy Administration officials in Maryland said Wednesday that options now under review include using Bluewater's proposed turbine complex to power all of Maryland's state and county buildings, and possibly drawing energy from a second wind farm that could be built off Ocean City. ... "This is in its infancy. At first blush, I would say: Build it in Delaware, let us look at it, let us see how it looks and what kind of problems you have first," Hall said. Neither of Bluewater's talks in Maryland and New Jersey currently involve forced contracts or costly, regulator-driven deals of the type used in Delaware to produce the Delmarva contract.

Hutter said he fears the "unintended consequences" of quickly drafted ordinances for or against wind turbines. So does John Bambacus, who was formerly a state senator and Frostburg mayor. After nearly 40 years in public service, he plans to ask the county planning commission June 18 to declare a six-month moratorium on any applications for wind turbines, residential or industrial, to allow county officials time to decide what should be allowed, where and under what constraints, if any. "What I have found as I have become involved in this issue for the last year or so is that in other parts of the country, it's moving at warp speed," Bambacus said. "There needs to be adequate safeguards to protect the public environmentally, as well as for public health (and) public safety, especially in industrial turbines being proposed in this region. Some of these will be as high as 440 or 460 feet ... The fact there are no safeguards in place whatsoever in Garrett County and only modestly in Allegany County ... it seems to me that rural areas have to be on their toes.

Though two Synergics wind turbine projects in Garrett County have not yet been filed with the Maryland Public Service Commission, the energy expected to be produced by them has already been put under contract. ...The contracts signed are for a proposed Synergics project on Roth Rock bordering Mettiki Coal Co. on Backbone Mountain, according to Frank Maisano, wind-power industry spokesman. This project is expected to begin delivering 40 megawatts of power in September 2009. The second Synergics project will likely be on Four Mile Ridge near Avilton, where Synergics has meteorological towers situated to study the wind potential there, Maisano said. This project is expected to produce 60 megawatts of power by December 2010.

A surcharge on electric bills in Delaware and surrounding states that was designed to increase generating capacity hasn't delivered on its promise, four states are arguing in a complaint filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The states of Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania filed the complaint late Friday, together with a coalition of electricity buyers and consumer advocates. They say the surcharge will overcharge electricity consumers in the 13-state territory in the PJM Interconnection grid by $12 billion between 2008 and 2011. As a share of that, Delmarva Power ratepayers in Delaware will overpay by about $125 million in "unjust and unreasonable" rates, the states claim.

The question about whether Garrett County will use its power of eminent domain to seize private property if a citizen refuses to grant an easement to a wind turbine company is purely a hypothetical one, according to the Garrett County commissioners. The officials indicated on Tuesday that they have no desire to use that power anytime in the near future. "You can never say never, but you can say that it's not on the horizon," said commission board chair Denny Glotfelty during a public discussion about eminent domain. "We preserve personal property. That's what we stand for. So we're not going to turn around and take that right away."

Through legislation passed last year, a company with plans for power projects generating less than 70 megawatts would bypass the certificate process. While the Clipper project proposed on the same land had been a larger-scale project than Criterion, the reduction to 28 wind turbines allows the Criterion project to fall within the exemption range. However, the change in the amount of energy being produced, the increased height of the turbines, and the change from Clipper to its subsidiary, Criterion, have been the subject of opposition to the PSC's possible acceptance of other studies, like the effect on local wildlife, done when the project was first proposed in 2002.

State regulators say they need more time to review a proposed settlement before deciding whether to approve a $1.3 billion multistate power line. State law requires the West Virginia Public Service Commission to issue a decision on the power line by May 3. But the PSC said last week that it wants to push back the deadline until at least Aug. 2. Allegheny Energy Inc. subsidiary Trans-Allegheny Interstate Line Co., also known as TrAILCo, wants to build the 500-kilovolt, 240-mile power line between Washington County, Pa., and Loudoun County, Va. In West Virginia, the line would pass through Monongalia, Preston, Tucker, Grant, Hardy and Hampshire counties.

Gov. Martin O'Malley said Saturday that his administration will not allow commercial wind turbines on state forest land, ending a heated four-month debate. "While we must continue to explore and make progress on creating a more sustainable and independent energy future for Maryland, we will not do so at the expense of the special lands we hold in the public trust," the Democratic governor said. O'Malley spoke at a news conference at a scenic overlook in the Savage River State Forest. ...The state sought public comment on the concept, bringing 1,400 responses, 83 percent of them opposed, DNR spokeswoman Olivia Campbell said.

About 75 local residents attended a Maryland Public Service Commission hearing Thursday evening at Garrett College on a proposed wind power project. PSC chief hearing examiner Bryan Moorehouse heard testimony from 30 residents, with 24 opposing the initiative. The event was nearly 3½ hours long. Clipper Windpower, also known as Criterion Power Partners, plans to construct wind turbines along the Backbone Mountain ridgeline between Allegheny Heights and Wild Turkey Rock. The structures would have a combined generating capacity of up to 70 megawatt (MW) of electricity. "This is not a new project," said Kevin Rackstraw, Clipper's eastern development leader. "It's actually a very old project."

Though there are claims that representatives of Clipper Windpower could not recall Garrett County trying to get out of a lease between the company and the Garrett County Sanitary District, documents show that the county did make such attempts, Mike Getty, county attorney, said. "We did exactly what the memo (from 2005) said. We looked for the best way possible to remove the county from housing a windpower facility..." Getty said. "We were contacted by (Clipper's attorney) that they weren't interested."

A deal made in 2003 between the Garrett County Sanitary District and Clipper Windpower could result in wind turbines on property now owned by the county. "The county had nothing to do with that," Denny Glotfelty, county commission chairman, said. "The sanitary district at that time was a private entity. ... The county took over the sanitary district and the county tried to see if they could get out of the contract." Glotfelty, who had been on the Garrett County Sanitary District before it became a county-operated entity, said that the proposal was made to the sanitary district in 2002, and the sanitary district presented it to the towns of Loch Lynn and Mountain Lake Park, both of which had water sources in the area in question on Backbone Mountain. When both towns agreed to allow the wind turbines to come in, the sanitary district moved ahead with a lease with Clipper.

The Garrett County government stands to reap more than $840,000 in royalty payments from a 2003 agreement allowing construction of three wind turbines on county land, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press. The disclosure follows the county commissioners' unanimous vote Feb. 5 to oppose construction of wind turbines on state forest land because they would reduce its recreational value. Dennis Glotfelty, Republican chairman of the Board of County Commissioners, said Friday he saw no reason to reveal the county's stake in the Clipper Windpower Inc. project during heated debate about turbines on public land over the last three months. "The people didn't bring it up and nothing was addressed on it one way or another," Glotfelty said.

James Stanton, chairman of the Garrett County Democratic Central Committee, said that the construction of 100 "monster" turbines, each taller than the tallest building in Baltimore, is not an appropriate use of state green space. "As a matter of good public policy, state forests should not be used for this purpose," Stanton said. "The proposed large turbines and propellers, 40 stories tall...(would be) the reverse of the 'leave no trace' philosophy embraced by the Department of Natural Resources." "It's the very character of the mountains...and the state forests that define who we are," said state Del. Wendell Beitzel, a Republican from Garrett County whose ancestors grew up the rural area. "I beseech you to relay to the governor and other people that we don't want wind turbines on our land in Western Maryland." Charlie Ross, head of the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce, said: "Please reject this proposal." "What calculus of economic benefits can possibly justify destroying our public land forever?" asked John N. Bambacus, a former state senator from Western Maryland who has been active in rallying Garrett County business and political leaders against the leasing of state forests.

Local residents who attended Tuesday's Garrett County commissioners meeting feel that the draft of the county comprehensive plan does not recognize their opinions on bringing wind power to the county. "I've been disappointed that you've held no hearings, answered no questions and basically you put what I know to be a developer boiler plate for your passage in the comprehensive plan," John Boone said. Boone argued that not only does the draft plan seem to show support for the existence of wind power in Garrett County, but that he believes such support is unfounded. The portion of the plan reads, "While the county acknowledges the potential negative impacts of wind power facilities, it also recognizes the benefits, especially those related to clean, sustainable power generation, and the socioeconomic and fiscal benefits to the county. On balance, the county supports wind power at appropriate locations, provided any site-specific negative impacts can be mitigated."

The governor talked at length about developing clean, renewable energy sources, whether it be solar power, wind or otherwise. A wind energy coalition has applied to build wind turbines on state land in Allegany and Garrett counties. O'Malley said that a "balance" must be struck between harnessing renewable energy sources and preserving Mountain Maryland's scenic beauty. "We did not want to make a decision without hearing from everybody," said O'Malley, who said that the western part of the state is "one of the most beautiful places that God put on the planet."

Sen. George Edwards, who sent a letter Friday to Gov. Martin O'Malley opposing energy-producing wind turbines on state lands in Western Maryland, said the issue must be resolved. Edwards said he's spent considerable time meeting with a number of constituents and groups to learn more about the issue. "The way the majority of these people (think), even those who support windmills, oppose putting them on state land," Edwards said. "I think there's other things better we can do on state land, than put windmills, that would provide a lot more benefit for local people. The best thing the state can do is not allow windmills on state land in Allegany and Garrett counties." Edwards said wind turbines on private land "is a little different than (placing them on) state-owned property" and questioned whether it is a good idea to rely on wind as an energy source for the masses.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has changed the dates of two public meetings about the possibility of wind-power projects on state forest land in western Maryland. The first meeting will be held the night of January 30 at Garrett College in McHenry, a week later than previously scheduled.

The Allegany-Garrett Sportsmen's Association determined Tuesday that it's 2,500-member organization would weigh in concerning a recent request by US Wind Force to place windmills on state forest land managed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. "We will research the issue and discuss the matter at our January meeting before voting on it," said Bill Wilhelm, named Tuesday as the group's president for the upcoming year. Some, however, were ready to voice their opinions right away. "We should oppose any windmills on state lands and also study any impacts if they would be put on private lands," said Mike Rugola, who will be AGSA's secretary during 2008. Outgoing President Mike Griffith agreed and noted that AGSA's next meeting and vote would take place before DNR meetings on the subject are conducted.

Topics from wind turbines on state land to alcohol sales on Sunday were discussed at a legislative forum held on Saturday at Garrett College. "We continue to have problems on the southern part of the county (with wind turbines)," Bob Lewis of Oakland said. "But I sense a lot of opposition on this. There are people taking a stand against this that have not previously taken a side on the issue." Delegate Wendell Beitzel and Sen. George Edwards both discussed their views on this current topic of debate. Beitzel said he was opposed to placing industrial windmills on state forests, saying the land is something that needs preserved. He said other parts of the state are coping with the loss of farmland and open space because of development. "We're really lucky to have this state land in the county," he said. "I'm very much opposed to these."