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Delegation hears Rep. Harris: administration ordered study of offshore wind leases; Ocean City project faces review
Summary
Rep. Andy Harris told the Eastern Shore delegation that a presidential executive order paused new offshore wind lease sales and directed the Department of the Interior to review existing leases, including the Ocean City project; Harris said the administration may seek to rescind permits if the review finds procedural problems.
Rep. Andy Harris briefed the Eastern Shore delegation on a White House executive order issued Jan. 22 that halted new offshore wind lease sales and ordered a broad review of existing leases and permits.
Harris said the order directs the Department of the Interior to examine environmental, commercial and national-security considerations tied to existing authorizations and to coordinate with the Department of Justice on potential contract rescission. "The president in an executive order on Monday eliminated the sales of new leases off for offshore wind and then took the step of telling the Department of the Interior to investigate the current leases," Harris said.
Harris singled out the Ocean City Wind Project, saying it had been "rushed through at the last minute" by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and that the review could lead to withdrawal of permits. He predicted the Department of Justice could devise a plan to "step back from the contracts that have been approved for permitting," and said it was possible the operating permit issued in December might be withdrawn.
Why it matters: Ocean City and other coastal communities view offshore projects as having direct impacts on navigation, commercial fishing, military training and local economies. Harris and several local officials framed the order as a win for local voices and national security reviews.
Harris said the administration's objective is broader than a single project: he described a White House aim to curtail the federal push for large offshore projects and said future leases will be paused pending the review. Delegation members from Ocean City thanked Harris for his leadership and asked that the review address marine impacts, commercial-fishing access and radar/navigation concerns.
No formal action or vote was taken by the delegation; Harris said he was coordinating with New Jersey Rep. Jeff Van Drew and planned meetings with the incoming secretary of the interior and other administration officials to press local concerns.
