The area off the coast of Ocean City where Maryland officials planned to plant a wind farm was cut in half on Monday by federal officials.
The state of Maryland staked a claim over 206 square nautical miles of the Atlantic Ocean for its planned wind farm, but the Obama administration — citing concerns about shipping safety — cut that area roughly in half, to 94 square nautical miles.
Maryland was originally planning to install more than 300 turbines, which could power about 30 percent of Maryland’s energy needs, according to Gov. Martin O’Malley’s office.
The decision by the Obama administration is another setback to O’Malley’s wind energy initiatives, after Maryland lawmakers shot down his proposals this year that would have required utility companies to invest in wind energy.
