The Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2011, championed by Gov. Martin O'Malley, D-Md., will not receive a vote in the state's General Assembly after lawmakers said they needed more time to study the impact of the legislation on ratepayers, The Baltimore Sun reports.
The legislation would require public utilities to leverage Maryland's offshore wind resources by entering into long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) with wind power generation facilities off the Mid-Atlantic coast.
Shaun Adamec, O'Malley's press secretary, said the wind bill's shelving was ‘not unexpected’ because other major, complex legislative proposals have taken more than one year to pass. He added that the governor will work with lawmakers to bring the bill back next year.
SOURCE: The Baltimore Sun
