On September 23, 2010 at St. Paul’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church in Ocean City, Maryland, CCAN and other advocates held our first town hall in the campaign to bring offshore wind power to the state.

Over two and a half years later, on March 8th, 2013, the Maryland Senate joined the House of Delegates in passing the Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2013 (HB 226), creating a process to support the development of Maryland’s first offshore wind farm.

Marylanders for offshore wind power: what follows is your story – a chronological timeline of key events in the campaign that brought us to today. It was all of your phone calls, your 10,000 petitions, hundreds of hand-written letters, letters-to-the-editor, and trips to Annapolis to rally together and to lobby your legislators that have made this happen. Maryland will be a leader in offshore wind because of you.

Beginning in Ocean City

September 23, 2010:

Ocean City residents packed the room at our very first town hall meeting to learn about offshore wind power. The enthusiasm in the room was palpable, which is why we were not surprised to find that a poll conducted in December 2012 found that support for investing in offshore wind power stood at 70% among Eastern Shore residents. In the early stages of the campaign, we also found or gained the support of Ocean City’s mayor, city commissioners, the Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association, the Worcester County tourism director, and the area’s State Senator Jim Mathias, who sits on the key Senate Finance Committee.

Wind Vision

December 4, 2010:

Over 300 Marylanders attended the state’s first citizens’ conference on offshore wind power in Annapolis. Check out a video from the conference featuring many key leaders including Senate Majority Leader Rob Garagiola, who also serves on the key Senate Finance Committee.

A Blue-Green Alliance Kicks Off the 2011 Session for Offshore Wind

January 12, 2011:

We knew from the beginning that offshore wind power development would be a shot in the arm to Maryland’s manufacturing sector. That’s why environmental groups including CCAN, Environment Maryland, the Maryland Sierra Club, the Maryland League of Conservation Voters, and the National Wildlife Federation teamed up with unions like the United Steelworkers and Baltimore Building and Construction Trades to lead the charge the first year of the campaign. There are over 1,000 Maryland businesses in industries that could participate in some level of the offshore wind supply chain, making the more than 8,000 parts that go into each turbine.

Governor O’Malley Takes the Lead

February 11, 2011:

Governor Martin O’Malley and his administration were early champions of offshore wind power, and he made it official by introducing the Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2011. While the bill did not pass the first year, we learned many lessons. The question legislators were asking was clear: Are the benefits of offshore wind power worth the investment, and how can we ensure we get the most “bang for our buck”?

Wind Activists Hit the Streets!

April 2011 and onward:

After the first session in Annapolis, we knew we had work to do. Key legislators needed to know that their constituents understood the benefits of investing in offshore wind and supported its development. CCANers and our allies fanned out across the state and ultimately gathered over 10,000 petitions and hundreds of handwritten letters. A consistent flow of supportive communication into Annapolis made it clear that Marylanders wanted to invest in our most abundant clean energy resource.

Town Hall Meetings

In the late fall of 2011 and just before the 2012 legislative session, offshore wind advocates held packed town hall meetings in Prince George’s County, Montgomery County, Baltimore City, and Baltimore County. Key legislators attended as did business leaders, clergy, and health professionals. These events made clear that local support was strong throughout the state.

Back in 2012 and Stronger than Ever!

January 2012:

After much work in the offseason, the Marylanders for Offshore Wind Power coalition entered the 2012 session running on all cylinders. A poll released at the start of session showed that a strong majority – 64 percent – of Marylanders supported investing up to $2 per month on their electric bill to support development of the state’s first offshore wind farm. The initiative had also gained the backing of a new Business Coalition for Maryland Offshore Wind, the NAACP Maryland State Conference, the League of Women Voters, Physicians for Social Responsibility, the Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Baltimore Black Chamber of Commerce, the Economic Development and Training Institute, clergy leaders and faith groups across the state like the Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of Maryland and Interfaith Power and Light of Maryland, DC, and Northern Virginia, and many other influential groups.

Maryland Student Climate Coalition Rallies to Show Offshore Wind Works for Our Future

February 23, 2012:

Over 100 students from a dozen campuses across Maryland came together for the biggest student-organized environmental rally in recent Annapolis history. Students rallied in front of the State House and were joined by key legislators and Governor O’Malley. The Student Regent of the University System of Maryland (USM) also spoke and announced the USM’s support for the bill. Additionally, students worked on campus to secure letters supporting the Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2012 from presidents and top administrators at Coppin State University, Goucher College, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Prince George’s C
ommunity College, and Chesapeake College. These letters proved that large energy users, like campuses, are willing to pay a little more to reap all the benefits of offshore wind power for our health, our economy, and our climate.

Wind Passes the House of Delegates (for the first time)!

March 30, 2012:

The Maryland House of Delegates voted 88-47 to put Maryland at the forefront of the new American offshore wind industry. House Economic Matters Committee Chairman Dereck Davis led the floor charge and made a rock-solid case that supporting development was the right choice for Maryland. Members of the Economic Matters Committee played a key role in championing the issue including Delegates Tom Hucker, Ben Kramer, Brian McHale, Michael Vaughn, David Rudolph, Aisha Braveboy, Ben Barnes, Sally Jameson, Johnny Olszewski, Charles Barkley, Hattie Harrison, Emmitt Burns, and Mary Ann Love.

A Circle of Support around the State House

April 2, 2012:

An astounding 500+ Maryland citizens (more climate activists than we can remember ever rallying in Annapolis) encircled the State House to show support for offshore wind power. The inspirational display featured glow-in-the-dark turbines that caught the attention of local media outlets. Check out this video to remember one of the best nights in the campaign!

Student Civil Disobedience Embodies Disappointment of Stalled 2012 Bill

April 9, 2012:

On the last day of session, it was clear that the bill was one vote short on the key Senate Finance Committee, despite a majority of the Senate floor expressing their support for the measure. A group of dedicated students, dubbed the “Wind Power 3,” embodied the disappointment we all felt when they refused to leave the front steps of the capital in protest. Their arrests were an inspiration to keep the fight for offshore wind power going strong. (charges were eventually dropped)

Senate President Miller Takes a Leading Role

January/February 2013:

Senate President Mike Miller is the longest-serving state senate President in the country and he’s presided over all of the climate and clean energy progress Maryland has made in the last decade. That’s why we were thrilled when he told us 2013 was the year for offshore wind. After all the hard work from YOU, CCAN staff and so many others, the bill passed the Senate Finance committee by a vote of 7-4 – gaining 1 more vote than the 6 needed for passage. Chairman Middleton, Vice Chairman Astle, and Senators Garagiola, Pugh, Klausmeier, Ramirez, and Mathias all supported the 2013 offshore wind bill.

Offshore wind passes the House and Senate!

March 8, 2013:

Phone calls and emails continued to pour in to legislators’ offices leading up to floor debates for offshore wind. Two weeks after the House of Delegates passed the offshore wind bill (86-48), the Maryland Senate sent the Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2013 to the governor’s desk for his signature! The vote was 30-15. So many leaders in Annapolis played pivotal roles, from the Governor and his staff to our lead legislative sponsors and Senate President Miller. But one thing is certain: this year’s success was because of a consistent torrent of support from you and the thousands of Marylanders who made their voices heard and never gave up. Today is your victory! Let’s savor the moment and then get back to work – together – to ensure a safe climate now and for the future.