In Late April, Audubon Mid-Atlantic was invited to participate in signing of the Maryland Promoting Off-shore Wind Energy Resources Act (POWER Act). The POWER act sets a goal for Maryland to produce 8.5 gigawatts of power from Off-shore wind by 2031, and modernizes the transmission network to accommodate the growth of renewable energy. By passing this law Governor Wes Moore, and the bill’s dedicated sponsors including Senator Katie Fry Hester, Senator Brian Feldman, Senator Benjamin Brooks, and Delegate Lorig Charkoudian demonstrate a commitment in Annapolis to protect birds throughout Maryland and to elevate Maryland as a national leader in climate action. Audubon Mid-Atlantic provided testimony in favor of the POWER act during this year’s legislative session in Annapolis.
Assembled guests and speakers at the bill signing included U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, Governor Wes Moore, Lt. Governor Aruna Miller, Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski, MD Senate President Bill Ferguson and Speaker of the House Adrienne Jones, as well as partners from organized labor and environmental organizations. In addition to noting the climate and benefits of increasing the region’s renewable energy portfolio, many speakers noted the historic location of day at Sparrows Point, once the world’s largest steel making facility. Sen. Ben Cardin noted that Sparrows Point will be an economic powerhouse again, as the site of windmill manufacturing and green jobs as Maryland leads the region ins transition to renewable energy.
Jim Brown, Policy Director for Audubon Mid-Atlantic says, “Audubon Mid-Atlantic supports the POWER Act because it will protect birds from the impacts of climate change. Adopting renewable energy is critical to reducing pollution, lowering global temperatures, and preserving the places that birds need to survive. Audubon supports renewable energy—including offshore wind —that is properly sited in ways that avoid, minimize, and mitigate negative impacts on birds and other wildlife. This law shows that Maryland can lead the way in renewable energy development in order to protect the birds, wildlife, people and landscapes that make up the fabric of our state.”
Science tells us birds are in decline due to habitat loss and climate change. Our beaches, marshes and islands support both resident and migrating birds. These unique habitats also buffer our towns and communities from rising tides and increasing storms. Maryland’s coastal habitats and the birds they support face the existential threat of climate-driven sea level rise. The latest sea level rise models for Maryland predict the almost total loss of today’s salt marshes by 2100. On the Eastern Shore, endangered birds, including the threatened Salt Marsh Sparrow, common tern, and black skimmers depend on these places for survival.
Developing renewable wind energy will slow and reverse this trend, encouraging a transition to non-greenhouse gas energy production in Maryland. This in turn will prevent climate change induced habitat loss for threatened birds and vulnerable human communities.
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Audubon Mid-Atlantic is a regional office of the National Audubon Society. We work to create a region of healthy and resilient ecosystems where birds thrive and where all people have access to nature and a voice in environmental stewardship. Working alongside a diverse flock of supporters and partners, Audubon Mid-Atlantic strives to slow down and reverse the impact that climate change and habitat loss have had on the wide range of bird species that depend on the Mid-Atlantic region.
