Queen Anne’s County Takes Big Step in Solar

Linda G. Weimer • August 16, 2022

Queen Anne’s County’s newest and largest solar farm is a big step toward clean energy in Maryland. For nearby residents, however, Bluegrass Solar is a regrettable loss of valuable soils and familiar countryside. But to those charged with promoting the broad public interest, it’s not a case of black and white, good and bad, but a balanced innovation.

Bluegrass Solar is racing to complete its new solar array on 320 acres of the 500-acre Knight farm, whose family members signed 25-year leases with developers to bring it about, with options for 10 more years. About eight miles southeast of Chestertown, the facility in the north end of Queen Anne’s is bounded by John Powell, Pondtown, Sheriff Meredith, Bowers, and Ewingtown roads. The property measures 4.5 miles around.

This project should be cheering environmentalists eager to slow global warming by adding an 80 megawatt (MW) no-emission generator to the regional grid. The delivery takes place via an on-site substation directly to a high-voltage Delmarva Power transmission line that passes above the property. Once all the facility’s 188,000 solar panels are online, Bluegrass electricity should power 64,000 homes. That would rank Bluegrass second in the state to Great Bay Solar, with 145 MWs in Somerset County.

With the passage in April of Maryland’s Climate Solutions Now Act, the state set itself a goal of reducing greenhouse gasses by 60 percent of the 2006 level by 2031. By 2050, the Act says, the state should be emitting zero heat holding gas. Even as environmentalists, such as the Maryland League of Conservation Voters, praise the Act as the most ambitious of any state, others see it as unfeasible. Reasons are obvious: As of early 2022, PJM (a regional transmission organization that coordinates the movement of wholesale electricity) had a backlog of over 800 proposed renewable projects to review, some waiting for two years. Further, the biggest share of heat-trapping emissions in the state comes not from power plants, but from cars, trucks, and other motor vehicles.

With state and federal tax incentives and the decreasing costs of solar panels, solar developers are finally enjoying a boom, and with its flat terrain, Maryland’s Eastern Shore is a draw.

Bluegrass’ senior project manager, Jay Marx of Narenco, Inc., of Charlotte, N.C., sounded enthusiastic as he talked about the many subcontractors — up to 280 workers on site per day — aimed at delivering Bluegrass on time.

After weeks of testing, Bluegrass should be fully engaged by Thanksgiving, he said. The builders are made up of solar professionals, firms that put in bids and “travel the country from job to job,” some sinking steel posts that anchor the rows of panels, others attaching plywood-sized, 4x8 foot solar panels. “The money’s really good too,” he added.

The payment to farmers is also good. Sources set the average at $1,000 per acre per year, considerably more than the average profit from farming, and without labor, expenses, and the uncertainties of weather and markets.

“I’m trying to reach the schools, get them to take a field trip, so they can see what solar is all about,” Marx added. A feature of Bluegrass’s design is panels that move; since about 2018, most ground-mounted panels track the angle of sunlight, boosting power about 30 percent.

The grays — the mix of pros and cons in the project — are noted by people such as County Commissioner Jack Wilson (whose District 1 includes the Knight property), the QA Board of Appeals, and Amy Moredock, planning director for Queen Anne’s County.

Wilson says he and others fought off utility-scale solar proposals for at least five years. Since then, court decisions have established that Maryland counties face severe threats of lost autonomy in their planning and zoning roles if they reject projects approved by the Maryland Public Service Commission, which regulates utilities in the state. That commission has also been charged with increasing the number of renewable (solar and wind) power facilities in operation.

“We have to play nice in the Public Service Commission sandbox,” Wilson said. Public hearings on those failed projects were attended by huge crowds, he noted, and at that time, such political pressure was sufficient to dissuade the commission. Today, backed by case law, it can act more independently.

Wilson said the danger to the county’s authority was worse than utility-scale solar in an agricultural area. Under the county zoning code, solar projects are a conditional use allowed in areas zoned agriculture or countryside. They must be approved by the County Board of Appeals. Bluegrass was approved with many stipulations by a 2-to-1 vote. The county commissioners had no vote on it.

Still, Wilson said Bluegrass riled enough District 1 residents that he faced an anti-Bluegrass challenger in the July 19 Republican primary and won by only 38 votes out of 5,430 cast. The position of commissioner pays $25,000 annually.

Twelve nearby residents almost unanimously opposed the project during the June 2019 public hearings by the Board of Appeals, fewer at local hearings by the Public Service Commission. There are about 20 properties adjacent to the solar field’s 4.5-mile boundary, most on Ewingtown Road.

Residents objected to potential storm run-off, the area’s lost rural character, and more cumbersome operations for surrounding farms. They also predicted a severe impact on the area’s migrating waterfowl.

The loss of 500 acres of forage and roosting space would also mean the loss of autumn income to hunting outfitters and guides, who are often farmers in summer, several testified. The developer provided a retired state wildfowl expert who disputed that prediction since local ponds remain. But the remarks of the local hunting faction bore heavily on the “No” vote from the Appeals Board’s then-chair, Kenneth Scott. He wrote, “I think the evidence establishes beyond any doubt the significance of waterfowl and hunting to this neighborhood.”

Scott was outvoted by board members Craig McGinnes and Bill Moore. They noted it made sense to put the installation where high-voltage lines pass overhead in accordance with the county’s ‘utility solar overlay’ district created in late 2017. That law confines such projects to within two miles of transmission lines. The measure sought to prevent disturbing a wider area as building underground connections from distant solar sites would have done.

Then in September 2019, the Public Service Commission added its stamp of approval, granting Bluegrass a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. Reviews and some additional requirements were set forth by state agencies covering archeologic and historic properties (none known on site); avoidance of woods and wetlands (standards met); protecting soil, air and water qualities and threatened fresh-water mussels nearby; and preserving a pleasant view through landscaping a buffer strip.

Amy Moredock, the county’s planning director, echoed Wilson’s and the Appeals Board’s and Commission’s views. She emphasized the scrutiny that Bluegrass has received and will continue to receive. The goal is to ensure the operator follows the many environmental details in their license, which include posting bond to ensure total removal of all equipment within 12 months after the facility reaches the end of its useful life, generally around 25 years.

While under construction, the site is regularly visited by the county’s zoning and public works staff, Moredock said. Wilson said he was notified of storm run-off by neighbors, which resulted in orders to repair silt fences. Residents have already called with concerns about the prescribed variety of plants, mostly native species, going in the vegetation buffer.

The mix of trees and shrubs was designed by Moredock’s predecessor, Michael Wisnosky. At Bluegrass, using a state incentive, clear areas and spaces among the panels will be seeded as meadows to encourage insect pollinators, now in worrisome decline. Some studies indicate such untilled meadows over several decades may leave soils healthier than farming them.

Moredock summed up the situation: “Every county in Maryland has a role to play in supporting the state’s clean energy goals. But we have to be clear that agricultural land is not unused land, not vacant land up for grabs.”

Linda G. Weimer retired from full-time news reporting in 2009 after three years with the Sun Media Group's suburban Baltimore weeklies. As a freelancer, her work has appeared in more than a dozen regional and national publications, including The Washington Post, Sierra Magazine, Seafood Leader, and the New York Times.

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US Wind, Oceantic Pitch Offshore Wind Future Amid Trump Attacks

By Jan Plotczyk • September 10, 2025

At Shore Progress’s monthly meeting last week, the tension between national politics and local opportunity was on full display. With President Donald Trump escalating his attacks on offshore wind, representatives from US Wind and the Oceantic Network made their case directly to members gathered in Salisbury. From the outset, the presenters stressed the scale of what’s coming to the Eastern Shore. “This project is the equivalent of building two nuclear power plants off our coast,” US Wind representative Dave Wilson said, pointing to plans for 114 turbines and four offshore substations. Together, he said, the project will generate two net gigawatts of clean energy, enough to power approximately 26% of the homes in Maryland. The presentation walked members through the timeline: a four-phase buildout beginning in the southeast corner of the lease area, with each phase, including its own export cable, routed through Indian River Bay into the regional grid at the Indian River Power Plant in Delaware. Environmental safeguards on display Slides showed how US Wind plans to minimize negative effects on wildlife. The company will use an aircraft detection lighting system to keep turbines dark until a low-flying aircraft approaches, reducing night-sky light pollution. Marine protections include bubble curtains to dampen noise during pile driving, visual and acoustic monitoring for whales, and strict shutdown zones if animals enter construction areas. Lights will be on less than 1% of the time in any given year, underscoring their view that offshore wind can coexist with migratory birds, commercial fishing, and marine transit. Economic promise for the Shore The discussion turned quickly to what the project means locally. US Wind pledged hundreds of jobs for the Shore, with commitments to use union labor and partner with minority, women, and veteran-owned businesses. Officials noted that the Lower Shore Workforce Alliance has already received $700,000 from Maryland Works for Wind to build training programs, while community colleges are adjusting trade curricula to educate the next generation of turbine technicians. A planned operations and maintenance facility in West Ocean City will house technicians and crew transfer vessels, bringing steady employment and infrastructure investment to the harbor. A national fight with local stakes The meeting didn’t shy away from politics. Several members noted Trump’s repeated attempts to derail offshore wind projects including his latest push to revoke US Wind’s federal permit. US Wind officials acknowledged that such lawsuits could delay progress but insisted that the project’s federal approvals are on solid ground. “This is the Eastern Shore's moment,” Shore Progress Chair Jared Schablein said, referring to a slide that showed more than $815 million in offshore wind investments statewide. “The question is whether politics will slow us down, or whether we keep building for the Shore’s future.” The presentation had a clear message: Offshore wind is not just about clean power, but also about jobs, investment, and opportunity for Eastern Shore families. Jan Plotczyk spent 25 years as a survey and education statistician with the federal government, at the Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics. She retired to Rock Hall.

Gov. Moore Signs “Housing Starts Here” Order to Tackle Maryland’s Affordability Crisis

By Gren Whitman • September 10, 2025

Standing at the Legacy at Twin Rivers apartment community in Howard County, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore signed an executive order aimed at addressing his state’s deepening housing crisis. Titled Housing Starts Here, his order is designed to accelerate construction of affordable homes and cut through what Moore called years of “no and slow” decision-making in state housing policy. Maryland is facing a shortage of at least 96,000 housing units, according to state estimates, a gap that officials say has driven up prices, pushed families out of the state, and stifled economic growth. “Building pathways to wealth for Marylanders, creating jobs, attracting new businesses and residents, growing our economy, and securing our future all start with housing,” Moore said at the signing. “We need to be the state of yes and now.” Five guiding principles The executive order lays out five core priorities for state housing policy: Use state land for housing . Agencies must identify surplus properties and land near transit stations that can be converted into new housing developments. Cut red tape. State permitting processes will be streamlined, with new rules allowing third-party reviewers to accelerate approvals. Strengthen partnerships. A new State Housing Ombudsman will serve as a liaison to help coordinate projects between state agencies, local governments, and developers. Set clear goals. By January 2026, the state will publish housing production targets for each county and update them every five years. Incentivize affordable housing. Jurisdictions that meet housing targets or pass pro-housing policies will be recognized with new Maryland Housing Leadership Awards, making them more competitive for state funding. Speed as the priority State officials said the new framework is focused on cutting delays that can hold back projects for years. By digitizing applications, engaging multiple agencies simultaneously, and allowing outside reviewers, the state aims to expedite project completion while upholding environmental and community standards. What could this mean for us on the Eastern Shore? Moore acknowledged that housing affordability consistently ranks as Marylanders’ No. 1 concern. For young people in particular, high costs and long commutes are major reasons they leave the state. The order seeks to reverse that trend, tying housing growth to job creation and transit access. On the Eastern Shore , where rental availability and starter homes are limited, Moore’s order could open opportunities for mixed-use, transit-oriented projects on state-owned land, as well as accelerate approval for affordable housing initiatives backed by nonprofits and local developers. What comes next The Department of Housing and Community Development will publish the state’s first set of production targets by Jan. 1, 2026, followed by annual progress reports starting in 2027. Agencies have until March 2026 to implement many of the new permitting and funding acceleration rules. Moore framed the executive order as a generational investment. “Making housing more affordable is not just about building shelter, it’s about building a legacy,” he said.

Alsobrooks Leads Push to Remove RFK Jr. From HHS, Citing “Costs, Chaos, and Corruption”

By Gren Whitman • September 10, 2025

Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) has intensified her calls for Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to step down, releasing a detailed report that she says proves his tenure has been a disaster for American families. The first senator to demand Kennedy’s resignation in May, Alsobrooks joined Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) in unveiling a 54-page report that chronicles what they describe as the “costly, chaotic, and corrupt” record of Kennedy’s first 203 days at the department. Released before Kennedy’s Senate hearing last week, the report outlines examples of alleged mismanagement for each day since he was sworn in on Feb. 13. “Robert Kennedy’s tenure as America’s chief health officer has been higher costs, more chaos, and boundless corruption,” Wyden said. “His actions are endangering children, leaving parents confused and scared, and forcing families and taxpayers to pay more for their health care.” Echoing that assessment, Alsobrooks cited testimony from scientists at the National Institutes of Health in Maryland who she says have watched critical cancer research grind to a halt under Kennedy’s leadership. “His actions are increasing Americans’ health care costs, causing chaos, and furthering the Trump administration’s endless stream of corruption,” she said. The report argues that Kennedy has: Driven up costs by backing the Trump administration’s budget plan, which Alsobrooks says strips health coverage from 15 million Americans while handing tax breaks to the wealthy and corporations. Created chaos by dismantling HHS programs, undermining research institutions, and promoting vaccine misinformation. Engaged in corruption by using the office to advance personal and family financial interests, particularly around limiting vaccine access. Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy group, praised Alsobrooks’ leadership. “President Trump and Senate Republicans made a grievous error when entrusting Kennedy with our nation’s health,” the group said in. “It is far past time that President Trump rectifies this error by firing Kennedy before more lives are unnecessarily put at risk.” Alsobrooks appeared on the Morning Joe TV show on to discuss the findings and to reiterate her demand that Kennedy resign or be removed. “This is about protecting families and protecting science,” she said. “Our nation’s health system cannot afford another day under Robert Kennedy’s reckless watch.” As a community organizer, journalist, administrator, project planner/manager, and consultant, Gren Whitman has led neighborhood, umbrella, public interest, and political committees and groups, and worked for civil rights and anti-war organizations.

Wicomico Officials Advance ICE Partnership Amid Community Opposition and Rising Concerns

By CSES Staff • September 10, 2025

Wicomico County leaders have announced plans to move forward with the federal government’s controversial 287(g) program, entering into an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that would deputize local officers to serve immigration warrants inside the county jail. Under the model selected, known as the Warrant Service Officer program, specially trained deputies at the detention center would be allowed to serve civil immigration warrants on individuals already in custody. County Executive Julie Giordano and Sheriff Mike Lewis emphasized that deputies would not conduct street-level immigration enforcement. “Public safety is our top responsibility,” Giordano said. “The Warrant Service Officer program provides our sheriff’s office with the tools they need to address individuals already in custody who may pose a risk to our community at no additional cost to the county.” Lewis added that the program “gives our deputies the ability to safely and lawfully carry out their duties while ensuring that Wicomico County remains a secure place to live, work, and raise a family.” Community pushback The announcement drew swift opposition from civil rights and community organizations, including the ACLU of Maryland, the Wicomico NAACP, and local grassroots groups such as Crabs on the Shore, who have warned that the agreement will harm immigrant families, sow fear, and erode trust between residents and law enforcement. Opponents also criticized the process, arguing that the decision was rushed through without meaningful public input despite repeated calls for hearings. “This is being framed as an administrative detail, but it has huge consequences for our neighbors,” one advocate said. Concerns about cost and precedent Supporters of the WSO model have emphasized that the partnership comes “at no additional cost” to Wicomico taxpayers, but critics point out that other jurisdictions have found otherwise. Anne Arundel County canceled its own 287(g) agreement, citing high costs and community backlash. The Camden Police Department in Delaware withdrew from a similar partnership after public protests in May. Advocates note that the federal government does not fully reimburse counties for the time, training, and legal exposure associated with 287(g) programs, leaving local taxpayers to shoulder hidden expenses. First on Delmarva If finalized, Wicomico County would become the first government or police agency on the Delmarva Peninsula to formally enter into a 287(g) agreement with ICE. Supporters say that distinction demonstrates a commitment to accountability and public safety. Opponents warn it risks branding the county as hostile to immigrant communities that have long been central to the Shore’s workforce, particularly in poultry processing and agriculture. The county’s decision comes amid a broader national debate about local involvement in federal immigration enforcement, with critics warning that partnerships like 287(g) make communities less safe by discouraging victims and witnesses from coming forward. For now, the final agreement is pending federal approval. But with strong opposition already mobilized, the fight over Wicomico’s new partnership is likely only beginning.

Wicomico Democrats Silent as County Leaders Advance ICE Agreement

By CSES Staff • September 10, 2025

Wicomico County Republicans have moved forward with an agreement to join the federal 287(g) program, aligning the county with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). County Executive Julie Giordano and Sheriff Mike Lewis are backing the program to train county officers at the detention center to help ICE identify non-citizens for deportation proceedings. The agreement has triggered strong pushback from immigrant advocates, civil rights groups, and community leaders who warn that this partnership will erode trust between residents and law enforcement, risk racial profiling, and allot local tax dollars to assist federal immigration enforcement. Yet amid the growing controversy, the Wicomico County Democratic Central Committee has issued no response to the ICE agreement, even as residents voice frustration that the Democratic establishment’s silence has ceded the conversation to Republicans. Moreover, the Central Committee has remained silent with regard to recent comments by Democratic Councilwoman April Jackson, who told the Washington Post that the poultry industry should reduce its reliance on immigrant workers. Jackson also said, “a lot of Americans aren’t employed because the Haitians are taking our jobs.” Jackson’s remarks have drawn widespread criticism from immigrant advocates. For many residents, the Democratic leadership’s silence is as much of a concern as the county government’s new partnership with ICE. As the county waits for federal approval of the 287(g) agreement, the absence of a Democratic counterweight has left immigrant families and community organizers to carry the opposition on their own.

As Questions Swirl About County Executive Run, Del. Sheree Sample-Hughes to Host Community Conversation in Dorchester

By Community Desk • September 10, 2025

With speculation mounting that Delegate Sheree Sample-Hughes (D-37A) may run for County Executive for Wicomico County in 2026, the longtime Eastern Shore lawmaker will headline a Community Conversation in Dorchester County on Sept. 17 at 6 pm. Sponsored by the Eastern Shore Democrats, the event will give residents the opportunity to hear Sample-Hughes speak about local priorities — schools, public safety, health care access, and economic development in the mid-Shore. Sample-Hughes, former Speaker Pro Tem of the Maryland House of Delegates, has represented portions of Wicomico and Dorchester counties for more than a decade. Her record includes bipartisan work on district projects, as well as efforts to expand health services and invest in infrastructure. Although organizers emphasize that the Sept. 17 gathering is not a campaign event, the timing has fueled interest. Political observers note that any appearance by Sample-Hughes will be closely watched as Democrats weigh potential challengers for County Executive in the upcoming cycle. The forum will include remarks from the delegate, followed by a question-and-answer session. Seating is available first-come, first-served and residents from across the Shore are encouraged to attend. Key details What: Community Conversation with Del. Sheree Sample-Hughes When: Sept. 17, 6 pm Where: Dorchester County, venue to be announced by organizers. Format: Remarks followed by audience Q&A Before her election to the House of Delegates, Sample-Hughes served on the Wicomico County Council. Should she enter the county executive race, many believe she would be a serious challenger to Republican incumbent Julie Giordano.