Maryland Public Service Commission Seeking Comments From Stakeholders on Development of Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2013 Implementing Regulations

Washington, DC (January 24, 2014): The Maryland Public Service Commission has retained Kaye Scholer and subcontractors Levitan & Associates, Inc., DNV GL and Sullivan Cove Consultants to provide assistance to the Commission Staff in developing regulations to implement the Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2013 (OWEA) that will facilitate the development of offshore wind energy in Maryland’s coastal waters.

The regulations shall establish the offshore wind facility’s project application requirements and criteria that the Commission shall consider in evaluating and comparing proposed projects. These regulations will incorporate best practices and lessons learned from offshore wind project efforts in other states and countries. The regulations shall also establish the OREC escrow funding mechanism mandated by the legislation.

We would like to hear from you. If you wish to voice your comments concerning the implementation of this important legislation, including its project application requirements and evaluation criteria and its OSW financing mechanism, you may register and do so here. For those of you involved in the process, here also is a link where documents, announcements and meeting dates concerning this project will be provided.

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Kaye Scholer’s Energy & Infrastructure Group represents leading investors, sponsors, developers, lenders, utilities and governments in the purchase and sale, capitalization and financing, planning and structuring, and permitting and regulation of energy and infrastructure assets around the globe. We combine long-standing practice excellence with deep industry knowledge in our approach to energy and infrastructure as an investment asset class.

Drawing on a multidisciplinary group of more than 30 corporate, finance, litigation, bankruptcy, tax and regulatory lawyers in our New York, London, Washington, DC, Shanghai, Frankfurt and Los Angeles offices, we take a holistic approach to solving issues: whether performing diligence on proposed portfolio investments, financing development, resolving disputes, or evaluating the potential impact that related real estate, tax or other issues may have on a project, investment or transaction.