Md. board approves contract for wind survey

Maryland board approves $3.3 million contract to conduct survey for offshore wind

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- A Maryland board has approved a $3.3 million contract to conduct a survey off the coast of Ocean City related to developing offshore wind.

The Board of Public Works approved the contract on Wednesday with Coastal Planning & Engineering Inc. for a high-resolution geophysical survey.

The money for the contract will come from about $30 million the state of Maryland received in a settlement agreement with Exelon Corp. last year in its bid to takeover Baltimore's Constellation Energy.

Gov. Martin O'Malley's proposals to develop offshore wind have stalled in the last two regular sessions of the Maryland General Assembly. A scaled-back version passed the House of Delegates last year, but did not clear the state Senate.

O'Malley is expected to try again this year.