Wind energy hearings set for this week in Myrtle Beach area

Federal officials will hold public hearings in the Myrtle Beach area this week to gauge support for issuing leases to develop offshore wind along the South Carolina coast as an alternative source of energy.

The first hearing will be held from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. Wednesday at St. James High School in Murrells Inlet, and a second hearing will be held from 6 p.m until 8 p.m. Thursday in North Myrtle Beach on the second floor meeting room of Boulineau's.

The hearings are part of the 60-day comment period set in motion by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management after the potential leases were announced Nov. 23 along four South Carolina Outer Continental Shelf sites including North Myrtle Beach, Cape Romain, Winyah, and Charleston.

The public meetings are intended to inform residents about the environmental review process and solicit input regarding resources and alternatives that the federal agency should consider in their environmental assessment.

Marc Jordan, president of the North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce, says the windmill sites would sit about 10 miles offshore, barely visible except on the clearest of days.

The windmills would serve as a clean source of alternative energy to the region and provide new jobs, Jordan has said.

Hudson can be contacted at 843-444-1765

Twitter: @AudreyHudson

This story was originally published January 4, 2016 at 2:31 PM with the headline "Wind energy hearings set for this week in Myrtle Beach area."