Offshore wind developer US Wind Inc. is proposing a $20 million fund “to support commercial fishing” under agreements with Maryland and Delaware state officials.
The memoranda of understanding reached with Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources and the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control were “developed in response to feedback from the local commercial fishing industry, (and) will provide funding to commercial fishermen above and beyond what is required by the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management,” according to a May 14 joint statement from the company and state agencies.
The fund would include $13.5 million for the “Maryland Fishing Community Resilience Fund,” aimed at maintaining the commercial fishing infrastructure at Ocean City, Md., where US Wind plans a base of operations. The company holds an 80,000-acre federal lease off the Delmarva coast with potential for developing turbine arrays with a nameplate rating up to 1,800 megawatts.
The funding announcement comes at a time of immense pressure and peril for the fledging U.S. offshore wind industry, facing unrelenting animus from the Trump administration. Wind developer Equinor has warned it may be forced to shelve all work on its 810 MW Empire Wind project off New York after BOEM issued a stop-work order.
“This proposal — one of the biggest investments in commercial fishing in the region – demonstrates our commitment to the fishing industry and the local community in which we’ll operate,” Jeffrey Grybowski, US Wind CEO, said in the May 14 announcement.
“The funding will provide direct support to commercial and charter fishermen, grants for local businesses, and support for harbor maintenance and infrastructure. We’re looking forward to continuing our work with local fishermen and the states of Maryland and Delaware to finalize this unprecedented agreement.”
Wind power has long faced opposition from Ocean City tourism and commercial fishing advocates. That opposition has extended into Delaware beach communities where local groups try to stymie state plans from new infrastructure for bringing offshore wind energy to the regional grid.
In Ocean City, US Wind says it “reduced its planned footprint of harborside facilities after hearing feedback from locals.” The $13.5 allocated to the Maryland Fishing Community Resilience Fund could provide:
· Grants for fishing businesses in the harbor to continue the offloading of catch and ice services;
· 30 years of funding for West Ocean City Harbor maintenance, such as dredging requested each year by the community, dock and shore stabilization; and
· Substantial money for gear development, marketing of local seafood, fishing business development, and incentives for new commercial fishermen.
State officials are pushing to maintain political momentum for the project.
“Maryland recognizes the cultural and economic value of our ocean-going commercial and charter fishing industries,” said Maryland Department of Natural Resources Josh Kurz. “This agreement works to balance our need to develop reliable and clean domestic energy sources with our desire to support the state’s seafood industry and commercial fishing operations.”
Likewise in Delaware, the funding would pay for fisheries research including new gear development.
“As Delaware charts a course toward cleaner energy, we’re equally committed to looking out for our commercial fishers,” said Greg Patterson, secretary of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. The funding agreement “represents a balance: advancing needed energy generation while taking meaningful steps to protect fishing livelihoods and strengthen coastal resilience,” he said.
The states’ agreements with US Wind will also establish other monetary support, according to the May 14 statement:
· “A $5.4 million direct, claims-based compensation program for commercial and for-hire recreational fishermen who demonstrate impacts to their fisheries revenue from US Wind projects.”
· “More than $1 million in funds for upgraded navigation safety equipment and safety training that will be available to Maryland and Delaware based vessels and crew who operate in the vicinity of the wind farms.”
The US Wind operations and maintenance facility in West Ocean City Harbor will serve for “wind farm monitoring, maintenance planning and logistics, crew support, warehousing, and parking, as well as quayside and berthing areas for crew transfer vessels,” according to the company. “The O&M facility will not house large wind turbine components, such as blades, towers, or monopiles, and will not berth large deep draft vessels that cannot enter the West Ocean City Harbor.”
The siting plans date to 2023, when US Wind was approached by two harbor property owners and reached purchase option agreements.
“Under the company’s proposal in the MOU with Maryland DNR, the company will use only one of the two properties that it has optioned in West Ocean City,” according to US Wind. Developing a single site and providing grants for fishing service providers “will benefit and enhance commercial fishing services at the West Ocean City Harbor.”
