Ocean City and wind energy: How to make your voice heard on impact statement

Offshore wind development in Ocean City is seemingly moving forward after the release of a comprehensive impact statement by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.

The Maryland Offshore Wind Environmental Impact Statement outlines the full implications of US Wind's MARWIN I and Momentum Wind developments that includes a projected 77 turbines to be located 15 to 18 miles off the coast of Maryland and Delaware that are expected to turn out 1,864.5 MW of power for the state.

The estimated power output is the equivalent of 285,000 Maryland homes.

Ørsted also plans on two developments of its own with Skipjack Wind I and II. The total of 69 turbines would be situated 20 to 21 miles off the coast of Maryland and Delaware. The combined 966 megawatts of electricity are expected to power an estimated 315,000 homes.

Public comment period open now on wind impact statement

The Ocean City Town Council was briefed on the report, with opposition to such development continuing to be noted by councilmembers and Mayor Rick Meehan.

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According to town leaders, the construction of turbines to be placed so close to shore would ruin the lucrative view scape as well as have negative and ongoing impacts on marine life and the fishing industry.

“This is the most significant step forward in the history of Maryland offshore wind,” said Jeff Grybowski, US Wind CEO. “BOEM’s draft environmental impact statement sets us on a path toward starting construction on our offshore wind projects in 2025, putting Maryland’s goals that much closer to reality. We are proud to be the first to deliver this clean energy to Delmarva and look forward to the day we can get steel in the water.”

A 45-day public comment period on the draft statement commenced on October 6 during which the public has an opportunity to submit written comments, attend in-person meetings in Ocean City and Sussex County, and two virtual meetings.

The in-person meetings are set for Tuesday, Oct. 24, at 5 p.m. at Ocean City Elementary School and Thursday, Oct. 26, at 5 p.m. at Indian River High School.

Contested findings and Ocean City development

"US Wind’s goal is to develop a commercial-scale, offshore wind energy project in the lease area. The project (full build-out) comprises as many as 121 wind turbine generators, up to four offshore substations, up to four offshore export cables, and one meteorological tower, with a total of up to 123 structures in a gridded array pattern distributed across the lease area," the report stated.

The report by the federal administration contends its authority comes under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to authorize renewable energy activities for the shared goals of the federal agencies to deploy 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy capacity in the U.S. by 2030.

These efforts, the agency also noted, are done within the framework of "protecting biodiversity and promoting ocean co-use in consideration of the goals of US Wind."

The purpose of the administration's action is to determine whether to approve, approve with modifications, or disapprove US Wind’s construction and operations plan.

"In addition, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service anticipates one or more requests for authorization under the Marine Mammal Protection Act to take marine mammals incidental into construction activities related to the project," the report said.

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While US Wind has contended it will not impact the region's economic viability and tourism, it also cited several federal, state, and local agencies have regulatory authority over the project, based on the location of the different project components.

The wind turbine generators, inter-array cables, and offshore substations will be located entirely within federal waters of the United States and within the outer continental shelf and are under the jurisdiction of the federal board. The offshore export cables will be located in both federal waters and the state waters of Delaware.

Yet despite the measured approach the federal board takes in the expansive report, opponents draw attention to overall conclusion reached about the developments.

"Considering all of the impact producing factors together, BOEM anticipates that the contribution of the project to the impacts associated with ongoing and planned activities in combination with other future offshore wind development would be major," the report concluded.

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This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Ocean City grapples with impact of wind energy as public meetings set