Plan for new west Ocean City pier draws heated responses at Salisbury session
The proposed pier and onshore infrastructure construction by US Wind in west Ocean City was the topic a public meeting where many sounded off on their continued concerns about offshore wind.
Monday's meeting at Wor-Wic Community College was part of the public comment period mandated by law for the application submitted by the energy company.
According to US Wind, the pier and the building planned for the site are part of an area needed for industrial development for offshore wind in the resort town. Construction details initially included a concrete-decked design of over 600 feet. The space will allow for other infrastructure like industrial cranes to be used and will include wave screens to better protect the development.
However, US Wind has since majorly trimmed down the scope of the pier project.
"US Wind is proposing to reduce the length of the pier from the original 625 feet to 174 feet, a reduction of 451 feet. The original length for bulkhead renovation work was 435 feet and would be reduced to 381 feet, a reduction of 54 feet. For your convenience, we have attached revised impact plates that illustrate the overall pier and bulkhead reductions," the company said in a revision received March 15 to the application.
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As part of the meeting, the public got to see posters of the project overview before the Maryland Department of the Environment recorded statements of concern or support for the development.
The company also noted they had "communications with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Baltimore District" to convey that this overall reduction results in no new pier or bulkhead structure installation within the corps' turning basin or the federal channel.
"US Wind’s reduced pier and bulkhead structures are similarly aligned with other existing structures in the area, it is not expected to inhibit the (corps') ability to maintain the federal channel or otherwise impede navigation within the federal channel," the company said in a letter accompanying the revisions to the application.
Threat to 'fishing heritage,' increased traffic of ships cited
One common theme at Monday's session was the possible impact on the area's longstanding fishing tradition.
"This will not be an improvement to our small town's fishing heritage," said Ocean City resident Eric Mihaly.
Other residents in attendance took to social media to question the ship traffic that will be present once the construction is finished. They noted the presentation indicated operations could generate up to seven vessels and an average of 1,644 annual transits, with most trips consisting of service operation vessels or crew transfer vessels to and from Ocean City.
"MDE, the only credible action is to force complete and total plans to be presented with an accompanying Environmental Impact Statement including the risk of damage to existing residential and commercial structures from such massive pile driving in such close proximity to these structures, and if you grant approval to the plans stipulate no further applications will be entertained," said Dianna Harris.
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Lack of information from wind energy company also cited
Others who live near where the construction will take place, if approved, took exception to the lack of information for residents. Donna Herbert recalled her experience with the project thus far.
"I live directly across from the pier, and no one has contacted me or my neighbors with any plans, drawings etc., and if they extend the pier another 200 feet or so they will cut off the channel that runs along the west side of the Bay," Herbert said. "I did get a notification last year that they want to dredge the harbor probably for the wind power ships. Next, they will ask for huge underground diesel tanks to fuel their fleet. It's no longer a commercial fishing harbor, but an industrial shipping and receiving port."
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Ben Cooper, US Wind's director of Marine Affairs, called the meeting an integral part of the design process.
"We appreciated hearing from people at the MDE hearing yesterday and received a lot of helpful feedback on the proposed pier improvements," Cooper said. "As a member of the Ocean City community, we've been engaging with stakeholders around this project for some time. We know the commercial fishing industry in particular is a special part of the local economy, and we'll continue to work with them to understand their perspectives."
Those interested in providing comments must do so no later than April 9, 2024, via email to robertm.simmons@maryland.gov or by mail to: Maryland Department of the Environment Atten: Miles Simmons201 Baptist Street, Suite 22, Salisbury, Md. 21801.
This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: New west Ocean City pier plan attacked as drain on 'fishing heritage'
