After years of review, US Wind gets federal go-ahead
After a years-long review process, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has formally approved the construction and operations plan for US Wind’s proposed offshore wind farm that’s due east of Ocean City, Md.
US Wind submitted its construction and operations plan to BOEM in June 2022. BOEM issued the approval notice Dec. 3.
“I am pleased to announce BOEM’s approval of our nation’s 10th commercial-scale offshore wind energy project. This project will power over 718,000 homes and support almost 2,680 jobs annually over seven years,” said BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein.
The offshore wind project is located about 8.7 nautical miles offshore of Maryland and about 9 nautical miles from Sussex County. It will be able to generate over 2 gigawatts of energy for the Delmarva Peninsula.
The approved project includes the multiple-phase construction and operation of up to 114 wind turbine generators, up to four offshore substation platforms, one meteorological tower, and up to four offshore export cable corridors. Two phases, known as MarWin and Momentum Wind, already have offshore renewable energy certificates from the State of Maryland.
“This is a proud moment for US Wind,” said Jeff Grybowski, US Wind CEO, in a prepared statement. “After more than four years of rigorous and robust analysis, we are thrilled to have secured this final BOEM approval. US Wind’s projects will produce massive amounts of homegrown energy and will help satisfy the region’s critical need for more electricity, all while supporting good local jobs. America can achieve energy abundance and put many Americans to work building the power plants of the future.”
Local approvals still needed
There are still hurdles for the company to clear before any construction can begin.
The project may be due east of Ocean City, but US Wind has proposed connecting to the electrical grid by coming ashore at 3R’s Beach north of Bethany Beach and then horizontal directional drilling under Indian River Bay to a proposed substation near the Indian River power plant in Dagsboro.
For that plan to happen, US Wind must get approval from the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and Sussex County Council.
US Wind submitted four permit applications to DNREC that the company needs approval for before it can make landfall at 3R’s Beach.
One of those permits, related to water quality in the bay during construction, was conditionally approved in October by DNREC Secretary Shawn Garvin. As part of the installation, US Wind has proposed jet plowing and hydraulically dredging up to 74,000 cubic yards of material from the bay and river.
The three remaining applications include a subaqueous lands permit/lease from the Division of Water; a wetlands permit from the Division of Water; and a beach preservation coastal construction permit from the Division of Watershed Stewardship.
DNREC is expected to rule on those three applications by the end of the year.
At the Sussex County level, US Wind, under the name Renewable Redevelopment LLC, is working its way through a conditional-use permitting process so it can build a substation on 140 acres of land it purchased near the Indian River power plant. As proposed, 23.5 acres of the parcel would be used for the substation.
The Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission approved the conditional use in early July, but Sussex County Council has not voted on the matter yet. The group conducted a hearing in late July, but, as of deadline Dec. 5, council has not voted on the matter.
Additionally, there are at least two lawsuits pending on the issue – a federal one filed by Ocean City and Fenwick Island officials, and a state one filed by the Caesar Rodney Institute and local watermen. There’s also an appeal before the state’s Environmental Appeals Board that has not been acted on. DNREC tried to get that appeal dismissed, but the EAB denied that request in October, and a hearing on the appeal has not yet been scheduled.
