Andy Harris, Ocean City mayor voice new opposition to West OC pier plan

On Wednesday, Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md-1st, Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan and Maryland lawmakers from the Eastern Shore delegation called on the Maryland Department of Environment to hold a public hearing in Ocean City to review its process for U.S. Wind’s planned pier in West Ocean City.

What Andy Harris, others have to say on West Ocean City pier plan

The department already held a public comment hearing at the Wor-Wic Community College on March 25, but Harris and others are calling for another following "numerous complaints" received by his office that the hearing was held in Wicomico County as opposed to Ocean City where residents will be most affected by the pier development.

“The West Ocean City pier is being developed with the purpose of expanding offshore wind at a time when the true impacts of offshore wind have never been properly studied," Harris wrote. "I urge the Maryland Department of Environment to hold a public forum in Ocean City so that my constituents and those residents most affected by the West Ocean City pier development can voice their concerns."

Maryland State Sen. Mary Beth Carozza, R- Somerset/ Wicomico/Worcester and Del. Wayne Hartman, R-Wicomico/Worcester, also signed the letter and added their input.

“The residents and property owners of Ocean City and across the Shore have the right to know the detailed plans of the offshore wind industrialization project, including the developer’s plans for major construction,” Carozza said. “US Wind, an Italian-based developer, continues to change the plans by dramatically increasing the size of the turbines growing nearly four times the height of the tallest building in Ocean City and placing the gigantic turbines as close to 11 miles from the Shore, not 17 miles as first proposed.”

Hartman also noted there were profound impacts on the region's fishing industry.

“Since the conversation regarding offshore wind has started, the local elected officials and the majority of Ocean City property owners’ concerns have been ignored,” Hartman said. “The fact that this meeting was not made to be convenient for those impacted most, including our commercial waterman and neighboring property owners, tells me that there is no desire to hear the real concerns and negative impact that this project will bring.”

According to the letter to the department, the location of the proposed pier in the Ocean City Inlet is in an area that is already crowded with commercial fisherman and tourists alike.

More on the proposed Farm Bill How will a new federal farm bill impact the Eastern Shore?

Maryland Department of the Environment responds to concerns

In their response to the letter, the department offered to extend the online public comment period for 30 days but did not agree to hold a public hearing in Ocean City, as was requested.

“The proposed US Wind project, which will destroy the view shed off the coast of Ocean City, is now leading to the industrialization of the West Ocean City Commercial Fishing Harbor. The proposed development in the harbor will reduce the commercial fishing and recreational opportunities in the only commercial harbor that has direct access to the Atlantic Ocean in the entire State of Maryland," said Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan.

Meehan also echoed Harris' sentiments, voicing support for the selection of a neighboring county rather than where the project will be placed.

"We have the most to lose and our voice has continued to be ignored. We must have the opportunity, as a community, to stand up for ourselves,” Meehan said.

What are the details of the project?

The west Ocean City location slated for the project will allow for other infrastructure like industrial cranes to be used in offshore wind development off the coast and will include wave screens to better protect the development.

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.

US Wind and new partnerships

On Thursday, US Wind contracted with Project ABLE (Align, Build, Leverage, and Expand), a collaboration between Delaware State University and the University of Delaware Center for Autonomous and Robotic Systems, to perform work related to the decommissioning of US Wind’s meteorological and oceanographic buoy and its infrastructure.

The metocean buoy has been collecting wind and marine life data in US Wind’s federal lease area off the coast of Ocean City since May 2021.

The company noted Project ABLE will use an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle to ensure that all components have been properly removed and that nothing has been left behind. Weather permitting, the site clearance survey will be conducted at the end of May, following removal of the final buoy components.

“We’re excited to begin what we expect will be a long-term working relationship with the University of Delaware,” said Jeffrey Grybowski, US Wind CEO. “Their underwater autonomous vehicle technology is cutting edge, and collaborations like these will extend Project ABLE’s reach while enabling practical applications for industries like ours.”

Currently, US Wind controls the rights to an 80,000-acre lease area located off the coast of Maryland, which is able to support close to 2,000 megawatts of offshore wind energy generation. In October 2023, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management issued a draft environmental impact statement on the company's vision and operations plan, putting the company on the path to securing final federal permits by the end of 2024.

More on electric cars and Delaware Electric cars once ruled the road ... in 1910? Yes, before gas-powered revolution

Data collected by the metocean buoy has been used to inform US Wind’s energy production estimates and overall project design.

The projects proposed by the company, according to its data, will sell "carbon-free power into the regional power grid," which will result in lower regional energy prices and reduce capacity charges by up to $253 million over 20 years. US Wind will also invest more than $200 million in transmission system upgrades, most of which will occur in Sussex County.

This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: West Ocean City pier plan draws opposition from Andy Harris, OC mayor