Saving Seafood

NEW JERSEY: Board Hears Fishing Industry’s Fears of Wind Project’s Impact

May 3, 2021 — “So far, for the commercial fishing industry, (the offshore) wind (turbine project) does not seem compatible,” said Greg DiDomenico, of Lund’s Fisheries, in Lower Township.

“It does not seem we are going to be able to exist with (the project) in the current size and scale. The impact to the commercial fishing industry will be serious,” he continued.

DiDomenico was one of three industry representatives who voiced concerns for their livelihoods to the Cape May County Board of County Commissioners, at their April 27 caucus.

The others were Jeff Kaelin, of Lund’s Fisheries, and Scot Mackey, of the Garden State Seafood Association.

Their joint concern is for the Ocean Wind Project “farm” to be built by Orsted and Public Service Energy Group (PSEG).

Commissioner Director Gerald Thornton restated his opposition to the proposal that would impact fishing trawlers, due to the spacing of the turbines, and have a land impact by running cables, possibly from an Ocean City beach to the former B.L. England generating station, in Beesley’s Point.

Read the full story at the Cape May County Herald

Power surge: With Vineyard Wind on approval track, 10 more reviews in the wings

May 3, 2021 — A building wave for offshore wind energy surged out of the Biden administration, with March 29 announcements that set a goal of building 30,000 megawatts of capacity and opening up to 800,000 more acres for leasing in the New York Bight.

Two weeks later, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management moderated the plan, withdrawing potential leasing areas off New York — acknowledging conflicts with commercial fishing, maritime traffic and tourism that will be rife in the East Coast’s most crowded waters.

But on a broad scale, it appears to be full speed ahead for BOEM. Even during the Trump administration’s fitful approach to offshore wind, the agency itself worked consistently to make leasing possible for wind power developers.

Today there are 17 active leases, comprising 1.7 million acres, says BOEM Director Amanda Lefton. Ten more environmental reviews could be started this year, and construction and operation plans for 16 projects could be in place by 2025, Lefton said during an April 14 online meeting of BOEM’s New York Bight task force.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

Revolution Wind project moves forward with start to federal permitting review

April 30, 2021 — Plans to bring 400 megawatts of wind power to Rhode Island are advancing, with the federal agency in charge of issuing the project permits on Thursday announcing the start to its review process.

The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in a statement said it will begin its formal review and decision on the 100-turbine Revolution Wind project proposed for federal waters off the coast of Block Island. The process begins with a public comment period and review of the project for its impact on wildlife, fishing and boating industries and other economic and environmental factors before the agency issues a final decision.

International renewable energy developer Orsted A/S, which jointly proposed the project with the utility company Eversource Energy, previously announced its original 2023 completion date would likely be delayed due to uncertainty in the federal permitting process under the previous presidential administration.

With BOEM’s announcement Thursday, the company will “soon be in a position to better refine the project’s timeline,” Orsted spokeswoman Meaghan Wims said in an email on Thursday.

In a statement, the company called the federal agency notice  “the most significant permitting milestone to date.”

Read the full story at Providence Business News

Mills files proposed moratorium on wind power in heavily fished waters off Maine’s coast

April 30, 2021 — Democratic Gov. Janet Mills is seeking a temporary ban on the development of offshore wind in waters managed by the state.

On Wednesday, Mills introduced legislation – sponsored by Sen. Mark Lawrence, D-York, chairman of the Legislature’s Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee – that would impose a 10-year moratorium on new wind power projects in state waters.

In a statement, Mills said the state is “uniquely prepared to grow a strong offshore wind industry, create good-paying trades and technology jobs around the state, and reduce Maine’s crippling dependence on harmful fossil fuels” but not at the expense of the state’s storied fishing industry.

“We will focus these efforts in federal waters farther off our coast, as we responsibly pursue a small research array that can help us establish the best way for Maine to embrace the vast economic and environmental benefits of offshore wind,” she said.

Lawrence said the proposal “strikes the right balance to protect Maine’s fisheries and coastal waters, while continuing to advance the great energy and economic potential for offshore wind energy in federal waters of the Gulf of Maine.”

Read the full story at The Center Square

Mainers rally to oppose offshore wind development

April 30, 2021 — A gathering to oppose offshore wind development in the Gulf of Maine brought nearly 500 Mainers to the state capital on Wednesday, April 28. The rally sought to centralize the concerns of Maine’s fishing communities and fishermen who believe they have been overlooked in the siting and development phases for offshore energy buildout on the Gulf of Maine.

At the gathering — organized by the Maine Lobstering Union (Local 207), with support from Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association and in partnership with the Downeast Lobstermen’s Association and Maine Lobstermen’s Association — fishermen voiced concerns regarding the unknown impacts to ocean ecosystems, marine habitats, and the fisheries that have supported coastal communities for centuries.

“Maine lobstermen are stewards of the sea and partake in the most sustainable fishery in the world. Protecting it and its environment for centuries has been our goal,” said Matthew Gilley, a lobsterman from Harpswell, and one of the speakers at the event. “The state of Maine believes it’s a good idea to replace this way of life with unproven foreign-backed power plants in the Gulf of Maine, and we disagree.”

Before the rally, Maine Gov. Janet Mills announced her intention to submit a bill to prohibit the siting of offshore wind within three miles of Maine’s coast for the next 10 years. Maine family fishing businesses and fishing industry organizations have pledged to push the state to provide a clear plan for offshore wind development, as well as a detailed plan outlining the potential of alternate green energy investment opportunities that will protect the Gulf of Maine, our natural resources, and Maine’s working citizens.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

BOEM to start environmental review of proposed wind farm off Massachusetts, Rhode Island coast

April 30, 2021 — The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced Thursday it is about to open a 30-day public comment period for an offshore wind farm, Revolution Wind, planned for waters south of Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

This comment period kicks off the environmental review of the project. If BOEM approves it, Revolution Wind would be allowed to construct and operate an 880-megawatt (MW) wind energy facility. The Vineyard Wind project is slated to be 800 MW.

BOEM will hold three virtual public meetings and accept comments to inform the preparation of the environmental impact statement.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times

Alaska suggests opening part of Kachemak Bay to subsurface gas leasing

April 30, 2021 — Oil and gas leasing isn’t allowed in Kachemak Bay. The state blocked development there after an oil rig got stuck and leaked oil into the bay in 1976.

But legislation proposed by Gov. Mike Dunleavy would allow the state to sell subsurface gas-only leases in part of Kachemak Bay, so oil and gas companies could drill into undersea reservoirs from miles away.

More broadly, the bill would permit subsurface leasing and drilling where surface drilling is currently prohibited. And the bill’s opponents say that would unravel state restrictions meant to protect wildlife.

Haley Paine, deputy director of the Alaska Division of Oil and Gas, told the House Fisheries Committee the point of the legislation is to capture royalties for the state.

Read the full story at KDLL

NEW JERSEY: Ocean City Residents Protest Ørsted’s Offshore Wind Farm

April 29, 2021 — Ocean City residents concerned about the environmental impact of Ørsted’s proposed offshore wind farm held a peaceful protest Tuesday outside of the Cape May County Administration Building in Cape May Court House.

Ørsted plans to install up to 98 turbines offshore about 15 miles southeast of Atlantic City, but the wind farm continues to draw opposition from New Jersey’s southern coastal communities.

Several of the residents who attended the protest came out in support of Save Our Shoreline NJ, a Facebook group with nearly 4,000 members. The administrators of Save Our Shoreline NJ have launched a website and a petition against the proposed wind farm, citing environmental and financial concerns.

Read the full story at Patch.com

Maine lobstermen rally to stop offshore wind power

April 29, 2021 — The Maine Legislature is about to see a battle over offshore wind power in the Gulf of Maine, two high-profile combatants: Governor Janet Mills facing off against Maine’s lobster industry.

An estimated 400 lobstermen or more left the docks for a rally Wednesday outside the Augusta Civic Center, where the Legislature was meeting, to voice their anger about the proposed development of offshore wind power.

Like South Bristol fisherman Adam Gamage, they say that development is a threat.

“Here we are, we have a very sustainable fishery,” Gamage said, “It’s too bad it’s come to this where they are trying to put an industrialized piece of machinery out in the middle of the ocean (and) they don’t really know what is going to do.”

There is currently a plan by New England Aqua Ventus to build one very large, floating platform with a massive wind turbine mounted on top. It would be located a little more than two miles off Monhegan Island in a site approved by the Maine Legislature more than 10 years ago for that purpose.

The project is designed as a full-size test of a floating platform design from the University of Maine, but also to test how large wind turbines perform in the moving and often harsh environment of the open sea.

Read the full story at News Center Maine

MAINE: Fishermen Making A Stand At Augusta Civic Center

April 29, 2021 — If you notice more vehicles than usual making their way from the Midcoast to Augusta this morning complete with signs, there’s a reason for this rally. It started at 8:00 am at the Augusta civic center the Maine Midcoast Fisherman’s Association is requesting everyone’s support to stop the development of wind turbines off the coast of Maine.

Wind turbines are nothing new in Maine. In fact you can see several on Vinalhaven. They are visible from the mainland and while they are clean energy, do nothing for the view. Now, Governor Mills wants to place these turbines in the Gulf of Maine. The fishermen know this will be detrimental to the marine life and in turn be detrimental to their livelihood.

These turbines can be as tall as 400 feet. They are floating structures designed to harvest the winds well off the coast. Even though they will be several miles out to sea, fishermen believe it will affect the fishing grounds. The turbines need cables to deliver the electricity to the mainland and these cables will prevent ground fishing where they are placed.

Read the full story at B98.5