Saving Seafood

Dominion Energy Sells Half Virginia Offshore Wind Farm for $3B to Stonepeak

February 24, 2024 — Dominion Energy has agreed to sell half of its planned Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project in a move the company reports is designed to reduce its risk profile as the giant wind farm moves into construction. The company will sell a 50 percent noncontrolling interest in a newly formed partnership to Stonepeak, one of the leading U.S. private equity firms that is focused on infrastructure.

Under the terms of the agreement, which requires regulatory approval, the companies would be partners in a newly created public utility that would be a subsidiary of Dominion Energy. The company reports it expects to receive approximately $3 billion representing half the construction costs of the wind farm. Dominion Energy will retain full operational control for the construction and operation of the wind firm with the two companies sharing in the costs.

The Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind farm has completed its permitting and is approved to begin construction which is projected to cost approximately $10 billion. Dominion previously reported that the first components of the wind farm were already being staged in Virginia with the major contracts awarded for the project which they report remains on schedule and budget. There are provisions in the agreement for cost overruns above $11.3 billion.

Read the full article at The Maritime Executive

VIRGINIA: Northumberland makes support for Reedville menhaden operations official

February 21, 2024 — Northumberland has made an official show of support for Omega Protein and their fishing partner, Ocean Harvesters, in a resolution that states the companies “have proven to be extremely environmentally conscious.”

The move comes in response to an ongoing push for action by opponents of the Reedville-based menhaden operations.

There’s one thing we need to jump on fast, Supervisor James Long said last month at a tri-body meeting including the Supervisors, Planning Commission, and Economic Development Commission. He noted that  Northumberland Supervisors received word that forces in Northampton County were trying to hurt the Reedville fishing industry and shut it down.

Long said it was very important for the County to get in contact with the leadership at Omega Protein and see what the County could do. “Because if that is closed or hurt, we are talking about a lot of men in Lancaster and Northumberland losing jobs,” he said.

Seemingly emphasizing that this matter should be met with action, Long noted that when there were issues stirring around the Reedville operations about 10 years ago, he went to Colonial Beach to speak with some people.

Read the full article at News On The Neck

VIRGINIA: Virginia lawmakers delay decision on Dominion Energy’s offshore wind monopoly

February 15, 2024 — Renewable energy advocates have vowed to double down next year on legislation designed to enable competition with Dominion Energy on offshore wind projects serving Virginia.

A legislative committee unanimously tabled a proposal to let private developers compete with the utility on offshore wind procurement. The Senate Commerce and Labor Committee’s late January decision to push Senate Bill 578 onto the 2025 agenda followed intense lobbying from Dominion Energy to protect its monopoly.

Evan Vaughan, executive director of the Maryland-based Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Coalition Action (MAREC), was among the disappointed.

“We … will continue to advocate for competition as the best way for Virginia consumers to achieve a strong and cost-effective offshore wind industry,” Vaughan said in an interview.

Read the full article at Energy News Network

Virginia advances legislation against harassing fishermen

February 6, 2024 — Virginia state legislation to protect commercial fishermen and their boats from harassment from sport fishermen at sea was approved 8-0 by the state House Courts of Justice – Criminal Subcommittee on Feb. 2 and will move on to the next level of the House in Richmond, Va.

Virginia House Bill 928, sponsored by Delegate Hillary Pugh Kent, increases penalties for harassing watermen to a Class I misdemeanor which is confinement in jail for not more than twelve months and a fine of not more than $2,500, either or both. Anyone convicted will forfeit Virginia’s hunting and fishing licenses for one year on first offense, and three years on a second offense.

The bill was prompted by a dangerous engagement between a jet skier and an Ocean Harvesters menhaden fishing crew that occurred on September 23, 2023, which was documented in a video by a menhaden spotter pilot.

The incident occurred approximately 1.5 miles east of Buckroe Beach off Hampton, Va., in Chesapeake Bay. As an Ocean Harvesters’ crew was making a set, the rider of the jet ski ran his boat between the two purse boats and was able to get inside the set and out before the set was completed. This was the third harassment issue by a recreational boater occurring last year, said Monty Deihl, CEO of Ocean Harvesters, a U.S. fishing company that has a long-term contract to harvest and deliver menhaden for Omega Protein.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

 

VIRGINIA: Virginia Legislature Subcommittee Acts Favorably on Bill to Combat Threats and Interference with Commercial Fishing Vessels

February 6, 2024 — The Virginia House of Delegates Courts of Justice – Criminal Subcommittee, has favorably reported HB 928, legislation to protect commercial watermen, by a unanimous, bipartisan vote of 8-0.

In response to a rising number of threats and at-sea harassment targeting commercial fishermen operating legally in Virginia waters, two bills were introduced in the 2024 Virginia legislative session. The bills, from Delegate Hillary Pugh Kent and Delegate Robert S. Bloxom, Jr. would increase the penalties for intentionally interfering with commercial fishing operations. Today Delegate Kent’s bill was considered, amended, and passed by the subcommittee. The bill increases penalties to a Class 1 misdemeanor which is confinement in jail for not more than twelve months and a fine of not more than $2,500, either or both. Additionally, anyone convicted will forfeit hunting and fishing licenses for one year on first offense, and three years on a second offense.

Dangerous incidents are growing in number and aggression and physical injury, and the lives of union-member, commercial fishermen are being increasingly threatened. These hazardous confrontations have been conducted on jet skis and with recreational boats, endangering all involved. Current law provides for minor penalties, like small fines, which are an insufficient deterrent to individuals with the financial means to own and operate recreational watercraft.

Read the full article at Access Wire

Dominion gets Virginia offshore wind approval

February 1, 2024 — Dominion Energy announced Jan. 30 received the last two major federal approvals it need to start construction of the 2.6-gigawatt Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project, with completion anticipated in late 2026.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s final approval of CVOW’s Construction and Operations Plan clears the way for starting work on what would be the largest offshore wind project in U.S. waters with 176 turbines across 113,000 acres of leased bottom. It comes after many months of  inflation, supply chain issues and other challenges forced other wind developers to withdraw from or re-bid project commitments  with other East Coast states.

“Virginia is leading the way for offshore wind as we near the start of offshore construction for Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind,” Bob Blue, Dominion Energy’s chair, president, and chief executive officer said in announcing the permit. “These regulatory approvals keep CVOW on time and on budget as we focus on our mission of providing customers with reliable, affordable and increasingly clean energy.”

Read the full article at Workboat

VIRGINIA: Dominion wind project gets final 2 permits

January 31, 2024 — Federal regulators have issued the last two major approvals needed for Dominion Energy to begin construction of the largest U.S. offshore wind farm.

The facility, 25 miles in the Atlantic off the Virginia Beach Oceanfront, will have 176 turbines capable of generating enough electricity to power up to 660,000 homes.

The more than $9 billion project is due to come on line in 2026.

The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management issued its final approval of Dominion’s construction and operations plan. This is a detailed plan for building and operating an offshore facility that the bureau reviews for its environmental impact and technical feasibility.

Read the full article at the Richmond Times-Dispatch

VIRGINIA: Virginia lawmakers could order sweeping study of menhaden

January 16, 2024 — The Virginia State Legislature is considering a three-year study of the ecology, fishery impacts, and economic importance of the Atlantic menhaden population in the waters of the Commonwealth.

House Bill 19 was introduced in Richmond, Va., on Jan. 10  by Delegate R. Lee Ware of Powhatan County. The bill directs the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) in collaboration with Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) and with the cooperation of relevant stakeholders, including recreational anglers, Omega Protein – the lone company in the state’s reduction fishery – bait fishery sectors, and nongovernmental organizations, all to participate in the three-year study.

The bill states that the study must address nine concerns, which will include the seasonal abundance of Atlantic menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay; the movement rates of Atlantic menhaden between the Atlantic coast and Chesapeake Bay; and the impacts of predator demand and consumption of Atlantic menhaden on the menhaden population.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

Rare unveils new impact bond for small-scale fishers

December 31, 2023 — Rare, an international nonprofit based in Arlington, Virginia, U.S.A., has created what it calls a first-of-its-kind small-scale fisheries (SSF) Impact Bond to finance community-led co-management of small-scale fisheries.

Rare announced the bond at the COP28 meetings in the United Arab Emirates, and is targeting early 2024 for the launch of the program. Its plan for the SSF Impact Bond program is to scale up through three rounds, with a goal of mobilizing up to USD 160 million (EUR 146 million) to support the protection, restoration, and sustainable management of coastal ecosystems. Rare said along with the ecological and community benefits, the model is aimed at de-risking future investment in communities and small-scale fisheries

Read the full article at SeafoodSource 

Menhaden Fisheries Coalition Corrects Misleading Statements from Chesapeake Legal Alliance

December 26, 2023 — The Menhaden Fisheries Coalition addresses five inaccurate and misleading statements made in a recent press release by the Chesapeake Legal Alliance and the Southern Maryland Recreational Fishing Organization regarding their petition for rulemaking to the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC). A brief overview of inaccuracies, expert statements, and scientific findings is listed below, followed by a more detailed discussion of each false claim.

Read the full article at Seafoodnews.com