Saving Seafood

VIRGINIA: The Virginia General Assembly has passed HB 928, a bill designed to protect commercial fishermen and their boats from harassment at sea.

March 18, 2024 — The Virginia General Assembly has passed HB 928, a bill designed to protect commercial fishermen and their boats from harassment at sea.

The measure passed 38-1 by the state Senate and 99-0 in the lower House, and was signed on by legislative leaders in early March. Gov. Glenn Youngkin is expected to sign it into law, with a deadline for his action by April 8.

The bill, sponsored by Delegate Hillary Pugh Kent of the state’s 67th District on Virginia’s Northern Neck, 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.

The Class 1 misdemeanor is for any person who knowingly and intentionally interferes with or impedes the operation of commercial fishing activity of a commercial fishing vessel within the territorial waters of the Commonwealth.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

VIRGINIA: Dominion Energy to pay nearly $1M over turbine views in Virginia Beach

March 9, 2024 — Virginia utility Dominion Energy will pay nearly $1 million to offset the impacts to coastal views from its 176-turbine offshore wind farm in Virginia Beach.

The company will pay the city $290,000 for visual impacts. Virginia Beach’s City Council voted earlier this week to use the money for historical preservation projects. Separately, the Richmond, Virginia, power company will pay $650,000 to the first Cape Henry Lighthouse on the Virginia coast, also for visual impacts. The Dominion payments were first reported by The Virginian-Pilot.

Dominion is also contributing $550,000 to the Currituck Beach Lighthouse in North Carolina.

Read the full article at E&E News

VIRGINIA: Dominion says new offshore wind deal won’t impact ratepayers

February 26, 2024 — Dominion Energy Virginia says the deal it announced Thursday to sell half of its interest in its Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project to investment firm Stonepeak is not expected to have any impact on ratepayers.

Dominion spokesperson Aaron Ruby said the deal will have no “impacts to the cost, customer bill impact, construction or operation of CVOW and no change to the consumer protections approved by” Virginia’s State Corporation Commission, which regulates utilities in the commonwealth.

The deal must be approved by the SCC, which is expected to make a decision on it by the end of 2024.

Under the agreement, Dominion will retain control of the project, a 2.6 gigawatt wind farm off the coast of Virginia Beach that will cost an estimated $9.8 billion.

The deal follows the conclusion of a top-down business review Dominion began last year to improve its financial standing and is seen as a move to reduce the utility’s debt levels.

“If we have a healthy balance sheet, we’re going to provide the best customer experience. We’re going to be able to invest to meet the state’s goals,” said Dominion Chair, President and CEO Bob Blue. “That is a very compelling reason for regulators to approve this transaction, and I’m highly confident that they’ll see the benefits and approve it.”

Read the full article at Virginia Mercury

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