OC Today-Dispaatch AUGUST 16, 2024
STUBBORNLY LOCAL, EQUALLY INDEPENDENT
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OC tourism still strong, BVK says Despite what’s being said on the street, Ocean City’s tourism industry continues to do well as compared to other areas. Page 10
Motorist hits cyclist, first fatal since 2017 Thirty-four-year-old Ocean City resident was on St. Louis when driver attempted to turn onto 14th Street and struck her. Page 24
PHOTO COURTESY ALEX GRIER
AUCE! Well, no, but it’s tough to explain that to a dog who’s inclined to check out all the possibilities in the canine snack aisle in a local store. Besides, in a dog’s world you don’t always get what you want, but get what someone else pays for. Down boy! Down!
Fisheries to get wind relief? US Wind and the state Department of Natural Resources are creating PHOTO COURTESY EXPLORE OC HEALING TIMES a mitigation fund to help offset negative impacts fishing operators More than 200 people on the Autism spectrum rode waves Wednesday with might suffer because of offshore turbines — Page 3 new volunteer friends through Surfers Healing. More photos on page 91
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AUGUST 16, 2024
OC Today-Dispatch
8.16 Joe Esham 1-4pm Lime Green 6-9pm 8.17 RyMac 1-4pm 8.18 Jason Lee 1-4pm Josh Anderson 6-9pm 8.20 Troy Mawyer 1-4pm 8.21 Bryan Dorsey 1-4pm Jess Arms 6-9pm 8.22 Kasey Briggs 1-4pm
MON.-THURS. 3-6PM
AUGUST 16, 2024
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OC Today-Dispatch
Wind developer offers aid to fishermen with payout plan By Bethany Hooper Associate Editor (Aug. 16, 2024) While local officials continue to share concerns about the impact a proposed operations and maintenance facility could have on the local fishing industry, US Wind reports this week it is developing a compensation program to benefit commercial and recreational fishermen. This week, US Wind’s senior director of external affairs, Nancy Sopko, confirmed that the company is developing a mitigation program for commercial and for-hire recreational fishermen. The announcement comes a week after the Worcester County Commissioners shared concerns about a potential agreement. “US Wind is adopting a compensation program to benefit commercial and for-hire recreational fishermen, a measure BOEM (Bureau of Ocean Energy Management) recognized as effective in our FEIS (Federal Environmental Impact Statement),” Sopko said. “US Wind and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources signed a Letter of Intent in July 2024 to develop a fisheries compensatory mitigation program by early 2025. Such a mitigation program could include financial assistance, assistance with equipment upgrades or training, and other services. We look forward to working with the state on outreach to the fishing community to further develop details of this mitigation program.” Earlier this month, the Maryland Department of the Environment announced it would forward a favorable recommendation to issue US Wind a wetlands permit for the construction of a pier and bulkhead on Harbor Road in West Ocean City. Last week, however, the commissioners voted to make
its opposition known to the Maryland Board of Public Works, which makes the final determination. As part of their discussions, the commissioners and county staff also shared concerns about a “fisheries compensation agreement,” which was referenced in MDE’s review of US Wind’s wetlands permit application. Bob Mitchell, director of environmental programs for Worcester County, said it was the first officials had heard of the agreement. “There’s no compensation, there’s been no outreach, and there’s been no communications for anything related to the harbor,” Bob Mitchell, director of environmental programs, told the commissioners last Tuesday. Sopko confirmed this week efforts are ongoing to develop a mitigation program for local commercial and forhire recreational fishermen. She said outreach will occur with the assistance of the state. To support its offshore wind energy project, US Wind proposes the construction of an operations and maintenance facility at 12929 and 12933 Harbor Road in West Ocean City. Currently home to Martin Fish Company and Southern Connections, the properties will be redeveloped to include an onshore office, a marine coordination center and warehouse space, as well as quayside and berthing areas for the company’s crew transfer vessels. To moor its vessels at the proposed site, US Wind has planned upgrades to the existing pier structure, which would require a state wetlands permit. In its report to the Board of Public Works, the Maryland Department of the Environment last week issued a favorable recommendation to approve US Wind’s wetlands permit applicaSee TOWN Page 6
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