West Ocean City could get a new pier with US Wind application. All to know

US Wind continues to pave the way for offshore wind development in Ocean City, and now a federal application has been filed by the company to develop a new industrial pier.

According to official filings, it will be located on the west side of the resort town and will include a concrete-decked design of over 600 feet. The space will allow for other infrastructure like industrial cranes to be used and will include wave screens to better protect the development.

According to the Maryland Department of the Environment, the project is still in the application phase, with a public hearing on the plans scheduled for Monday, March 25. It will be held at Wor-Wic Community College and will be from 6-8 p.m. The public will also have until April 9 to submit written comments to MDE about their concerns on the proposed projects.

"US Wind is advancing permits for various aspects of the project, consistent with what has been included in our Construction and Operations Plan and the Draft Environmental Impact Statement issued by BOEM last October," said Ben Cooper, the company's director of Marine Affairs. "This permit hearing concerns the pier and bulkhead of a planned operations and maintenance facility required by the state to be located in the Ocean City region. The pier, as many locals know, was built 45 years ago and is in desperate need of improvement."

According to the company, this permit seeks to make those improvements with US Wind reaching out to the state and local fishermen on their project plans and "will continue to do so throughout the process," the company said.

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Offshore wind and sea life

Nancy Sopko, US Wind's senior director of External Affairs, added they too are operating as responsible corporate citizens in their project.

"US Wind’s construction of the wind farm would not deafen marine mammals. US Wind conducted an extensive Underwater Acoustic Assessment that conservatively estimated sound levels during construction," Sopko said. "These estimates were used to support US Wind’s proposed mitigation measures, like the use of layered methods to dampen sound during construction, including bubble curtains and resonators, along with protected species observers in multiple locations to watch for marine mammals and to trigger shutdown if needed."

The company also added turbines withstand the most extreme wind and wave events predicted to occur at the site over the next 50 to 100 or more years, so hurricanes are well within their ability to withstand. For example, the wind turbines under consideration for the site are “typhoon” certified and are designed to withstand speeds of up to Category 4 hurricanes.

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"There is a comprehensive process in place whereby an offshore wind developer’s application is reviewed by the Department of Defense, FAA, U.S. Coast Guard and BOEM at multiple stages of development to determine if impacts to radar would result from construction and operations. The Department of Defense reviewed our project plans twice and issued no objection, as did the FAA," Sopko said.

Despite assurances by the company, it is still drawing the ire of the public and local officials that offshore wind development in Ocean City will lead to negative impacts on tourism and ecology.

This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: US Wind applies to build new pier in West Ocean City. All to know.