The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC: Division of Water and Division of Watershed Stewardship) hereby provides public notice of permit applications submitted by US Wind, Inc., and of a Joint Public Information Session and a Joint Public Hearing (Docket #2024-P-MULTI-0007) to be held by DNREC regarding those applications.

US Wind, Inc., proposes to develop a commercial-scale, offshore wind energy project in the Lease Area known as Lease OCS–A 0490 offshore of Maryland (“proposed project”). The proposed project is comprised of up to 121 wind turbine generators, up to four offshore substations, up to four offshore/onshore export cables, and one meteorological tower, in a gridded array pattern distributed across the Lease Area. Portions of the proposed export cables are located under state-regulated wetlands and subaqueous lands in the Atlantic Ocean within Delaware state waters and the Indian River Bay. The offshore/onshore export cables are proposed to land at 3R’s Beach near the DNREC building line, parking lot and potential dune environments and to interconnect into a proposed substation to be constructed on tax parcel 233-2.00-2.01 adjacent to the Indian River Power Plant in Sussex County, Delaware.

The proposed project will require the following permits/authorizations from DNREC for the proposed installation of cable ducts and offshore/onshore export cables using horizontal direction drilling, dredging and trenching, and for the proposed construction of a transition vault using horizontal directional drilling:

Division of Water:

Subaqueous Lands Permit/Lease

The proposed project impacting state-regulated subaqueous lands (starting at the 3 mile jurisdictional line) is comprised of up to four transmission cables and will terminate into a proposed substation to be constructed on tax parcel 233-2.00-2.01 adjacent to the Indian River Power Plant in Sussex County, Delaware. Additionally, the applicant proposes to conduct dredging to facilitate construction of the offshore wind project and associated infrastructure in the Indian River, Sussex County, DE.

Water Quality Certification

Water Quality Certification is required for the dredging associated with the United States Army Corps of Engineers permitting for the construction of the proposed offshore wind project and associated infrastructure. The applicant requests a Section §401 Water Quality Certification. Approval is being requested to conduct dredging within the Indian River, Sussex County, DE.

Wetlands Permit

The applicant proposes to temporarily place a pipeline associated with the proposed dredging activities across state-regulated tidal wetlands, to transport dredge material to an upland confined disposal facility adjacent to the Indian River, Sussex County, DE.

Documents for Review

Copies of the above permit applications and supporting documents are available online at de.gov/dnrecnotices. For more information on how you can inspect a physical copy of these documents, please contact Matt Jones via email at matthew.jones@delaware.gov or via phone at 302-739-9385.

Division of Watershed Stewardship:

Beach Preservation Coastal Construction Permit

The applicant seeks authority under the Beach Preservation Act to utilize directional drilling for the installation of export cables and to construct four transition vaults in the 3R’s parking lot in Delaware Seashore State Park, Sussex County.

Copies of the above permit application and supporting documents are available online at de.gov/dnrecnotices. For information on how you can inspect a physical copy of this application, please contact Jennifer Pongratz via email at jennifer.pongratz@delaware.gov or via phone at 302-608-5502.

Public Information Session

DNREC will hold a Public Information Session so that members of the public can learn more about this proposed project prior to the Public Hearing. The Information Session will allow the public opportunities to participate in the Department’s consideration of the above applications.

The Public Information Session will be at the time and location set forth below:

DNREC Public Information Session
4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday, June 5, 2024
Beacon Middle School
19483 John J. Williams Hwy, Lewes, DE

The Information Session is the Department’s platform which provides the public the opportunity to review the applications and other related documents, as well as ask questions about this proposed project. The event will also include presentation boards from the Applicant, as well as from DNREC staff and various Federal partners.

NOTE: Questions and comments received at the Public Information Session are not part of the Hearing Record generated in this matter. Questions will not be received by the Department at the time of the public hearing, but the public may provide comment for the Hearing Record as described in the “Joint Virtual Hearing” section below.

In advance of the Public Information Session, the public may obtain more information regarding this proposed project by visiting DNREC’s website at dnrec.delaware.gov/us-wind/

Joint Virtual Public Hearing

The Joint Virtual Public Hearing on the above matter will be held on Tuesday, July 9, 2024, beginning at 6:00 PM. The web link to the virtual hearing can be accessed through the DNREC Public Hearings site at de.gov/dnrechearings. If prompted for a Passcode, please use 606091. To access the audio-only portion of the virtual hearing, dial 1-312-626-6799 and enter Meeting ID number 852 8022 4539 (Passcode: 606091). Closed captioning in over 20 languages, including English and Spanish, is available to attendees via the Zoom platform used for all DNREC public hearings.

Those wishing to offer verbal comments during DNREC Public Hearings must pre-register no later than noon of the date of the virtual hearing at de.gov/dnreccomments or by telephone at 302-739-9001. Please note that, in accordance with DNREC policy, there will be a 3-minute time limit per commenter enforced at the public hearing.

The Department will accept written public comment through September 9, 2024. Comments will be accepted in written form via email to DNRECHearingComments@delaware.gov, by using the online form at de.gov/dnreccomments, or by U.S. mail to the following address:

Lisa A. Vest, Hearing Officer
Office of the Secretary
Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
89 Kings Highway
Dover, DE 19901

Related Topics:  beach protection, offshore wind, permitting and regulation, public comment, public hearing, public information, public notice, subaqueous lands, us wind, water, watershed, wind energy