The DNREC Division of Water and Division of Watershed Stewardship will conduct a joint public hearing (Docket #2024-P-MULTI-0007) to consider comments on permit requests related to an offshore wind project located offshore of the state of Maryland. Public comment period open through Sept. 9, 2024.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Documents for Review

US Wind Application Narrative

Division of Water

Water Quality Certification

• 2024 DNREC US Wind Water Quality Request
• 2024 US Wind – USACE Individual Permit Application Cover Letter
• 2024 US Wind Individual Permit Application
• Appendix A – Maryland Offshore Wind Project Engineering Form – US Wind executed
• Appendix A Attachment Abutters List
• Appendix B Illustrative Diagrams of Offshore Components
• Appendix C Maryland Offshore Wind Project Export Cable Plans – Offshore
• Appendix D Maryland Offshore Wind Project Export Cable Plans – Onshore
• Appendix E Preliminary Maryland Offshore Wind Project Substation Plans
• Appendix F Maryland Offshore Wind Project Operations and Maintenance Facility Plans
• Appendix G Detailed Sediment Analytical Results
• Delaware Waters Field Evaluation Report, March 2019
• Indian River and Indian River Bay Surface Water and Sediment Assessment – January 2024
• Indian River Bay Hydraulic Dredging Impacts, 2024
• Indian River Bay Sediment Transport Memo, 2020
• Indian River Bay Sediment Transport Modeling, 2023
• Offshore Sediment Transport Modeling, 2022

Wetlands and Subaqueous Lands

• 2024 US Wind Wetlands and Subaqueous Lands Permit Application
• Appendix B Supporting Application Materials for Coastal Construction Permit
• Appendix C1 Preliminary Maryland Offshore Wind Project Export Cable Plans — Onshore
• Appendix C2 Preliminary Maryland Offshore Wind Project Substation Plans
• Appendix C3 Preliminary Maryland Offshore Wind Project Export Cable Plans – Offshore
• Appendix E 2017 Indian River Bay Sediment Sample Results
• Appendix F Indian River and Indian River Bay Surface Water and Sediment Assessment
  
• Appendix G Indian River Bay Hydraulic Dredging Impacts
• Appendix H10 Offshore Benthic Report, 2016
• Appendix H11 Lease Area and Offshore Export Cable Corridors Benthic Report 2021
• Appendix H12 Onshore Export Cable Corridors Benthic Report
• Appendix H15 Underwater Acoustic Assessment Report, 2023

Division of Watershed Stewardship

Coastal Construction

• Coastal Construction Application

Public Comments

Kathleen Stoessel (May 4, 2024)