West Ocean City Harbor Pier

OCEAN CITY, MD - State Senator Mary Beth Carozza has sent a letter to Governor Wes Moore formally requesting he hold off on considering U.S. Wind’s Tidal Wetlands License Application that, if approved, would allow for the offshore wind company’s reconstruction of the West Ocean City Pier.

In her letter, sent to the Governor today, November 13th, Carozza argues US Wind’s proposed pier and facility would have drastically negative impacts on the commercial fishing industry in Ocean City. That industry, Carozza says, is an extremely important component of the economy of Worcester County and the state of Maryland. The planned pier would eliminate the last two fish packing houses in the West Ocean City Harbor, according to the State Senator.

“The West Ocean City Harbor is the only commercial fishing harbor in Maryland with access to the Atlantic Ocean and should be preserved to protect the many small business owners who depend on it,” Carozza writes.

Carozza has previously requested Moore to delay an approval.

State Senator Carozza notes that the Maryland Department of Natural Resources officials (DNR) have met with local watermen to develop a fisheries compensation package to offset the negative impacts the pier would have. That compensation package, however, is not yet complete, Carozza says, and needs to be finalized before U.S. Wind’s Tidal Wetlands License Application is approved. 

The Maryland Board of Public Works would need to approve U.S. Wind’s application, a board on which Governor Moore currently chairs. 

“Given the significant negative impact of the U.S. Wind’s proposed O&M facility on the commercial fishing industry and the dramatic and permanent change to the legacy and iconic West Ocean City Harbor, I respectfully urge you, as Members of the Maryland Board of Public Works, to postpone consideration of US Wind’s Tidal Wetlands License Application until the DNR fisheries compensation package has been completed and made public, and until pending federal litigation related to the project has been resolved,” Carozza writes.

The Maryland Board of Public Works is currently slated to meet on November 20 with the Tidal Wetlands License Application on the Board’s agenda.

Digital Content Producer

Sean joined WBOC as Digital Content Producer in February 2023. Originally from New Jersey, Sean graduated from Rutgers University with bachelor’s degrees in East Asian Studies and Religion. He has lived in New York, California, and Virginia before he and his wife finally found a place to permanently call home in Maryland. With family in Laurel, Ocean Pines, Berlin, and Captain’s Cove, Sean has deep ties to the Eastern Shore and is thrilled to be working at WBOC serving the community.

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