Impacted fishermen can apply for eligibility at
www.vw1fisheriescomp.com until June 3, 2024
Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR), a leading sustainable energy company
and member of the Iberdrola Group, and Copenhagen Infrastructure
Partners (CIP), a global leader in green energy investment and in
offshore wind development through its affiliate Vineyard Offshore,
today announced that the Vineyard Wind 1 project has launched its
Fisheries Compensatory Mitigation Program. The third party
administered program seeks to provide fair, equitable compensation
to commercial fishermen for economic impacts attributable to the
project’s construction, operations, and decommissioning activities.
The launch of the program opens a 90-day window for fishermen to
qualify for compensation at www.vw1fisheriescomp.com.
“Throughout the development of Vineyard Wind 1, we have focused
on building relationships with local fishing communities while
ensuring that each of these vital industries can co-exist to the
benefit of the entire Northeast region,” said Avangrid CEO Pedro
Azagra. “By launching this program we are making good on our
promise to work with the fishing industry to address financial
impacts related to the development of this project, and we
encourage any commercial fishermen affected to apply for
eligibility.”
"As Massachusetts leads the nation in offshore wind development,
sustaining our nation-leading seafood industry is an equally
important priority," said Secretary of Energy and Environmental
Affairs Rebecca Tepper. "For centuries, commercial fisheries
have played an essential role in our state's history, culture, and
economy. The Vineyard Wind Fisheries Compensation Fund will bolster
our commercial fisheries during this time of transition to clean
energy—we hope this fund can be a model for ensuring offshore wind
and commercial fisheries thrive together."
To support the program, Vineyard Wind 1 has established three
escrow funds to compensate affected fishermen in Massachusetts,
Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York. Compensation
may also be available to shoreside businesses in Massachusetts and
Rhode Island.
The launch of the program opens a 90-day window, until June 3,
2024, for commercial fishermen to apply for eligibility and qualify
for compensation payments based on defined eligibility criteria.
Critically, this 90-day timeframe is the only opportunity that
fishermen will have to qualify for compensation over the life of
the program. Fishermen will not need to demonstrate economic
impacts from Vineyard Wind 1 to qualify for the program or receive
compensation payments.
The program is open to commercial fishing vessel owners/lessees
in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode
Island who can demonstrate historical fishing activities in the
lease area, OCS-A 0501; and shoreside businesses in Massachusetts
and Rhode Island. Information about the shoreside business portion
of the program will be available at a later date.
“CZM was pleased to work with the Division of Marine Fisheries
to secure these mitigation funds from Vineyard Wind for the
commercial fishing industry,” said Massachusetts Office of
Coastal Zone Management Acting Director Tyler Soleau. “These
funds were actively negotiated with stakeholders through the
Fisheries Working Group and will help ensure that Massachusetts’
historic fisheries remain safe and profitable as the important
offshore wind industry emerges and grows.”
"Division of Marine Fisheries is glad to see Vineyard Wind
Fisheries Compensation Fund, negotiated alongside our commercial
fishing partners and the Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM),
provide real benefits for our impacted fishermen and local
businesses," said Division of Marine Fisheries Director Dan
McKiernan. "DMF is committed to working closely with impacted
individuals to connect them with this critical support."
Vineyard Wind is hosting open house and tabling events in the
month of March to assist fishermen with their applications and
answer any questions they may have. Information about these events
is available at www.vw1fisheriescomp.com.
To qualify for the program, fishermen must be able to
demonstrate that they:
- are a commercial fishing vessel owner/operator homeported in
Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, or Rhode
Island.
- have a 2023 commercial fishing permit from NOAA Fisheries.
- have a valid government-issued vessel registration that shows
vessel ownership, or a vessel lease agreement.
- fished in the Vineyard Wind 1 lease area, OCS-A 0501, for at
least three years between 2016 and 2022.
- have annual revenue from fishing activities for at least the
corresponding three years between 2016 and 2022 (e.g., IRS Form
1099 and/or other tax documents, sales receipts, dealer slips,
and/or dealer compilation reports).
Fishermen must include evidence of fishing activities in the
lease area, OCS-A 0501, in their application. This evidence may
include, but is not limited to the following:
- Vessel Trip Reports
- Vessel Monitoring System information
- Automatic identification system information
- Fishery Observer or At-Sea Monitoring Information
- NOAA Cooperative Research Study Fleet information
- Chart plotter data/images time-stamped
- Logbooks (supported by additional data)
- Other trip-level reporting information that establishes fishing
activity in the lease area
After qualifying, eligible commercial fishing vessel
owners/operators will receive annual compensation payments for the
first five years of the program. Every five years, participants
will need to submit evidence of ongoing and active fishing
activities to continue receiving payments. Notably, fishermen do
not have to demonstrate an impact to qualify for the program or
receive payments.
The program is administered by de maximis, inc., an independent
third-party administrator, with support from local fixed gear and
mobile gear fisheries advisors. The third-party administrator’s
point of contact is Major Sharpe, who can be contacted at
vineyardwind@demaximis.com. Vineyard Wind is not involved in the
administration of the program, application review process, payment
determinations, dispute resolution, or other program functions. The
program will continue until Vineyard Wind 1 is decommissioned.
An 806-megawatt project located 15 miles off the coast of
Martha’s Vineyard, Vineyard Wind will generate electricity for more
than 400,000 homes and businesses in the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts, create 3,600 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) job years,
save customers $1.4 billion over the first 20 years of operation,
and is expected to reduce carbon emissions by more than 1.6 million
metric tons per year, the equivalent of taking 325,000 cars off the
road annually.
About Avangrid: Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) aspires to be
the leading sustainable energy company in the United States.
Headquartered in Orange, CT with approximately $44 billion in
assets and operations in 24 U.S. states, Avangrid has two primary
lines of business: networks and renewables. Through its networks
business, Avangrid owns and operates eight electric and natural gas
utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and
New England. Through its renewables business, Avangrid owns and
operates a portfolio of renewable energy generation facilities
across the United States. Avangrid employs approximately 8,000
people and has been recognized by JUST Capital in 2021, 2022, 2023
and 2024 as one of the JUST 100 companies – a ranking of America’s
best corporate citizens. In 2024, Avangrid ranked first among
utilities and 12 overall. The company supports the U.N.’s
Sustainable Development Goals and was named among the World’s Most
Ethical Companies in 2024 for the sixth consecutive year by the
Ethisphere Institute. Avangrid is a member of the group of
companies controlled by Iberdrola, S.A. For more information, visit
www.avangrid.com.
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Media Contacts: Avangrid Craig Gilvarg
craig.gilvarg@avangrid.com (857) 998-1130
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