Will Radio Island become a hub for offshore wind? | New

RADIO ISLAND — Offshore wind power can be a “winner four” scenario for Carteret County, worth a fortune in terms of economic development and job creation…generated by the proposed “new business” for Radio Island at the port of Morehead City.

Governor Roy Cooper’s 2022-23 budget proposal requests an allocation of $20 million in one-time funds to allow the North Carolina State Ports Authority to make “expenditures associated with infrastructure development on Radio Island.”

The governor’s budget request was formally presented to the General Assembly on May 26 as Senate Bill 792. The bill was referred to the Appropriation/Basic Budget Committee.

Laura G. Blair, vice president, administration and external affairs, at the Port Authority State Headquarters in Wilmington, also confirmed on May 26 that Ports Management is making “an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS ) for our vacant property on Radio Island. ”

“The EIS is based on the potential of a multi-use terminal, suitable for different uses, including automotive manufacturing supply chain activities, as well as offshore wind supply chain support, located on the 154-acre site on Radio Island,” she said. .

“The EIA also considers the potential impact to approximately 31 acres within the island’s waterfront access,” Ms Blair said. “As usual in the EIA process, background documents have been submitted to the State Environmental Information Clearinghouse website (maintained by the Carolina Department of Administration du Nord) and comments on potential impacts were received from relevant government agencies. The EIS will take approximately 12 to 18 months to complete.

Cheryl W. Hannah, senior transportation planner at HDR Engineering Inc. of the Carolinas in Wilmington, was responsible for preparing a “scope notification letter” that was sent to various agencies on April 12, notifying them of the “multi-use terminal planned and associated infrastructure” at Radio Island.

Recipients included: US Army Corps of Engineers; U.S. Coast Guard 5th District; US Department of Commerce-NOAA Fisheries; US Department of Defense; US Department of the Interior, Fish & Wildlife Service; US Environmental Protection Agency; and NC Department of Environmental Quality.

Ms Hannah said agency officials were being asked “to identify any potential environmental resources or other factors that we should consider and include in the environmental analysis of the Radio Island Multi-Use Terminal. “. The deadline to respond was May 20.

HDR said the Port Authority proposes to pave almost all of its 154 acres of undeveloped land on Radio Island, build “a 200,000 square foot manufacturing facility with office space” and add “approximately 100 000 square feet of warehouse space”.

Additionally, HDR said the plan calls for “the modification of the existing pier to accommodate roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) vessels and the construction of a new 1,600ft berthing facility to accommodate the berthing of larger or multiple vessels”.

RoRo cargo ships typically carry vehicles that can be driven on and off the ship. This contrasts with lift/lift (LoLo) vessels, which use a crane to load and unload cargo.

While Port Authority officials in the state are mum on future plans, a senior state official told Johanna F. Still of WilmingtonBiz.com that “North Carolina has the greatest potential for offshore wind generation among all East Coast states”.

Ms. Still reported that Jennifer Mundt, Assistant Secretary for Clean Energy Economic Development with the North Carolina Department of Commerce, said “this significant investment in the future of Radio Island will ensure that ports across the North Carolina are positioned to serve a variety of future economic development opportunities, particularly emerging opportunities in offshore wind and automotive.

Exactly how and why automobiles figure into the mix is ​​purely speculative at this point. Ms. Blair added: “There are currently no clients or projects associated with this EIS. We do not have a specific terminal designed, nor an estimate of potential costs. »

“The EIS is simply intended to give NC Ports a better understanding of whether the potential notion of a multi-use terminal is compatible with ownership,” she said. “If NC Ports takes the idea beyond EIS forward, or if the State identifies an economic development project that may suit and benefit Radio Island, there will be further environmental studies, permits , financing discussions and land use considerations specific to any type of project NC Port could pursue.

“Along the way, the public will definitely have the opportunity to learn more about any potential projects and voice their opinion on the potentials.”

Former Carteret County Economic Development Director Don Kirkman (now retired) first said more than a year ago that Radio Island was an ideal location for new state port facilities for the purpose of staging, assembling, manufacturing and storing wind energy components and tower turbines, blades and structures.

Radio Island was also envisioned as the hub to provide multipurpose services to the offshore wind farms of the future.

At the time, Mr Kirkman said offshore wind power is a ‘win-win-win-win’ opportunity for Morehead City and the county. His message was poignant and is still relevant today.

First, he said, wind power introduces a “new, clean industrial cluster that has huge environmental benefits and broad public support.”

“Renewables” like solar and wind power sources are gaining a huge fan base. They are integrated into the national electricity grid without compromising reliability, replacing fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal. Wind electricity offers the advantage of reducing carbon emissions and other types of pollution.

Second, offshore wind energy is “an economic development opportunity that can create tens of thousands of highly skilled, well-paying jobs for North Carolina residents, including several hundred” in Carteret County, Carteret said. Mr. Kirkman.

Experts say the siting of offshore wind turbines on the US East Coast will create a $100 billion market opportunity for North Carolina.

Third, offshore wind is benefiting from “an unprecedented funding window for North Carolina infrastructure investment,” Kirkman said.

Ms Still said the Port Authority was successful in securing a $1.6 million grant in December 2021 to upgrade the rail line serving Radio Island, “a much-needed infrastructure upgrade to support a multi-use terminal project “.

Fourth, the emerging offshore wind industry offers an opportunity, Mr. Kirkman said, “to utilize a long-dormant asset – Radio Island – that can generate much-needed new revenue for North Carolina ports and state governments. /local”.

“The wind is an opportunity like no other,” concluded Kirkman.

Katharine Kollins, president of the Southeastern Wind Coalition, a Raleigh-based nonprofit that works to advance the wind industry in the southeastern United States, said other states are also targeting the emerging industry and the jobs it will bring.

She told Gareth McGrath of the Wilmington Star-News: “This really is a unique opportunity,” noting that Virginia, New Jersey and New York have already invested or are planning to invest in their port facilities to make them more attractive.

“If North Carolina is serious about capitalizing on this emerging industry, we need to put money into it and make these significant investments in our ports.”

How the legislature will respond to the governor’s budget request bill is no slam-dunk. Governor Cooper is a Democrat. The state legislature is controlled by Republicans.

Sen. Norman Sanderson (R-Pamlico County) recently told Carteret County New-Times writer Brad Rich that the governor’s budget request came as a little surprise.

“I’m not sure we’re ready to do that,” Senator Sanderson said. The short session was planned to last only a few weeks.

Mr Rich reported that Senator Sanderson had doubts whether the Legislature was “ready to deal with such an important issue in such a short time”.

Mr Rich also noted that Senator Sanderson was concerned about putting ‘the cart before the horse’, questioning whether the existing road and rail infrastructure is capable of handling increased traffic to and from the port in Morehead town center City.

“The city grew along the railroad,” said Senator Sanderson. The railway passes through the middle of Arendell Street in Morehead City. This is far from an ideal situation to support increased rail or road traffic “through a narrow peninsula to Radio Island”.

“We’ll see how it goes” during discussions in the General Assembly, Senator Sanderson said.