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Partnerships

Fishing Community

We captured this footage from the waters underneath the pilot project turbines, where the foundations are already attracting marine life. Learn more about CVOW’s environmental stewardship.

Our Commitment

At Dominion Energy, our goal is to build Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) in a manner that coexists with the fishing community to ensure it can thrive and continue to contribute to the wellbeing of Hampton Roads, Virginia and the nation.

Read more in Coastal Angler magazine here.

Fisheries Communications

Consistent with our Fisheries Communications Plan, we remain committed to ongoing engagement and timely communications with the fishing community throughout the planning, construction, operation and future decommissioning of CVOW. If you want to learn about current or planned activities in the project area, please review our past public presentations and Mariner Updates. Be sure to also sign up for future email updates and if you have any questions, please contact our CVOW Fisheries Team.

Supporting Research and Monitoring

As the first company with offshore turbines operating in federal waters, we are consistently supporting the use of our CVOW Pilot Project for various surveys, studies and operational training exercises. Study topics include mitigating construction sound propagation, seabed scouring evaluation, operational noise monitoring, and monitoring the rate of biofouling of the monopoles. Surveys have been conducted to monitor the seabed along the buried export power cable, as well as assess the colonization/species diversity associated with the monopoles and seabed scour protection. Several Search and Rescue (SAR) training missions have been coordinated with the United States Coast Guard (USCG) utilizing the Pilot Project turbines.

We have also committed to conducting cooperative research with the College of William & Mary Virginia Institute of Marine Science and local fishers. The studies currently planned will focus on Channeled Whelk (referred to locally as conch), Black Sea Bass, and Atlantic Surfclam in collaboration with local fishers, utilizing their expertise, knowledge, and in some cases, their vessels.

Project Area Guidance

Safety is our number one priority. Here are some important resources that can help keep you and our crews safe throughout the construction and operation of CVOW.

Download map.

Scale drawing of spacing between turbine monopoles

Download diagram.

The diagram displays a scale drawing that describes the spacing between the turbine monopoles, the air gap between the bottom of the blade rotation and the sea surface, and the distance between blades of the turbines. It also depicts various watercraft that may operate in the vicinity of the turbines as well as a USCG H60 helicopter, which could be called upon to conduct SAR missions within the wind energy area.

Observe Safety Zones that may be established during periods of construction.

Maintain a safe distance from construction vessels and turbine foundations.

Do not attempt to touch, bump, tie-off to or access the turbine foundations.

Give way to vessels involved in project construction activities.

Follow instructions from designated safety vessels.

Monitor VHF Channel 16 in the event communication between vessels is necessary.

Observe Safety Zones that may be established during periods of maintenance.

Maintain a safe distance from turbine foundations.

Do not attempt to touch, bump, tie-off to or access the wind turbines.

Give way to Project vessels approaching turbines to conduct servicing activities.

Monitor VHF Channel 16 in the event communication between vessels is necessary.

Fisheries Resilience

Dominion Energy recognizes that commercial fishing and the CVOW projects share common ocean. We believe that with proper planning, outreach, communication and training, fishing gear interactions can be avoided, minimized and/or mitigated. Should an interaction occur, we are committed to funding a compensatory mitigation process that considers recommended BOEM guidelines. Please contact Ron Larsen and Michael Lewis for more information.

CVOW Fisheries Team

Fisheries Liaisons

Ron Larsen

Ron has been a Fisheries Liaison with Dominion Energy’s CVOW team since 2019. Prior to joining, he spent over 20 years in the subsea telecommunications industry where he managed all phases of project planning and installation, including stakeholder relations, marine surveys, permitting and cable route on a global scale. Ron holds a B.Sc. degree in Marine Biology from the University of Rhode Island.
(570) 242-5023
ronlarsen@searisksolutions.com

Wolfgang Rain

Wolfgang has been a Fisheries Liaison with Dominion Energy’s CVOW team since 2018. Prior to joining, he spent eight years managing a global Marine Liaison program for a major subsea telecommunications supplier. He has also worked as a commercial fisherman in Alaska, Norway, and the Russian Far East in addition to several years as an international scientific fisheries observer on high seas vessels in the Southern Ocean, Western and North Pacific Ocean, and the Bering Sea.
(206) 427-6553
wrain@searisksolutions.com

Dominion Energy

Michael Lewis

As the Marine Affairs Manager with Dominion Energy since March of 2023, Michael is focused on fostering relationships with maritime stakeholders, further developing safety and emergency response plans, and coordinating efforts on maritime topics in the permitting process. Prior to joining Dominion, Michael spent over 23 years in the U.S. Coast Guard. During his career, Michael oversaw operations involving marine transportation systems management across the U.S., including the missions of marine safety, aids to navigation, marine environmental protection and emergency response.
Michael.B.Lewis@dominionenergy.com

Scott Lawton

Scott is an Environmental Technical Coordinator and has worked on CVOW since 2015, overseeing environmental permitting on both the Pilot and the Commercial projects. Prior to joining the CVOW team, he provided environmental permitting for new Dominion Energy power generation projects including, solar, pump-hydro storage and natural gas combined cycle facilities. Scott has a Marine Engineering degree from Massachusetts Maritime Academy.
Scott.Lawton@dominionenergy.com

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