SALISBURY, Md. - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has presented a report finding the proposed solar facilities at the Salisbury-Ocean City Wicomico County Airport will have no significant impacts to the environment and residents. The report, released last week, is further progress for Wicomico County’s plan to release about 20 acres of airport land to Community Power Group (CPG) for solar installation.
Two separate facilities are set to be installed in the area on vacant land just north of the airport and south of Mt. Hermon Road. One facility would provide solar power for all County offices, while the other would provide solar power to the airport itself.
“With multiple facilities on-site that have unique electricity demands, CPG is excited to have formulated a project design that helps the Airport meet these demands with renewable energy,” CPG said in a statement.
Multiple Federal and Maryland agencies and departments considered the potential impacts the facilities would have on various aspects in the area, including environmental, cultural, socioeconomic, and agricultural. Their findings are all presented in the report. Climate, farmlands, noise, water and air quality, and children’s health, among others, were all factored into the overall ruling. It was determined that none of them would be impacted in any significant manner.
It was found that the facility would impact about four square feet of isolated emergent wetlands and around two square feet within a 25-foot nontidal wetlands buffer. The Maryland Department of Environment coordinated with CPG and gave the company a Letter of Authorization to move forward with the installation.
An airspace review was also conducted, finding the facilities would not be a hazard to air navigation in and out of the airport.
Installation of the solar facilities is expected to begin later this year. The full report can be read on the airport’s website.