Rhode Island Fisheries Direct Compensation Program

How to File a Claim

ELIGIBILITY

Complete the eligibility form and email the completed eligibility form to RIFFVT.Southfork@pkfod.com

Note: Eligibility is reviewed for both the Direct Compensation Program and the Navigation Enhancement and Training Program

DOWNLOAD FORM

CONFIRMATION OF ELIGIBILITY

After providing the Eligibility Application and supporting documentation, you will be contacted by the TAP to confirm you are eligible or to request more information to establish eligibility. Once confirmed, you may move on to step 3 to submit a claim.

CLAIM

Once deemed eligible – Complete the Claim Application and email along with any supporting documentation to RIFFVT.Southfork@pkfod.com

DOWNLOAD FORM

CLAIM APPROVAL

The TAP will review your Claim Application, request any additional information required and will inform you of the approved claim payment amount or denial.

Forms

Eligibility Application

Claim Application

Application notice for appeal

Resources

RI CRMC South Fork Wind

South Fork | Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

About | South Fork Wind

Frequently Asked Questions

WHO MAY SUBMIT A CLAIM?

Claims must be submitted by either the owner or operator of a commercial fishing or party/charter boat. Prior to filing a claim, please submit an Eligibility Form first.

WHAT ARE THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR FILING A CLAIM?

Applicants must stipulate to the following eligibility criteria:

a.) You must hold a valid state fishing or landing permit;
b.) You must have a homeport in Massachusetts (as documented on your vessel registration) or be resident or incorporated business in Massachusetts; and
c.) You must demonstrate a history of the vessel operating in the SWF project area in the three years prior to eligibility and having incurred a direct impact/direct loss caused by SFW.

DO I NEED TO SUBMIT ANY FURTHER INFORMATION IN ADDITION TO THE ELIGIBILITY FORM?

Yes, Schedule B identifies the documentation needed to verify eligibility.

DOWNLOAD SCHEDULE B

IF I AM NOT QUALIFIED AS ELIGIBLE TO FILE A CLAIM, CAN I APPEAL THE TAP’S DETERMINATION?

Yes, you can appeal the TAP’s ineligibility determination by filing a Notice of Appeal of Eligibility Status within 30 days of the TAP’s ineligibility determination.

APPLICATION NOTICE FOR APPEAL

HOW DO I FILE A CLAIM?

If eligible, Claims must be filed by sending the completed Claim Form.

CAN I SUBMIT MY MATERIALS BY MAIL OR BRING THEM BY HAND?

Yes, please email RIFFVT.Southfork@pkfod.com for mailing instructions or to make an appointment to drop off your documents.

WHAT IF I AM NOT REQUIRED TO SUBMIT VTR INFORMATION? WILL YOU ACCEPT MANUAL FISHING LOGS OR OTHER DATA?

Yes, please contact the TAP at RIFFVT.Southfork@pkfod.com to discuss the data you have available and to arrange for providing it.

WILL MY INFORMATION BE SHARED WITH ANYONE?

Your information will not be shared beyond what is listed in this answer unless required by law. The TAP will review your detailed eligibility and claim information. Upon being deemed eligible, with your consent, the TAP will share your name and vessel information with the Navigation Enhancement and Training Program Administrator. Upon a claim payment being approved, the TAP will share your name, address and payment amount with the Trustee to issue the payment. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if a claim payment is made, the amount of the payment and the identity of the recipient will be reported to the Division of Marine Fisheries and made a public record.

HOW DO I KNOW MY INFORMATION WILL BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL?

The TAP will maintain the confidentiality of all information and documents received from claimants except to the extent that disclosure is required by court order or applicable law. The TAP will only utilize information and documents provided by potential claimants for purposes of administering claims and performing related functions.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING AND SECURING MY PERSONAL INFORMATION?

PKFOD, the Technical Assistance Provider or “TAP”, is responsible for requesting, obtaining, maintaining and eventually destroying all information provided by potential claimants.

“PKF O’Connor Davies” is the brand name under which PKF O’Connor Davies LLP and PKF O’Connor Davies Advisory LLC provide professional services. PKF O’Connor Davies LLP and PKF O’Connor Davies Advisory LLC practice in an alternative practice structure in accordance with the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct and applicable law, regulations and professional standards. PKF O’Connor Davies LLP is a licensed independent CPA firm that provides attest services to its clients and PKF O’Connor Davies Advisory LLC and its subsidiary entities provide tax and business advisory services to their clients.

As a public accounting, tax and business advisory firm, PKFOD routinely handles confidential, sensitive data and personal information in the normal course of business.

WHEN WILL I GET MY PAYMENT?

If, following completion of the review process, the TAP determines that you are eligible to receive payment, payment will be issued within 30 days. The address provided on your claims form will be used to mail your check. If your address changes after submission of this form, please contact the TAP with your updated information.

WHAT IS THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING A CLAIM FORM?

You may submit a Claim Form up to two years after your loss.

HOW CAN I VERIFY THAT MY CLAIM FORM WAS RECEIVED?

If you send your Claim Form via email, you will receive an email receipt confirming receipt. If you mail your Claim Form and include an email address, you will receive an email receipt confirming receipt. If you mail supporting documents, a letter with a confirmation number will be mailed to you. Please note, it may take several business days for your form to be received, logged through the intake process, and for the confirmation letter to be sent.

WHAT DATA SECURITY AND DOCUMENT RETENTION POLICIES ARE IN PLACE?

PKFOD has policies in place that require their employees to maintain as confidential all client information that is not otherwise publicly available.

PKFOD has in place and maintains physical, electronic and procedural safeguards reasonably designed to protect the security, confidentiality and integrity of, and to prevent unauthorized access to or use of, records and information it obtains or prepares and maintains in the course of performing its duties. PKFOD establishes, maintains, implements and follows reasonably designed security and disaster recovery programs, policies and procedures.

PKFOD will retain all documentation provided by potential claimants in accordance with its standard document retention policies, which is seven (7) years. PKFOD will securely destroy all files and documents seven (7) years after the Claims Administrator Team determines final payment amounts, absent any legal requirement to maintain such documents and information beyond that time period.

Please note that documents sent to and maintained by PKFOD are not a substitute for your own records. You should make and retain copies of all records given to us.

HOW WILL THE PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION I SUBMIT BE PROTECTED?

Eligibility and Claim Forms, whether submitted electronically or by mail, will be handled and maintained securely by PKFOD in accordance with its standard policies and procedures related to confidential and personal information.

Eligible claimants must submit relevant tax and financial information sufficient to permit the TAP to conduct an individualized review of each claim.

All information submitted, whether electronically or in hard copy, will be maintained pursuant to PKFOD’s standard file security, confidential information and data retention policies as described above.

HOW WILL MY CLAIM BE EVALUATED?

Each claim will be individually reviewed, pursuant to factors established by the Claims Administrator, for the purpose of determining whether the claimant is eligible to seek compensation from the Fund and, if so, whether compensation should be awarded and in what amount.

CAN I APPEAL THE TAP’S CLAIM DECISION?

Yes, you can appeal the TAP’s claim decision by filing a Notice of Appeal within 30 days of the date of the TAP’s decision via email to RIFFVT.Southfork@pkfod.com.

APPLICATION NOTICE FOR APPEAL

About The Fund

The South Fork Wind (“SFW”) Rhode Island Fisheries Direct Compensation Program was established to provide financial compensation for mitigating impacts to commercial fishing from the construction, operation and decommissioning of SFW.

The SFW Rhode Island Fisheries Direct Compensation Program will pay eligible fishers after their claim is approved from an escrow account according to the process below.

The SFW Rhode Island Fisheries Direct Compensation Program has two key parts:
1) Determining which fishers are eligible for compensation and participation in the Navigation Enhancement and Training Program based on their historical fishing activity in SFW, and

2) Calculating the amount of individual compensation based on an open and transparent predetermined payment framework that applies a tiered approach. In this tiered approach, every eligible fisher receives a payment but those with higher historical value landings within SFW receive more compensation than those with lesser value landings.

If eligible, commercial and for-hire charter fishing operations may file a claim for direct losses/impacts arising from the construction and some aspects of operation of the Project and unforeseen, extraordinary events that lead to later business interruption and direct losses/impacts caused by the Project.

For Coastal Community Fund inquiries – please see Resources & FAQs | South Fork Wind
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For Gear Loss Displacement Claims – please see here

For Navigation Enhancement and Training Program inquiries – please see here

Contact Us

RHODE ISLAND FISHERIES DIRECT COMPENSATION PROGRAM

South Fork Wind – Technical Assistance Provider (TAP)
PKF O'Connor Davies.

The phone number is +1 781-937-5737
The email address is: RIFFVT.SouthFork@pkfod.com