Governor Says Yes to Fast Trains, but No to the Bypass!
Shortly before the State House Rally to protect and support our parks and hiking trails, Narragansett Tribal land, historic neighborhoods, active farms, wetlands, homes, and more, Charlestown Town Council President Virginia Lee and other South County Town Council Presidents met with Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo.
The Governor had looked at the maps and analysis of the EIS prepared by CCA volunteers and was persuaded that the Rhode Island section of Federal Railroad Administration plan for the “Old Saybrook to Kenyon Bypass” was too destructive, and she has dropped her support for the bypass.
About 200 residents of Charlestown, the Narragansett Tribe, Westerly, and other South County towns had traveled to Providence for the rally. The rally, which was always centered on what we love and want to protect in our communities became a celebration of those same resources once the news of Governor Raimondo’s support was announced.
In the short term we still need to get the official support of our Congressional Delegation and in the long term we need to get the “Old Saybrook to Kenyon Bypass” removed from the long term plans of the FRA. We don’t know how long this journey will be, but at this stage in our effort we have had an important victory!
January 26, 2017 @ 8:23 am
Congratulations to the CCA volunteers, to the residents of Westerly, Richmond, and Charlestown, to the Narragansett Tribal members, to our local General Assembly representatives, and to all those who opposed to the Old Saybrook to Kenyon bypass. Thank you to Governor Raimondo for listening to and recognizing the will of the people who would be affected by this dysfunctional routing plan. Now if we could get the General Assembly to issue a statement opposed to the subject plan, and if we can get our Congressional representatives to back our arguments, maybe Senator Reed will formally reject the plan and not sign off on any budget proposal to continue this rail line option.