All of these events were possible because the citizens of Charlestown rose up in the winter of 2016 to fight off the RR proposal and they were led by Lee, Carroccia,Van Slyke and Platner. As we go to vote this week, I hope we all congratulate ourselves for fighting for what we love about Charlestown and say thank you as we vote.
Incredibly (and we do not use that word lightly) Charlestown managed to back down potential supporters of the Bypass in the federal delegation, enlist the support of key environmental groups which stayed on the sidelines in every other state on Northeast Corridor, and most importantly, they convinced Governor Raimondo to oppose the plan.
I will vote for candidates based on their character, and what they can offer our town, in keeping with its rural character and charm. I will vote for Charlestown Citizens Alliance-endorsed candidates Virginia Lee, Julie Carroccia and Bonnie Van Slyke, who worked to defeat the train for all Charlestown residents, and who saved my home, as well as our community.
If you like Charlestown as it is, continue supporting a council that has worked to maintain that character; the low taxes but quality education, open space that preserves our resources and provides habitat and recreation, that believes in listening to people as evidenced by their going door-to door to get individuals’ views of as many residents as they can and asking their concerns, and being civil and responsible.
While the news and television advertisements are focused on our national and state elections, I find that my quality of daily life in Charlestown is most affected by the type of candidates elected to local office. Fortunately, the Charlestown Town Council circus that once made Charlestown the political laughing stock of the state has dramatically changed for the better.
These are but two glaring examples that compelled Charlestown voters to oust them and strongly contributed to CCA’s success at the ballot box, which has resulted in exemplary leadership over the past eight years. Now, vestiges of that same group have the gumption to make their primary position in this year’s election, “Bring back open and transparent government.” I trust that Charlestown voters will not be fooled again. It’s simply a matter of “old wine in new bottles.”
Julie Carroccia, Virginia Lee, Bonnie Van Slyke, David Wilkinson, and Bill Wilson are proven leaders whose education, experience, and integrity prepare them to best represent you as Charlestown Town Councilors.
Frosty Drew Observatory’s dynamic program is drawing people in from all over New England to Charlestown to experience our dark sky. This Rhode Island Monthly magazine story describes the amazing view of Saturn that you can see through Frosty Drew’s telescopes.
Great article in So Rhode Island magazine about Charlestown’s dark skies. “Frosty Drew sits in a wide-open park, surrounded by protected federal lands with nothing beyond but the big, wide Atlantic Ocean. What this means for stargazers is the right kind of darkness, a field of stars relatively unmarred by man-made light. You can even get a look at the Andromeda Galaxy – which will be in prime viewing over Rhode Island in October”
When: Sunday, August 26, at 2PM
Where: Meet at the Preserve’s Railroad Ave Parking lot in Carolina
What: The parking lot is complete, the trails are marked, the Preserve is now open
Who: Join the Charlestown Conservation Commission and the Charlestown Land Trust for the grand opening of this beautiful preserve to the public
In this video noted biologist, Ginger Brown, describes why protecting the rivers of the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed is important because they have the largest populations of dragonflies and damselflies.
In this video series, US Fish and Wildlife Service tells the story of the Pawcatuck River from formation to restoration. The Pawcatuck River forms the entire northern border of Charlestown.
The last time fish could migrate unimpeded on the Pawcatuck River, the United States was not yet a nation. George Washington was a surveyor, not a general or a president. But now, thanks to The Nature Conservancy, the Wood Pawcatuck Watershed Association, and other groups, the Pawcatuck River is ready for this year’s herring and shad runs — all 34 miles are passable for the first time in US history!
Town writes to FCC in opposition to new radio tower, citing procedural, environmental, and historic preservation issues.
The deadline to send your own comments is Tuesday March 27.
Invenergy writes to EFSB: “the Water Supply Agreement between the Narragansett Indian Tribe and Clear River Energy LLC, executed on September 19, 2017, has been terminated and is null and void”
Citing several concerns, Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin today announced his opposition to the construction of the Invenergy power plant in Burrillville and his intention to seek permission from the Court to file an amicus brief in Rhode Island Superior Court challenging the plant’s water-supply plan.
The following letter was submitted to the Energy Facility Siting Board on the subject of water withdrawal to cool Invenergy’s power plant, and is shared with us here by the […]
Invenergy declined to amend the contract and set a maximum yearly limit on water withdrawal. Their rationale was that lenders or analysts might see a scenario where they would need more than that maximum and not have confidence in Invenergy’s ability to get cooling water to the plant. The Woonsocket City Council then voted down the water withdrawal contract.
“While Tribal Council members have not received a copy of the purported agreement between Invenergy and the Tribe, generally speaking formal contracts that may be implied or expressly created in this type of agreement require a tribal resolution, signed by the Chief or First Councilman. Such a resolution requires a special tribal meeting and a vote by the body. No tribal meeting or vote has occurred regarding a proposed agreement to sell tribal water to Invenergy.”
“Charlestown’s interest, therefore, is the potential of a material, adverse impact on Charlestown’s water supply as a consequence of the operation of the proposed Power Plant. To this extent, the Town of Charlestown is an “affected community” … “As such, a public hearing must be conducted in Charlestown, with notice at least 30 days prior, and prior to the final hearing on the Application.”
This document from Invenergy is so heavily redacted that it is not possible to estimate the impacts of the water withdrawal or possible tanker truck traffic.
There are no maps and no data. It does not identify where the water will be withdrawn in Charlestown except that it is from Narragansett land. The route that the tanker trucks will take is redacted.
The agreement with the Narragansett government is missing in its entirety. It is impossible to know if there is any upper limit on the quantity of water to be withdrawn.
We can’t really think of any reason to mention these ‘dropped’ routes specifically in the Record of Decision, other than to guide later planning, and to assure that plans for the Kenyon to Old Saybrook Bypass, and Quadtracking between Branford and Guilford are reintroduced into decision making at a later date.
Greg Stroud, “And let me say that the entire Northeast Corridor owes a debt of gratitude to the leadership and work, late in coming, but remarkably effective, from the Charlestown Citizens Alliance, and the Charlestown government. It has been a model effort on their part as a local government. Let us all learn from them.”
This beautiful essay by Ken Payne makes the case that keeping our curvy train tracks and the natural and historic landscapes the train passes through are vital to Rhode Island’s […]
Hamden, CT – (May 4) – With a final Record of Decision on NEC Future expected as soon as late May, the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation is reaching out […]
With just weeks remaining before the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) completes a five-year NEC Future planning process, finalizing a ‘once-in-a-generation’ blueprint for rail travel and investment along the Northeast Corridor, advocates of historic, cultural and environmental resources in Connecticut are responding warily to recent statements from Connecticut DOT and FRA officials.
CHARLESTOWN AGRICULTURAL PRESERVATION COMMISSION April 13,2017 To Whom it May Concern, At the April 12, 2017 meeting of the Charlestown Agricultural Preservation Commission. all of the members opposed the proposed […]
The following post was published by SECoast and is shared with us here by the Executive Director of SECoast Gregory Stroud. Greg has summed up all the new developments in […]
The Northeast Corridor Commission promotes mutual cooperation and planning and advises Congress on Corridor policy. The Commission is composed of one member from each of the NEC states and the District of Columbia; four members from Amtrak; and five members from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The NEC Commission letter is nearly identical to Governor Malloy’s letter. “Eliminate any specific “representative alternative alignments” along the NEC. Portions of the corridor which require evaluation of alternative investments and alignments to address capacity, speed, or which have other vulnerabilities should be identified without proposing specific options.”
Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy is urging the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to table consideration of any new alignment of tracks on the Northeast Corridor (NEC) through Connecticut and instead focus its investments – which he says are long overdue – on maintaining the corridor in a “state of good repair.”
