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GeorgeTremblay

Charlestown Electorate has Confidence in CCA Members

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In his letter of 2 Dec, Frank Glista explains the broad base of public support for CCA candidates for public office. He sees evidence of the independent nature of those who run for office under the CCA banner. Concern that undue pressure forces the council to promote the leadership’s political agenda is dispelled by Glista’s observation that members of the town council vote their conscience, not the leadership agenda. It is the vote of conscience that inspires the electorate to return these folks to office.

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books

Preparing for the December 5 Hearing on Water Withdrawal from Charlestown

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When: Tuesday, December 5 at 6 p.m. (doors open at 5 p.m.)
Where: Charlestown Elementary School, 363 Carolina Back Road (Rt. 112), Charlestown
What: The purpose of the hearing is to hear your public comment.
Who: This is entirely the Energy Facility Siting Board’s (EFSB) hearing. This is not a Town meeting and the Charlestown government has not been allowed to make a formal presentation. The applicant however gets an opportunity to present to the public and the hearing will begin with a presentation by the applicant Invenergy Thermal Development LLC.
Ideas for questions to ask the EFSB on Tuesday night are at the end of this post.

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Taking the Water Withdrawal Contract at its “Face Value”

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In denying the Tribal Council’s motion to intervene, the EFSB claimed approval of the motion would put the EFSB in the position of taking a side in internal tribal politics, instead they would just take the contract between Invenergy and “two members of the Tribe”, Matthew Thomas and John Brown, at its “face value”.

Since this November 27 EFSB hearing I have wondered what the EFSB meant by the “face value” of the contract. And what is that face value?

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Ruth Platner

The Energy Facility Siting Board, like any other public body in Rhode Island, is subject to the Open Meeting Act

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Letter from Ruth Platner: “The Energy Facility Siting Act requires that the EFSB base their decision on a finding that the applicant has shown that there will not be “unacceptable harm to the environment and [that the proposal] will enhance the socio-economic fabric of the state”. With the facts of the water withdrawal hidden from the public, is the EFSB expecting us to just trust their judgment?”

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Invenergy

Where Will The Water Go? Learn More About The Invenergy Power Plant

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When: Tuesday, November 21 at 7 p.m.
Where: Cross Mills Library (map in post)
What: Invenergy plans to withdraw groundwater from Charlestown and carry it by tanker trucks to Burrillville where it will cool the turbines of the proposed gas and oil fueled power plant. You can learn all about the project that will use this water at this informational meeting.
Who: This event is sponsored by the Rhode Island Association of Conservation Commissions and the Burrillville Land Trust. Burrillville Land Trust President, Paul A. Roselli will lead the presentation and discussion.

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Photo of Ice House Pond in the Carter Preserve

Hearing on Withdrawing Water from Charlestown to Cool Northern RI Power Plant

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When: Tuesday, December 5 at 6 p.m. (doors open at 5 p.m.)
Where: Charlestown Elementary School, 363 Carolina Back Road (Rt. 112), Charlestown (map in post)
What: Hearing to allow public comment from Charlestown citizens and others on Invenergy Thermal Development’s proposal to withdraw groundwater from Charlestown and transport it by tanker trucks to Burrillville to cool the turbines of the natural gas and diesel power plant they are seeking to build in the forest in that town.

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Text of Narragansett Tribal Council’s Motion to Intervene on Water Withdrawal

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“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.”

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Water Tanker Truck

Questions About Impacts of Tanker Truck Traffic Carrying Water to Burrillville

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Once we get more reliable data, we’ll be able to assess impacts such as safety, noise, air quality, cumulative damage to roads, and energy used. Invenergy will pay for the water, but all these other costs associated with health, safety, and diminished quality of life will be borne by the communities the trucks pass through. And it all depends on how much water is trucked on any given day.

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Text of Charlestown’s Motion to Intervene on Water Withdrawal

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“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.”

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Ruth Platner

Planning Commission Chair Ruth Platner’s Testimony at Burrillville Power Plant Hearing

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The Energy Facilities Siting Board should not allow the developers of the Invenergy power plant to use an agreement to withdraw groundwater from within the Town of Charlestown to satisfy any requirement for a backup water supply because of insufficient notice to the Town of Charlestown, insufficient information provided to the Town, and a need for the Siting Board to seek additional legal advice.

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Town ‘blindsided’ by tribal deal; Water agreement for power plant on Charlestown agenda

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Westerly Sun: “We haven’t been notified, we’ve had no calls from the state agencies, and no calls from the tribe,” council President Virginia Lee said Friday. “We have no information so we’re going to discuss with our lawyers how to go about getting the documents we haven’t been provided and how to get the data.”

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What We Learned at Solar 101

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Over 75 Charlestown residents attended the Solarize Charlestown program at Cross Mills Library on June 27 to learn about the State Incentives, Federal Tax Credits, and group purchasing power made possible by the partnership of the State of Rhode Island and the Town of Charlestown that make this an affordable time to add solar panels to your roof.

If you missed the program or just want to review the June 27 presentation, we have put together a slide show with a short summary of what we learned.

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Acela-Kenyon-1106

Turn To 10: State, local officials to focus on ways to improve rails

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“Just in Charlestown, we had 19 pieces of open space that would have been affected, and we counted upwards of almost 100 pieces of private property,” said Filippi. “The rerouting in northern Charlestown was going to save about one minute of time and cost over a billion dollars to do. And it just didn’t make sense.” Video included

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