By Tracey C. O’Neill
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| State Senator Dawson Hodgson |
Providence - State Senator and Deputy Minority Leader Dawson Hodgson
(R-Dist. 35) appeared before the State Properties Committee (SPC) on Wednesday, joining several constituents
and resident opponents to the Deepwater Wind offshore wind demonstration project and
the company’s request for easements over state lands and highways.
“I am a state
senator representing the southern half of Narragansett and I am here today
speaking in opposition to this proposal. [I] object to this project in the
strongest possible terms on behalf of my constituents and on behalf of the
individuals and business ratepayers across this whole state.”
Hodgson after
listening to presentations to the committee by representatives from the Rhode
Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) and
Department of Environmental Management (DEM), urged
the SPC to stand up and stop what he believed to be a “terrible deal for the
people of RI.”
Hodgson asked the committee to deny utility easements and
assignments to Deepwater Wind Transmission LLC (Deepwater Wind) and
Narragansett Electric Company, for passage of its subterranean and terrestrial
transmission cables through state properties at Scarborough State Beach and Dillon’s Corner in Narragansett.
Deepwater’s original application
withdrawn, Town stands alone
The transmission
cable, needed to tie Block Island to mainland electricity, linking mainland and
island with a five-turbine offshore wind farm demonstration project, were
originally planned for landing at Narragansett Town Beach. After much
deliberation and exhaustive public hearings on the town property landing site,
Deepwater Wind withdrew its application in light of heavy resident opposition,
ending negotiations with the Town of Narragansett.
The Town
Council, posthumously and in a unanimous vote denied the application.
“The Deepwater
Wind project represents a terrible public policy decision and is a breakdown of
fiduciary responsibility across multiple levels of government,” said Hodgson.
“This project is opposed by a great number of my constituents who made their
feelings and their very well-researched points of view known to the
Narragansett Town Council when Deepwater proposed bringing this cable ashore at
the town beach.”
Hodgson
accredited his opposition to several points, two of which were repeated by
resistance members throughout the public commentary period.
The Senator
pointed out that ratepayer increases not only affect his constituency, but have
broad-reaching capabilities statewide, as well as in the overall scheme of
renewable energy stewardship and responsibility.
To read the rest of this article (lots of juicy stuff), click here.
To read the rest of this article (lots of juicy stuff), click here.