‘Now Is the Time’ for Offshore Wind, U.S. Energy Official Says

R.I. on Leading Edge

By Rob Smith / ecoRI News staff

Developed by Deepwater Wind and now operated by Danish company Ørsted, the Block Island Wind Farm generates 30 megawatts of electricity for Block Island and nearby South County communities. Revolution Wind, Ørsted's next offshore wind project, received CRMC approval last month. Workers are transported to turbines as needed on boats such as this one. (Rob Smith/ecoRI News)

Offshore wind is having its moment, said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm at a Quonset roundtable during a visit to the state Friday, and it’s only going to get bigger.

“I hope you feel the moment we’re in,” Granholm said. “If you ever wanted to work in this space, now is the time.”

On June 2, Granholm, together with Gov. Dan McKee, Rhode Island’s congressional delegation, and other state officials, took a three-hour tour of the Block Island Wind Farm, the first operational offshore development in the nation.

The five-turbine, 30-megawatt facility, a few miles off Block Island, became operational at the end of 2016, and generates power for both New Shoreham residents and communities on the mainland. At the time, the project was seen as something of a proof-of-concept development for offshore wind in the United States, with dozens of proposed projects springing up in the years since.

Still no certainty – but lots of doubt – about future of Saybrook-Kenyon Bypass

Plenty of Questions But Few Answers On Rail Project

By TIM FAULKNER/ecoRI News staff

State senators got few answers about a proposal to expand the Amtrak rail line in Rhode Island during a Feb. 28 conference call with federal officials.

The public meeting was held to assuage fears about the portion of the NEC Future project that runs between Westerly and Kenyon, a village in Richmond.

Sen. Dennis Algiere, R-Westerly/Charlestown, said he was worried about environmental damage to aquifers, farmland and historic villages in the segment of the project called the Westerly Bypass.

Officials from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) insisted that environmental concerns must be addressed.

The project, however, is only in the conceptual phase, they said.

An environmental impact report was issued in December. FRA is reviewing public comments, and a record of decision for Tier 1 is expected in the coming months. The process takes the same course for Tier 2.

In the second phase, the FRA will determine design, construction and cost for specific projects along the entire route. Public workshops will be held and public input gathered.

During the recent Statehouse meeting, FRA officials had no answer when asked if the state or the municipalities along the route would be asked pay a portion of the $130 million project.

“We don’t know exactly know how the program will be funded,” said Brian Rodda, an FRA community planner.

The FRA also couldn't say if land acquisitions would be necessary, but noted that the use of eminent domain would be determined by each county.

Roads and bridges fixed by magic

But let’s just give Quonset museum $4 million with no accountability

By Sen. James Sheehan

Rep. Costa flipping the finger at Bob Plain
of RI Futures. Stay classy, Doreen!
(Photo by Bob Plain)

In her efforts to assist the Quonset Air Museum, Rep. Doreen Costa (R-Dist. 31) of Exeter and North Kingstown successfully lobbied House leadership to secure a $25,000 state grant to assist the private, nonprofit corporation located in North Kingstown.

Costa presented a large ceremonial check to the museum August 21. However, the check has yet to be honored by the Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission, the state agency overseeing the grant. The state agency refused to disburse the money as there were issues regarding the application. 

One issue was the commission was not satisfied with the corporation’s statement of intent on the planned use of the $25,000.

I find it ironic that a $25,000 grant would be held up to insure that the money would be used properly. 

Yet, Costa, who is surely aware the check is frozen, is seeking $4 million for the air museum without there being a stated purpose or other accountability measures in that bill.

Like we need another one

Ken Block is a Barrington version of Don Carcieri

By Bob Plain in Rhode Island’s Future

“Only an outsider can fix what’s broken here,” said Barrington businessman Ken Block during last night’s first Republican debate for governor.

His opponent, Cranston Mayor Allan Fung, may want to paint Block as a opportunistic flip-flopper, but to me he sounded a lot like the last affluent private sector executive from the suburbs to preach the “outsider” gospel.

And we all know how that turned out.

Charlestown solicitor Craven listed among 10 challengers most likely to win in November

Craven-Ehrhardt contest might produce an upset

Bob Craven and Rep. Larry Ehrhardt

By Will Collette

Charlestown’s Town Prosecutor and Assistant Solicitor Bob Craven’s campaign to win the House District 32 seat in North Kingstown was listed in GoLocalProv’s new rankings of races where the incumbent is most vulnerable. 

Craven, a Democrat, is taking on incumbent Republican Larry Ehrhardt, who squeaked out a primary win against a strong GOP-backed challenger. Now Ehrhardt faces Bob in a race where Bob Craven has strong party backing, while Ehrhardt does not.

Charlestown has some skin in the game in House District 32

It’s Craven v. Ehrhardt

Charlestown Asst. Solicitor Bob Craven (D) faces incumbent state Rep.
Laurence Ehrhardt in November for House District 32

By Will Collette

After a recount Tuesday, Republican incumbent State Representative Laurence Ehrhardt was certified the winner in his rough primary battle with his former would-be successor Sharon Gamba by only 16 votes.

Gamba claimed that Ehrhardt had told her he planned to retire from the General Assembly and promised her his support as his successor, only to renege on that promise. So Gamba then launched a strong primary challenge to take what she claimed was promised to her.

Though Ehrhardt squeaked by, he now will face Democratic challenger Bob Craven, who is well known here in Charlestown as one of the town’s long-time members of its legal team. Bob is currently Assistant Solicitor, Probate Judge, town prosecutor and counsel to the Zoning Board.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

Episode 1 – Getting Ready To Fish

Bob Yarnall

By Robert Yarnall

Read the rest of the Whiskey Tango Foxtrot series:
Episode 2 – Watchaug Bites
Episode 3 – Avoiding Car Sickness
Episode 4 – Bait & Switch (Not!)
Episode 5 – Still Baiting, Still Switching…
Episode 6 – Mother Gooser & Friends
Episode 7 – Under the Radar with L-T
Episode 8 – Steering Committee Syndrome Unleashed, The Prelude
Episode 9 – Steering Committee Syndrome Unleashed, The Kiss
Episode 10 – Snagged on the Epilog Epic-Log


So how does an ex-college journalist get shanghaied by a local political blogging team that has dared to apply the gold standard of investigative journalism, namely the Woodward-Bernstein Watergate timeline storyboard, to good ol’ Charlietown?

Yeah, I know it’s Snarkified Version 2.0 and it makes some folks uncomfortable.

Trying to wriggle away gets complicated. People get their stories twisted up in knots. Eventually the knots fray, then the whole ball of string starts to unravel. Land deals, vendor contracts, personnel hiring & firing schemes, issues common to Anytown USA, are alive & kicking here in Charlestown. Fortunately, they’re not doing so well. The worm turns. The worm always turns.