March 17, 2016 – RI Future

The Providence City Council voted unanimously to approve Councillor Seth Yurdin’s resolution to “require a thorough review of” the “proposed Fields Point Liquefaction Facility… and a Comprehensive Public Participation Plan.”

“This is a very important neighborhood issue,” said Yurdin to the City Council ahead of the resolution’s passage, “it’s a social justice issue, its about treating all our residents fairly. There are significant health issues that have been raised [and] safety concerns, related to locating this facility in proximity to a residential neighborhood.”

The process of approving National Grid’s proposed liquefaction facility at Fields Point is in the hands of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), but as Yurdin noted in his comments before the City Council last night, there has not been much room made for public input into the plan. Part of Yurdin’s resolution calls for “public forums in multiple neighborhood locations” and “shall require representatives of the project site owner [National Grid, presumably] to attend to answer questions and address concerns, as well as require that representatives from Rhode Island Department of Health, Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, and the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Corporation participate in the public forums.”

The resolution also calls for:

An “environmental impact analysis include potential disaster scenarios, evacuation plans, and casualties within a two-mile radius of the project site, as well as evaluates the concentration of other facilities in the area that may impact public health and safety in the case of a disaster.”
That the review “include studies of diesel truck traffic between I-95 and the port area on a daily, monthly, and annual basis, and the estimated particulate matter released into the air as a result of such traffic.”
That the “City Council support the Rhode Island Department of Health request that a Risk Management Plan be required.”
That the “City of Providence will ensure compliance with the highest standards of environmental and health protocols, and will address, to the extent allowed by law, environmental, safety, and health concerns associated with this project.”

Watching the resolution pass were several members of the Environmental Justice League of Rhode Island, who were quite pleased with the City Council’s resolution.

Though this resolution by itself will not resolve the issues surrounding the LNG expansion at Fields Point, it will bring much needed attention and public input to the project, allowing a robust discussion of the future of fossil fuels in Rhode Island at a time when the fate of our species is being decided by what we do next.

Read the Environmental Justice League of Rhode Island white paper on National Grid’s plan here:

● Flawed Proposal: Background info on National Grid’s unnecessary project

● Potential Disasters: dangerous facility in a high risk area

● Environmental Racism: ongoing and underlying environmental justice issues

● Climate Change: it causes climate change and is at risk from climate impacts

● Public Health: health disparities and impacts on health care institutions

● Economic Inequality: high cost project that will cause economic damage

● Alternatives and Solutions: Strategies for Climate Justice & a Just Transition

City Councilman Seth Yurdin (Ward One) is sponsoring a resolution that calls for a comprehensive analysis of National Grid’s plans to construct a natural gas liquefaction facility in Providence. Currently, National Grid has a liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage tank at Fields Point; the new plant would process natural gas and convert it to liquid form on site. The resolution will be considered by the full City Council on Thursday, March 17th.

Yurdin, who has led multiple legislative initiatives addressing climate change and sustainability, said, “The proposal is a significant intensification of the current activity at National Grid’s Fields Point site—producing LNG is very different than storing it—and the impacts of that intensified activity need to be carefully and thoroughly studied, and communicated to the public.”

The LNG proposal is currently under consideration by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Yurdin’s resolution notes that public health and safety, climate change, and environmental justice concerns must be evaluated closely as part of FERC’s review. The resolution states that, “Rhode Island is positioned to become a leader in renewable energy. . . supporting the proposed Fields Point liquefaction facility could undermine efforts to reduce Rhode Island’s reliance on natural gas and other fossil fuels.” Yurdin cited the Block Island wind farm, renewable energy incentives through Rhode Island’s Office of Energy Resources, and Providence’s ongoing initiative to divest from fossil fuels to exemplify the state’s leadership on addressing climate change.

“The development of the Fields Point liquefaction facility will continue to deepen our reliance on fossil fuels, when, in fact, we should be investing much more into clean, renewable energy sources,” Yurdin said. “The long-term cumulative impact of projects like the National Grid LNG will be devastating to our environment.”

Yurdin also noted environmental justice concerns regarding the facility’s proximity to South Providence and Washington Park—communities largely impacted by socioeconomic and health risks, including high rates of poverty, unemployment and asthma: “We cannot ignore that this project may increase health, safety, and environmental risks for already vulnerable populations living in close proximity to the site. We must address these concerns openly and fairly,” said Yurdin.

The resolution calls for a comprehensive environmental impact statement, which would include air quality and truck traffic studies; a risk management plan; and an inclusive public participation process. The City of Providence would hold public forums in multiple neighborhood locations and engage stakeholders to address concerns.

The resolution will be introduced at the City Council meeting on March 17, 2016 at 7 p.m., at City Hall, Council Chambers, Third Floor.

[From a press release]

Day: March 17, 2016

PVD City Council passes Yurdin’s Fields Point expansion review resolution unanimously

Yurdin calls for review of National Grid’s proposed Fields Point expansion