“A lot of the economic development proposals that we thought were good for smart growth passed,” Wolf said. “Those are embodied primarily in Governor Raimondo’s economic development package.”

He mentioned funding to incentivize development on the I-195 land, a fund for streetscape improvements on main streets of cities and towns, special incentives towards transit development, and others.

But the Rebuild RI tax credit could be the most impactful piece of the governor’s economic development package, he said. In its final form, there are opportunities for small historic rehabilitation projects, something that Grow Smart advocated for, and spoke to the Raimondo administration about.

“If the Rebuild RI tax credit does provide significant opportunities for large and small historic rehab projects, then that could be the single most important item,” Wolf said. “It provides continuing state incentives for redeveloping some of our tremendous collection of historic buildings, most of which are located in urban areas, many in distressed urban areas.”

Wolf added that the tax credit program also provides funding for the redevelopment of vacant lots in cities and towns. These lots could be turned into a number of things for public use, but Grow Smart is advocating for some to be converted into grocery stores, as many urbanites have difficulties accessing one.

“As a group that wants to see development occur primarily in cities versus rural areas, we think that this Rebuild RI tax credit is going to stimulate that kind of development,” Wolf said.

Looking toward the future, Grow Smart has plans for the short and long term. For the rest of the year, they’ll be focusing on educating towns and municipalities about the new tools they have, such as the Rebuild RI tax credit, to implement smart growth standards in their public centers.

“Our focus for the next four or five months is going to be to try to make sure that municipalities and developers, both for profit and nonprofit, that are interested in rehabilitating specific historic structures, fully understand how they can facilitate that through the Rebuild RI program,” Wolf said.

During this time, Grow Smart will become a resource for these groups to ensure that their process goes smoothly, but also to get as many historic rehab projects approved as possible. They’ll also be providing assistance for some of the bond issues that were passed last November, especially an environmental bond that includes $5 million for the redevelopment of contaminated sites, or brown fields. Wolf said that this bond is a big step forward, since it’s the first time that state money has gone toward such a project.

Wolf added that Grow Smart also plans to work with the governor’s administration to develop a technical assistance for local governments so they can better use the new tools that have been given to them for redevelopment, such as tax increment financing, which can be used to put the funds together for brownfield development.

In the long term, Wolf said they have several goals, but they all boil down to building a stronger economy, while maintaining Rhode Island’s personality. This all includes employment for city residents, strengthening farms and locally produced agriculture, and a more user-friendly transportation system.

“In a broad sense, our in Rhode Island, and the work nationally in the smart growth movement, is about changing the predominant development pattern in America, which has existed for the past 70 years or so, which has been a very auto dependent, suburban oriented development pattern,” he said. “We’re not anti suburban, and we’re not anti auto, but we think that we need a more balanced approach than what we’ve had in the state and in the country for decades.”

A successful year can’t happen without some marked failures, though. Grow Smart was a staunch supporter of Governor Raimondo’s RhodeWorks legislation, which tore a rift between the House and Senate last session. While the revised bill passed in the Senate, it didn’t even reach the floor in the House, with Speaker Mattiello urging for further study. The bill would use tolls on tractor-trailer trucks to cover the costs of rebuilding deficient bridges, as well as support a more modern transit system.

“We’re disappointed it didn’t pass both houses, but we think there’s a good chance it’s going to be approved either later this year or early next year. We’re working with the Raimondo administration, especially the state department of transportation, on that proposal,” Wolf said.

He was also disappointed that there was not a specific and significant commitment to multi-year funding for historical rehabilitation projects added to the state historic tax credit program.

RhodeMap RI was presented another sticky situation for Grow Smart. While it did pass as legislation, Wolf explained that there was so much controversy around the bill that it became hard to use it as the basis for any policy decisions. The bill included expansions for affordable housing, which conservative activists called “socialist,” fearing the takeover of municipal zoning regulations.

Although the plan was ultimately approved, Grow Smart’s main concern after the public uproar it caused was that it would sit on a shelf and have no policy effect whatsoever. However, Governor Raimondo’s economic development package includes many of the basic priorities that Rhode Map sought to achieve, and which Grow Smart supports.

“Our main commitment was to the goals and the proposed policies of RhodeMap, not to RhodeMap, the name or the brand,” Wolf said. “Our goal this sessions was to get as many of the initiatives that are in the spirit of Rhode Map approved as possible, and a lot of the governor’s economic development package is in that spirit.”

“If decoupling these ideas from RhodeMap is what’s necessary, politically, to have them enacted, then that’s a small price to pay,” Wolf added.

Even with the stigma surrounding RhodeMap, and the limbo that RhodeWorks currently lies in, Wolf said he is still very comfortable calling this legislative session a success for Grow Smart. As far as next year is concerned, their goals are still in the planning stage. For now, Grow Smart celebrates what they’ve already won, and not the battle ahead.

“You come to HealthSource, and right there, you can very easily sign up for coverage regardless of your income,” she said. “We’ve developed an infrastructure that’s really designed for this unified approach.”

Wallack explained Rhode Island decided to create its own exchange because it presented “significant advantages, in terms of local control and customer service.” With a state based exchange, rather than a federal one, they could better tailor their services to the needs of Rhode Islanders.

HealthSourceRI uses what she called a “one door policy,” meaning that customers could come in and not only apply for health insurance, but check to see if they were eligible for Medicaid and other benefits. This is where much of the exchange’s success comes from, since this is a policy only a few states have adopted.

Wallack said that making customers jump through hoops only serves to make things more confusing, and they miss out on important information because of it. Right now, Wallack and her team are expanding their open door policy, and making it possible for customers to begin to apply for other assistance programs like TANF or SNAP.

“When we’re done building our system, you’ll be able to sign up for those with one stop shopping,” she said.

Wallack added that there are a number of ways that customers can use this one stop shopping, that all services are provided online, over the phone, or in person. Face-to-face assistance is also provided right in the community health centers, so customers can sign up for insurance right in their hometown. HealthSourceRI also has enrollment events during the open enrollment period, which is from Nov. 1 to the end of January each year. During open enrollment, a customer can renew, reenroll, or sign up for coverage, or just change their plan. There are two other types of enrollments as well- special enrollment and Medicaid coverage. Special enrollment occurs when a customer’s circumstances change throughout the year and they need to change their plan, and Medicaid coverage happens throughout the year to see if a customer is eligible for Medicaid.

“We try to find any avenue where we can come into contact with people who may be looking for coverage,” Wallack said concerning their community accessibility.

This level of accessibility has worked for the exchange, proved not only by the Gallup poll but the hard numbers that HealthSource has collected so far for this year. In 2015, they have enrolled 32,554 individuals as of July 31. Most people who enrolled were age 55 and over, sitting at 29 percent. 53 percent of enrollees were female, while 47 percent were male. More than half of the enrollees – 59 percent – were eligible for financial assistance in the form of an advanced premium tax credit and cost-sharing reductions. These numbers show an upward trend from last year, with over 7,000 more enrollees. Small businesses are signing up through HealthSource as well, with 542 employers enrolled in 2015, compared to the 381 from 2014.

The Gallup poll found that states that set up their own exchange and expanded Medicaid saw the biggest drop in their uninsured rate, something that the Ocean State has been doing since day one. According to Wallack, as long as they continue with this, Rhode Island can serve as a model for other states and their healthcare exchanges, especially as HealthSourceRI moves forward. Within the next month, HealthSource will be releasing its own survey, which will give more accurate results than the Gallup one, because it will only look at Rhode Island. But, the national survey still shows a trend, and that Rhode Island is headed in the right direction.

“What I take from this, is that those policy decisions, as well as our decisions to take a coordinated approach, was successful for us,” Wallack said.

HealthSource’s next step is to find those last remaining uninsured individuals, and understand why they’re uninsured, as well as work with employers to make sure that they are able to retain coverage. Now, their job is to help control healthcare cost growth, provide support for small business, and provide affordable choices for everyone, especially that last 2.7 percent.

Corrente’s campaign has been an all around unorthodox one. He began campaigning for mayor last December, with almost two years until the next election. Corrente has also released a publication called “Warwick Taxpayers News,” which some believe suggest that he may align more with the Tea Party, rather than the Democratic party. The first page reads that Warwick is “Taxed Enough Already,” stylized to spell out the word “TEA.”

His main objection to current Mayor Scott Avedisian’s administration is that he has raised taxes every year for the past 15 years. Because of this, Corrente said, Warwick has lost 5,800 taxpayers in the last ten years, and has closed 4,666 businesses.

“If we keep going the way we’re going, we’re going to be a ghost town in six or seven years,” he said. “I disagree with that. I don’t think that’s the way it should be. I want to cut taxes, I want to cut spending, and I want to repopulate the city of Warwick so that we don’t have 9,000 people in our schools when we used to have 19,000.”

Corrente is dedicated on running for the Democratic ticket, even though some doubt that he’s actually a Democrat, and would effectively represent the party.

“We need to elect a mayor of Warwick who is a Democrat, […] but it’s important that Warwick have a Democratic mayor, and a Democratic mayor who cares for Democratic values,” Sam Bell told meet and greet attendees. Bell then proceeded to read Corrente’s publication aloud, blatantly stating that it does not align with progressive Democrat values.

“I believe in Democratic values. I think it’s an embarrassment that Warwick has a so- called Democratic candidate for mayor, who, inside his booklet for a fundraiser, says “TEA” as his slogan. We don’t need a Tea Party Democrat,” Bell said after the meeting. “It epitomizes everything that’s wrong with the Rhode Island Democratic Party. I think that a city like Warwick, which has some decent Democrats on the council, can do a lot better. It’s an embarrassment, and I want the folks in Warwick to know that. Warwick needs a better Democrat running for mayor.”

Jennifer Siciliano, the Warwick Progressive Democrats Coordinator, was also somewhat perplexed by Corrente’s campaign.

“He should probably be running as a Republican, but he probably assumes that Avedisian will get the Republican nomination, so he’s just trying to run as a Democrat,” she said.

“I’ve seen conservative Democrats but not this far conservative,” she added. “I think its beyond conservative.”

Even with the criticism, Corrente not only remains positive, but adamant about running as a Democrat. When asked exactly what a “Tea Party Democrat,” was, he said, “a progressive Democrat.”

“I consider myself a progressive Democrat,” he said. “I want to do what’s right. Whether it’s raise taxes or lower taxes, and in this case it’s lower taxes.”

Corrente added that he doesn’t believe in TEA, but rather TBARD, which stands for “Taxed Beyond All Reason.” He believes that Warwick taxpayers are at a point where they are unable to pay the taxes, and will move away from the city.

His reasoning for running as a Democrat can be boiled down to the fact that he doesn’t believe in labels, but thinks that one is necessary for such a situation.

“I am running as a Democrat, because although I am fiercely independent, if I had to pick a party, it would be the Democratic Party,” he said.

“I don’t believe in labels. I don’t believe in Republican labels or Democratic labels. I don’t believe that if you are striving for a certain principle, it makes you a Democrat, or it makes you a Republican,” he added. “I consider myself progressive, and I consider myself a Democrat.”

Corrente said he would not entertain the idea of running as an independent because he believes a candidate is more respected if they belong to a particular party, and have a label they can be associated with.

“A candidate that belongs to the Democrats or the Republicans has a personality that can be associated with. It labels them a little bit more- they stand for something. Therefore, I think the independent voter will respect a candidate more, if they are represented by the Democrats or the Republicans,” Corrente said.

Warwick’s mayoral election is still over a year away, but if Corrente does succeed in winning the Democratic ticket, he’ll be fighting an uphill battle against Mayor Avedisian, who has been mayor since 2000.

Steven Brown, the executive director of the RI ACLU, issued a letter to Kelly J. Fredericks, the President of the RI Airport Corporation, asking that they cease their involvement in the program, and not support any such programs in the future.

“I am writing to express the ACLU of Rhode Island’s deep concerns about the Rhode Island Airport Corporation’s apparent decision last month, with no public input, to work with the Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in field testing the expansion of a largely discredited program that attempts to identify travelers who might pose a potential security risk through questionable “behavior detection” techniques,” Brown wrote.

The field test, which is called “Centralized Hostile Intent,” will use actors to mimic behaviors that the TSA should be able to screen and identify. They will be asked to identify these behaviors through a video feed, rather than in person. Because actors will be used during the field test, the ACLU recognized that the effect on travelers’ privacy will be minimal, but they still opposed the overall intent of the study.

“But one cannot ignore what the ultimate goal of this project is- to make it easier and more routine to target innocent travelers for intrusive incursions on their privacy, all based on what have thus far been largely discredited “behavior detection” activities,” Brown wrote.

Brown also wrote that the current “behavior detection” patterns that officers look for are arbitrary and random at best, such as being late for a flight, excessive clock watching, strong body odor, sweaty palms, among other signs. These monitoring activities have been criticized since a 2013 report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office recommended that the TSA limit their funding for behavior detection, since there was no scientific evidence to prove whether or not these activities actually work. According to the report, “the human ability to accurately identify deceptive behavior based on behavioral indicators is the same or slightly better than chance.”

The program being tested at T.F. Green also seeks to develop a tracking algorithm so officers can follow on-camera anyone they believe to be suspicious, and identify those with them as well.

“The anticipated future applications of this project are disturbing, as they promise to be just as ineffective as TSA’s existing efforts. At bottom, this effort is junk science, but one with serious civil liberties and privacy implications,” Brown said. “We all want to ensure proper security measures are in place at our airports, but it is time to end, not expand, ineffective programs like this that use up limited resources, and that open the door to more intrusive privacy invasions and increased racial profiling, while doing little to keep us safe.”

Serpa is the chairwoman of the House Small Business Committee, as well as a representative for West Warwick and Warwick, two cities that are still recovering from the storm. To help these areas, Serpa announced that she will file two separate bills aimed at homeowners and business people. The first is a $500 tax credit to those who sustained property damage from the storm. The second is a $5,000 interest free loan for business that sustained damage, or lost business due to the inclement weather. The loan would be repaid to the state over a five-year period, and would be administered through CommerceRI.

Serpa said that constituents told her that their homeowner’s insurance would only cover $500 of repairs that could cost thousands of dollars, such as having a fallen tree removed from their property. Some households couldn’t get the repairs covered at all.

“Damage to fences, swimming pools, or sheds is not covered in some cases. Some reported suspected price gouging and feel as though unscrupulous home repair companies are taking advantage of them,” Serpa said.

In regards to the loan for business owners, Serpa said that the storm only added insult to injury for those who were trying to make up revenue they lost during the winter.

“Restaurants that were trying to recover some of their losses as the result of a harsh winter, lost their electricity for days and had to throw away food. Golf courses in the area will spend tens of thousands of dollars removing fallen trees. Many individuals and businesses that need trees removed are on a long waiting list because of the storm’s severity. It is imperative that the state do something to ease the burden,” Serpa said.

Representative Serpa will file the legislation this upcoming November in preparation for the 2016 legislative session.

“This business, [with] 17, 18 employees, this is the lifeblood of Rhode Island’s economy. Most Rhode Islanders work for companies just like this, [with] 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 employees,” Raimondo said. “So, as governor, I am very focused on making it easier to do business, less expensive to do business.”

Some of the initiatives that Raimondo spoke about were big parts of the state budget, like the elimination of the sales tax on energy for businesses, as well as decreasing the corporate minimum tax from $500 to $450. Raimondo also took the time to highlight other parts of her jobs plan, such as the streetscape improvement fund, a small business assistance program run by the Commerce Corporation, and a program for “innovation vouchers.”

“Think of it as a coupon,” Raimondo said. “You can come to the Commerce Corporation, get a coupon, and then redeem your coupon at one of our local universities to get access to R&D. If you have a new technology you want to investigate, if you’re a healthcare company, if one of your clients is a healthcare company, a lot of the times they want access to a research team at URI or Brown or RISD or Johnson & Wales. Get the coupon from the Commerce Corporation, check it in with the university, and have special access. We’re trying to promote more innovation.”

Silva, who has owned and operated Graphic Ink since 1997, said that he was very excited for the governor to come visit his shop, and expressed support for her jobs plan.

“I think her plan that she’s launching is right on point with where small businesses need to be, and small businesses are the backbone of the state in my opinion,” Silva said. “It’s very exciting to hear that she is really encouraging to support small businesses.”

Silva said initiatives like the energy sales tax elimination and the roadside improvements continue to make it easier for his business, and businesses like his, to keep employing people, and therefore invest in the local community. He even said that he believes that, because the state is on an economic upturn, that Rhode Islanders are more likely to invest in small businesses.

“I believe she has recharged the state in a way that, there are many people, companies, organizations, colleges, that have a lot of activity going on. We are an event-based business. We produce things for events. There are lots of things going on, which in turn makes us a busy shop,” he said.

According to Silva, this increase in activity, and reinvestment in small businesses, has opened up a lot of jobs in the community, which is looking for skilled workers. In his opinion, now that the economy is beginning to heal, the next logical step is to work on getting vocational education programs out there for students to become trained laborers right out of high school, or in college. Silva said that he is always willing to train an employee on site, but some positions do require skilled labor, such as graphics or design.

With all of these changes, Silva envisions a bright future for small businesses in Rhode Island.

“I see small business, in my case, [becoming] stronger and stronger, as the owners and employees are willing to put some effort into it. As long as we put some effort into it and work hard, hard work pays off.”

Rhode Island Superior Court Judge Richard Licht refused to dismiss a case in which a University of Rhode Island graduate student alleged that she was denied employment due to her status as a medical marijuana user.

The case, which was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union in November of 2014, concerns URI grad student Christine Callaghan, who is working towards a masters’ degree in textiles. Callaghan is also a registered medical marijuana user in order to deal with frequent migraine headaches. In July of last year, Callaghan was slated to begin a paid internship with Darlington Fabrics in Westerly, which she needed to finish her degree. After disclosing her status as a medical marijuana user, the company withdrew her internship.

In the lawsuit, the ACLU argues that Darlington has violated the Hawkins Slater Medical Marijuana Act. Callaghan’s attorney, Carly Beauvais Iafrate, said that because the company had no other reason to withdraw their offer from Callaghan, they are breaking the law.

“Under the Hawkins Slater Medical Marijuana Act, when the General Assembly put that really critical employment language in, which essentially says that no person will be not hired or denied any privileged in employment because of their cardholder status,” she said. “They didn’t then put any language in there that says if someone violates that section, you can sue them. That’s called a private right of action. So what [Darlington’s lawyer] was saying was there’s nothing in the statute that says you can sue anybody over it, and so therefore, you shouldn’t be allowed to.”

Iafrate said the defendant’s argument relies on what is normally written into other disability laws, that lay out penalties for those who violate the law, be it a fine or the right to sue. The Hawkins Slater Medical Marijuana Act lacks that language. In other situations, the Rhode Island Supreme Court has not assigned a remedy and implied a private right of action, but Iafrate says that this case is different from the precedent that has already been set.

“Those other situations are different, because in this statute, the General Assembly said liberally construe this to make sure that the purpose is effectuated, so that it doesn’t become meaningless,” she said. “Think about it. If there’s no remedy, what meaning does it have that they say that no employer can refuse to hire? They can just do it anyway, because there’s no remedy.”

The ACLU is also arguing that by refusing to hire Callaghan, Darlington has discriminated against a disabled person, and is in violation of the Rhode Island Civil Rights Act.

Licht did not approve Darlington’s motion to dismiss for a number of reasons, but his biggest reason dealt with the Medical Marijuana Act, and Darlington’s argument that there is no private right of action, and that they should be allowed to not hire Callaghan to ensure a drug free workplace.

“It’s inconceivable to me that the General Assembly meant to say discriminate against for the use of marijuana, even though you can’t discriminate against them because they hold a card that allows them to use it,” Licht said. “I doubt there are many people who sought out a medical marijuana card that don’t use it.”

While Callaghan is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, Iafrate said she had other reasons to sue as well.

“One of her main purposes, which is why she went to the ACLU, is because this is an important issue, and it needs to be decided. People who are engaging in the medical use of marijuana in the state need to know whether they have employment protection or not. And they need to know whether it’s just words on paper or if it actually means something,” Iafrate said.

In a press release from the ACLU, Callaghan said that she would like companies to treat medical marijuana patients just as they would any other employee who may take medication for a chronic illness.

The next step is for the case to go to summary judgment and for both parties to engage in discovery of evidence and facts. Iafrate said this should happen within the next year.

One of the largest parts of the agreement is a $250,000 investment by the state to establish a jointly administered training and professional development fund. This program will help to improve the quality of care and early learning delivered by care providers. Those who are part of CCAP will also receive their first reimbursement rate increase since 2008.

“We have taken a big step forward in making it easier for working parents to find quality child care options in their communities that meet their work schedules,” SEIU District 1199NE Executive Vice President Patrick Quinn said. “All workers deserve a living wage and this historic agreement shows that Rhode Island is ready to recognize and live up to the value of the important work of our early educators.”

RI KIDS COUNT data shows that more than 70 percent of Rhode Island children under the age of six have parents who work, and are in child care at least part time. The Department of Human Services also reported that CCAP served approximately 5,800 families and 9,400 families in July 2015.

“Investing in our kids, and the systems that care of them, is essential to ensure everyone has an opportunity to make it in Rhode Island,” Governor Raimondo said. “Providing quality, affordable child care removes a critical barrier to getting and keeping a job for many of our hardworking families, improves the development of our kids and prepares them for success in the classroom. I am pleased that we have reach an agreement with SEIU to enhance our commitment to high quality child care and support working families.”

Bills S999 and H6312, sponsored by Senator Cynthia Coyne (District 32) and Representative Kathleen Fogarty (District 35), gives the Secretary of State the power to purchase new voting equipment, a duty that was formerly carried out by the Board of Elections.

“Back in 1997, when the last purchasing bill was done, it was set up so that it would revert over to the Board of Elections,” Secretary Gorbea explained. “So, for the last 17 years that’s where it had rested, and the legislature, in this past session, saw fit to turn that around. Now, of course, the Board of Elections is an instrumental part of this, and is working with us on this process.”

She added that voting equipment is part of a democracy’s infrastructure, and that citizens in a democracy depend on that equipment to “deliver fair, fast, and accurate elections.”

Gorbea has ordered the creation of a Voting Equipment Task Force, to inform the Department of State’s process of researching and buying new equipment, which has not been updated since 1997. John Marion, the executive director of Common Cause Rhode Island, is a member of the task force, said the Board of Elections was not moving into the 21^st century fast enough when it came to voting infrastructure, so the new legislation is a good way to move forward, even though it may be less transparent.

“The Board of Elections process could have been more transparent, because in the end the Board would have to vote in a public session on the purchase of the new machines, and now the Secretary can make the decision. The Secretary is not a board that has to have a public session,” he said. “But, fortunately, the Secretary convened a task force, to give input, and it’s a very expansive task force that brings in a lot of different people in the community. So, I think she is being as transparent as she can be, given the circumstances.”

Marion also said that the task force will be looking at what other states have done to influence how they will go about acquiring new equipment. Common Cause as a whole, he said, is also interested in making voting more accessible to Rhode Islanders. Senator Coyne shared that sentiment.

“The signing of this legislation is crucial to not only ensuring our elections are fair and accurate, but also to bringing the state’s voting machines into the 21^st century,” she said. “In addition, modern equipment will make the voting process easier for Rhode Islanders, which will hopefully result in more people becoming involved in the democratic process.”

Governor Raimondo added that the main goal is to ensure that government works for everybody.

“This is a bill that I supported. I think the Secretary of State will do a good job. It will be efficient, and as I mentioned in my comments, really performance based. We want to make government effective and efficient, and the best use of tax dollars, and I think this does that,” she said.

An interesting side note about this bill that was mentioned at the signing is the fact that all the main stakeholders in its passage are women. Representative Fogarty, of South Kingstown, said that this proves that women create good legislation, which leads to good government.

“It was not something that was planned,” Gorbea said on the subject. “It was just something that happened organically, and I was pleased to see it happen.”

The plant, called the Clear River Energy Center, would utilize fracking to generate energy with natural gas. Fracking is a process that involves drilling into the earth, and then shooting a high-pressure water mixture at the rock to release the natural gas inside. Environmentalists have opposed the practice for a number of reasons. First, the process uses huge amounts of water that must be transported to the site. Second, many worry that dangerous chemicals used in the process may contaminate groundwater around the site. There are also concerns that fracking causes small earthquakes.

The company that is sponsoring and privately funding the $700 million project, Invenergy, says that the practice is clean and environmentally friendly because the new plant will prevent older, less efficient plants from emitting pollutants like carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and sulphur oxides into the air.

Invenergy has predicted $280 million in energy savings for Rhode Islanders once the energy center is up and running. There would be an overall economic impact of $1.3 billion between 2016 and 2034. Roughly 300 construction jobs would be added to the state’s workforce to build the facility, over a 30 month time period. There would also be 25-30 permanent, skilled positions to actually run the center.

“The construction of this clean energy generation facility will create hundreds of jobs while delivering more affordable and reliable energy to our businesses and homes,” Governor Raimondo said. “We are tackling our regional energy challenges, committing to cleaner energy systems in the long-term, and putting Rhode Islanders back to work.”

Even with this promise of clean energy, there are still many staunch opponents to the proposed facility. Fighting Against Natural Gas, or FANG, held an emergency rally in front of the Chamber of Commerce as Governor Raimondo unveiled her plan. Some even believed the facility to be a “rape” of Burriville’s air, water, and soil.

Robert Malin from Rhode Island’s chapter of the Sierra Club attended the protest, in opposition to the proposed facility. Malin believes that the government has been less than forthcoming with details for the project, and shouldn’t be trusted.

“The Governor has been saying that she doesn’t know anything about gas or fracking, and that this whole thing is just one little expansion that they’re doing, and by the way, we don’t have any money to build out the renewables, it’s a wish. Maybe in 20 years we’ll get around to actually doing it,” he said. “Then the next thing you know, they can dig into their pockets, they can pull out $700 million, and this thing that they’re planning, had to be planned in advance. They kept this whole thing under the table. Why wasn’t the public able to decide whether we want an explosive power plant building, bringing fracked gas, a deadly practice that was outlawed in New York state, that’s what we’re bringing.”

Malin explained that even though many don’t consider natural gas a fossil fuel, believing it lacks a carbon footprint, the energy source actually leaves what he called a “ghost footprint,” and still contributes to global warming.

“You’re trying to track a colorless, odorless gas,” he said. “Unfortunately, when it gets into the atmosphere, it’s called an accelerant to global warming. So, if you can imagine, you’ve got a big wood fire, and you take some gasoline and throw it on the fire. It flares up really quick. So if you’re not right there when you’re measuring it, when it flares up, then it’s very hard to track. The bad new is that it has the same carbon footprint as other fossil fuels, like coal and oil when it’s done.”

Stephen Dahl, from Fossil Free Rhode Island, said that Raimondo’s plan is short term, and that there are better options and avenues for the state to undertake.

“I think that is a very short gain that they are playing. In the short term, we’ll have jobs. For the longer term, if we follow countries like Germany and Scandinavia, and their mix of energies, in which we can build a transition to 100 percent wind, water, and solar for all purposes, both residential and commercial, here in Rhode Island, by 2050,” he said. “I understand that she has a limited term in office, and she wants to get something done. The way she’s chosen forward, though, is unfortunately, that short-term prospect, which will bring us more catastrophes. So, I object to it.”

Raimondo, and Invenergy’s Founder and CEO Michael Polsky both insisted that fracking, in combination with renewable energy sources, is only one of many puzzle pieces that can be put together to help slow climate change. According to Invenergy, the Clear River Energy Center will add more than 900 megawatts of new, cleaner energy to the regional energy grid, and will displace older, less efficient plants. It will also invest in well treatment and system upgrades, which will benefit 1,200 Pascoag Utility District water customers by contracting on a long-term basis for industrial water supply. Commercial benefits for the town of Burriville include millions of dollars in tax revenue, as well as the reduction of the property tax burden for homeowners.

Once approved, the Clear River Energy Center will begin construction in 2016, with operations scheduled to begin by summer 2019.