Progressive News, Opinion, and Analysis
Please join the RI chapter of Moms Demand Action for a screening of Under the Gun, the new Katie Couric documentary on June 29 at 7pm Providence. Panel discussion to follow.
Special guests include Shannon Watts and Mike the Gun Guy and more.
Space is limited, RSVP required.
You can watch a preview of the movie below:
Rated R.
The General Assembly unanimously approved legislation to restore the Ethics Commission’s jurisdiction over lawmakers. The joint resolution puts a constitutional amendment before voters at the November general election that, if approved, would close the legislative immunity loophole. Since it is a joint resolution, it does not require a signature by the governor to become effective.
In 2009, the Rhode Island Supreme Court held that the state constitution’s “speech in debate clause” conferred legislative immunity upon General Assembly members. As a result, legislators stood outside the purview of the Ethics Commission. A constitutional amendment is necessary to restore the Ethics Commission’s oversight of the legislature.
“Since the Irons decision, Common Cause has dedicated itself to closing the ‘legislative immunity’ loophole,” said Common Cause Executive Director John Marion. “This is a historic moment for those who care about ethical government in Rhode Island. We have no doubt that this measure will increase transparency and accountability in our legislature. The work is not done, however, because voters still need to pass this constitutional amendment on the ballot in November.”
“Today’s vote is a dramatic, historic step forward,” said Phil West, who is the former executive director of Common Cause Rhode Island. “The Speaker and Senate President’s ballot question will allow voters to establish the same ethics accountability for all public officials in Rhode Island. It will again allow legislators to think through potential conflicts of interest and to seek advisory opinions from the Rhode Island Ethics Commission. No other state has anything better than this.”
The resolution adopted by the House and Senate did not include a campaign blackout period for filing complaints.
“We met with several groups and decided that the Constitution was an inappropriate place for a moratorium on filing complaints,” said Speaker Nicholas Mattiello. “I have confidence that the Ethics Commission will consider and determine the proper approach for dealing with frivolous, politically charged complaints.”
Personal note: It was an honor to sit in the House and Senate galleys with John Marion and Phil West as the resolutions passed.
Over a month after agreeing to meet with Burrillville residents while in Warwick and one day after members of the FANG Collective and BASE intercepted her a second time at a community event on the East Side of Providence, Governor Gina Raimondo has agreed to a date and time. It has now been officially announced that Governor Gina Raimondo will be at the Burrillville High School, 425 East Ave, Harrisville, for a community meeting Monday, July 18 from 6 PM – 9 PM to discuss the proposed power plant.
After months of trying to get the governor to come to the town through more conventional channels, Kathy Martley, co-founder of BASE (Burrillville Against Spectra Expansion), presented the Governor with a flower and a home made card at an event in Warwick. The Governor agreed then to come to Burrillville. On Thursday night Martley followed up with the governor outside the First Unitarian Church of Providence. The governor agreed to set a date and time the following day.
On Thursday evening the governor was noncommittal on the Keable/Fogarty bill and said that she will make a final decision on it once it reaches her desk, but the next day, while taping an episode of Channel 12 Newsmakers with Tim White and Ted Nesi, Raimondo said that she will be “very likely to” veto the bill. The Governor told Nesi and White that she was opposed to the bill’s “retro-activity feature” which changes the process at the Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB) even as Invenergy, the company that wants to build a $700 million fracked gas and diesel burning power plant in Burrillville, is engaged in the process.
“This isn’t about, necessarily, whether you are for or against natural gas, we have a process,” said Raimondo, “You cannot change the rules of the game halfway through the game if you want to be a business friendly state.”
I’ve talked before about Raimondo and her emphasis of business over democracy. The process that Raimondo is defending is one that favors the interests of billion dollar corporations over the people of Rhode Island. The people of Burrillville are demanding that this process be corrected in the interests of the people.
If given a choice, would you rather live in a business friendly state, or a democracy friendly state?
On Thursday evening members of BASE (Burrillville Against Spectra Expansion) and The FANG Collective spoke with Governor Gina Raimondo outside of a community event in Providence.
During the exchange the Governor was given information on the impacts of MTBE contaminated water and she pledged that on Friday she will officially announce the date of her community meeting in Burrillville.
The Governor first agreed to come to Burrillville to meet with residents during an event on May 9th and her staff has since suggested that the community meeting will be during the first week of July. We look forward to confirming this date with the Governor tomorrow.
Unfortunately Governor Raimondo was noncommittal on the Keable/Fogarty bill and said that she will make a final decision on it once it reaches her desk.
Let’s make sure that the Bill gets to her desk.
Please email Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed (sen-paivaweed@rilegislature.gov) and Senate Judiciary Chairman Michael J. McCaffrey (sen-mccaffrey@rilegislature.gov) and urge them to move S3037 to a full vote on the Senate floor.
And let’s keep the phone calls and emails coming to Governor Raimondo urging her support the Keable/Fogarty bill: (401) 222-2080, governor@governor.ri.gov.
[The above was written from a press release. The video was released by the FANG Collective]
Please join The FANG Collective, Environmental Justice League of RI along with area residents and other community and environmental organizations to bring attention to the 100 million dollar, fracked, liquefied natural gas compressor station National Grid is trying to build in South Providence. This is a clear example of environmental racism as all 11 of the EPA’s identified toxic polluters in Providence are already in this zip code, which is predominantly low-income people of color. The impact and dangers of this project are enormous and have been outlined by the EJ League in detail here.
Whether you already stand in opposition to this project and would like to bring attention to its dangers or would like to find out more about the project and its implications on our city and state, PLEASE join us Wednesday between 4pm-6pm at the entrance to the facility on the corner of Allens Ave and Terminal Rd.
[From a press release]
It is difficult to find words that will adequately express the shock and sympathy over the tragic loss of patrolman Richard Jean-Georges off the coast of Costa Rica on June 6, 2015. Losing my good friend Jean-Georges, was the hardest moment I had to go through in the past year.
As a son of immigrants from Haiti, I felt honored to know this family. His family members are still experiencing trauma and need psychological assistance and social interventions to help them recover. The pain of losing someone who dedicated his life to protecting and serving his community shall never be forgotten.
I remember on the Saturday before his untimely death, we attended services at the Ephese Church, on Eddy Street in south Providence. He was as young, vibrant and full of energy and enthusiasm as ever. I recall how passionate he was when talking about his intention to support and mentor community youth. We chatted in detail and parted ways. A few days later, I received the devastating news that he was missing off the coast of Costa Rica.
Officer Jean-Georges was not only a good friend but also a fellow community leader whose aspirations have been similar to mine from childhood. I remember a few years ago we took the state police test together. I changed course but he proceeded to later join the Bristol Police Department. I was very proud of him. Since then, in my capacity as the founder of the New Bridges for Haitian Success, my conversations with him have always centered around uplifting our community. He was immensely concerned about the need for role models for our youth and always discussed ways to improve truancy, trouble with the law, and youth engagement. In short, he was a great community leader and a role model who many looked up to.
I am glad that the memory of this great officer, Jean-Georges is being kept alive. On Monday 20, 2016 it was with utmost pleasure to hear the great news that the Rhode Island Municipal Police Training Academy launched the “Officer Richard J. Jean-Georges Memorial Physical Fitness Award”. I know that no words I can offer have the power to ease the loss, including the toughest, roughest, hardest moments that his family experience.
We celebrate this great human being whose memory and hard work continue to impact our community. You will be missed forever and I pray that you rest in peace in the name of holy Jesus.
Adieu my friend!
Tuesday June 7th will be a very busy day in RI. There will be a vote with the entire House on Rep. Cale Keable’s bill on the Clear River Energy Center.
Then right after join RI Progressive Democrats at the Wild Colonial on 250 South Water Street at 6:00pm for a fundraiser and viewing party of the final primaries.
The Political Revolution has just started and we need all hands on deck to keep the momentum going. Join us for desserts and conversation as we discuss how to get our progressive candidates elected and raise the funds needed to make it happen.
DONATE WHAT YOU CAN EVENT –
https://secure.squarespace.com/commerce/donate?donatePageId=569b3d14e0327c41cd99f92a
Lauren Niedel
Deputy State Coordinator RI Progressive Democrats
lniedel@gmail.com
Two local organizers, Artemis Moonhawk and Sarath Suong were honored at the Red Bandana Awards held at Nick-A-Nees in Providence Sunday. Music was provided by local virtuoso Chris Monti and the boisterous partying of the Extraordinary Rendition Band. Bill Harley, who heads up the Red Bandana selection committee presented the awards.
Artemis has been a long time advocate for the homeless, spending a large amount of her time and money helping to prepare meals and advocating for homeless rights. She came to the stage surrounded by the people she advocates for. She had invited them to the event to share the award with her and gave everyone who accompanied her a chance to speak if they chose.
The second award went to Sarath Suong, co-founder and organizer of the Providence Youth Student Movement, (PrYSM). Growing up in a Southeast Asian community in Boston, Suong told the audience that he learned two important lessons from mentors, “One, What’s happened to you and your people and your community is not because it’s your fault. And the second thing they told me is that what’s happening right now and what’s happening in your community, you have the power to change it.”
“I understand my place in this country as a child of war,” said Suong, “When we came here we were sort of a reminder of the Vietnam War, a reminder of a war that the US had lost.”
Suong used his time on stage to advocate for two important projects PrYSM is currently working on. The first one is the Community Safety Act. “We are trying to get passed a city ordinance that will hold the Providence Police Department accountable to the ways that they profile young people, poor people, people of color, queer and trans people… We need more police accountability. We need the police department to get their boots off our necks while we are trying to live.
“We need help,” continued Suong, “For those folks who live on the East Side of Providence or have friends and family or any influence in Providence, please contact Councilpeople [Samuel] Zurier and [Seth] Yurdin. And please urge them to really support the Community Safety Act.”
The second project Suong mentioned was getting the All Students Count Act 2016 (H7235) passed in the State House. “What’s really important for Southeast Asians is that we are lumped into a larger Asian racial category. What that does is erases the real struggles of Southeast Asian young people who will only graduate at 60 percent of the regular rate.”
Here’s a sample of some music from Chris Monti, who opened the show, followed by a song from the Extraordinary Rendition Band, who closed it out. Because of the rain, ERB was forced to perform inside, which is a shame because they are a wild outdoors dance band.
And here’s the entire awards ceremony, which starts with Bill Harley giving a short biography of journalist and community organizer Richard Walton, and explains why these awards are given in his name.
I didn’t know Camilo Viveiros until some years after he had been acquitted of all charges, after an intense 4 year legal battle, but I continue to be inspired by what he and others have gone through, putting their bodies on the line to protest systematic injustices.
In 2000, at the time working as a low-income tenant organizer in Southeastern Mass, Camilo and other activists went to Philadelphia for the Republican National Convention to protest poverty, the prison industrial complex, and the death penalty. The day he was arrested he was taking part in a march against police brutality, an issue that now, due to the brave actions of black activists and allies, the nation is finally somewhat waking up to, but at the time was still considered very controversial (at least by those who had not seen its effects first hand or with loved ones). Camilo faced spending the rest of his life in prison, charged with felony assaults against the police commissioner of Philadelphia, John Timoney, and accused of using a bicycle as a deadly weapon on a different police officer.
What happened was during a march Camilo was attacked by police, kicked and punched and his head slammed on the sidewalk until he was unconscious, detained and arrested, interrogated for 16 hours, threatened by correctional officers, denied access to medical attention for injuries from police assault, taken to a hospital after 3 days of requesting medical attention where officers (after the threat of a “joy ride” on the way there) were intimidating with Camilo every moment as he told the doctor how he had received the injuries from the police. He was put back in the prison, held in solitary for days, and accused on trumped up charges that would go on to affect the next 4 years of his life and beyond.
As more people increasingly are aware, it is a typical practice for police who commit brutality to charge those they assault with being violent or provoking a response, as a way to flip around the narrative, diminish sympathy for the victim and to cover up their own actions. During the protests hundreds of people were arrested as a part of state suppression of free speech, and while most charges were quickly dropped, others still faced serious charges, with Camilo getting the most severe charges of all the activists. They wanted to make an example of him and others, to other activists or would-be activists, that political dissent would not be tolerated.
But the case became an example of organizing against repression, with lessons learned from community organizing. People from across the country banded together in solidarity with those arrested in Philadelphia, and the groups formed included Love and Resistance in Providence and “Friends of Camilo” groups in Boston, San Francisco and Philly. In Providence, and elsewhere, local gatherings and fundraisers took place in the early 2000’s to help cover legal costs, which for working class people like Camilo were/are entirely unaffordable. Many people took part in the effort and it made an enormous difference in the outcome. A legacy of this community solidarity still exists in Providence, where the supportive social networks of Love and Resistance fueled the founding of groups like Recycle a Bike and Providence Books through Bars.
Thanks to massive grassroots support, after 4 years of fighting, Camilo was finally acquitted of all charges. As for Commissioner Timoney, he went on as a sort of professional crusher of dissent, first to Florida to repress opponents of free trade agreements, and later internationally to places like Bahrain where he was involved in offering strategy to suppress popular protests during the Arab Spring. If you have met Camilo in the past 10 years you may not be aware of this history, he doesn’t often bring it up, choosing instead to focus proactively on the many issues of current injustice. But I can see how he, like others who have been much more egregiously chewed up and spit back out by the “justice” system, still lives with the impact, and will for the rest of his life. I appreciate when now and again Camilo shares reflections from his experience, and that he remains dedicated, continuing as a community organizer and activist despite, and probably partly because of, the hardship he went through. He knows too many have been through much worse. He knows he is fortunate to be free and I can attest he spends every single day (really, 7 days a week) working to advance freedom and equality for those who are suppressed, oppressed, and born into systems of injustice.
I deeply admire all who have taken part in direct action, putting themselves at risk for the common good, an extra challenge in the days before social media when activist actions were much more isolated from public awareness and the lack of smart phones did not provide the security and documentation that today’s activists are able to utilize. And even though it was some years ago, there are many relevant lessons to be learned for current efforts toward social change, including the critical need for organizing beyond activism, and ways to collectively push for systems of inclusive justice that do not oppress us based on race, gender, class, ability, age, geography, language, religion, education, appearance, and on and on…
I hope some local friends can make it to an event tomorrow (Crashing the Party: Political Protest and Legal Strategies, Friday, June 3rd, 5-7pm, IWW Union Hall, 375 Smith St, Providence), thanks to the Rhode Island chapter of the National Lawyers Guild for coordinating this discussion around free speech and protest. There will be a chance to discuss strategy and practice with Kris Hermes who recently wrote a book about the legal collective that helped support many of the arrestees from the 2000 RNC protests, as well as attorneys with the RI National Lawyers Guild who play a critical role in offering support to social justice activists, and Camilo who will share his personal story and reflections. I truly believe in the effectiveness of protests, actions, and organizing. It’s the part they leave out of the history books sometimes, that speaking up for ourselves and for each other creates ripples that make waves that make this world better.
Moms Demand Action For Gun Sense In America joined with organizations across the nation yesterday to mark National Gun Violence Awareness Day by wearing orange, and illuminating the State House with orange lights. The event also marks the beginning of June as gun violence prevention month.
Music was provided by the bands Saints and Saviours, Select Band and Me Jane.
According to the Wear Orange website, “On January 21st, 2013, Hadiya Pendleton, a 15-year-old high school student from the south side of Chicago, marched in President Obama’s 2nd inaugural parade. One week later, Hadiya was shot and killed.
“Orange is the color a group of Hadiya’s friends chose to wear to remember her life. They chose orange because that’s what hunters wear in the woods to protect themselves and others.”
Moms has been working tirelessly to pass a law that would disarm domestic abusers, H7575 and S2767. So far these bills have not made it out of committee, despite the support of a clear majority of Rhode Islanders.
The battle over Invenergy‘s planned fracked gas and diesel oil burning energy plant for Burrillville reaches a fever pitch at the State House this afternoon, starting at 3pm as hundreds of Burrillvile residents hold a rally in the main rotunda announcing their opposition. This is ahead of Burrillville Representative Cale Keable‘s hearing for his bill, H8240 which would give the voters in Burrillvile the ability to approve or reject any tax treaty the town council negotiates with Invenergy.
The bill will be heard in the House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources in the House Lounge at the rise (4:30- 5pm) and testimony is expected to be taken for hours. The committee is chaired by Rep Art Handy, a climate champion in our state. Keable’s bill is the only bill under discussion by the committee this evening. You can read about the particulars of the bill here.
Governor Gina Raimondo and House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello, who have supported this plant from the beginning, will certainly be taking notice of not only the number of people who show up at this hearing from Burrillville, but how many people from around the state show up in support of this bill and against the power plant. Other legislators may need some help understanding why they should support this bill and oppose the plant, so think about contacting them.
Below you will find a wealth of pieces on this very important topic.
Peekskill, NY – Just four days after 21 people were arrested for peacefully blockading the entrance to a Spectra Algonquin Incremental Market (AIM) Pipeline work site, two people courageously locked themselves into a renewable-energy powered, 20-ft recycled shipping-container home at the work site, directly on the pipeline route. They plan to stay inside the container blockade for as long as possible.
The AIM Pipeline is a 42-inch, high pressure, fracked gas pipeline, which if completed will run through residential communities and within 105 feet of critical Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant safety facilities. The fully self-contained home is a strong symbol of both resilience and resistance: It is intended to halt construction of the dangerous AIM Pipeline and to represent the safe alternative living situation we need to move towards to fight climate change and to halt our dependence on fossil fuel, which drives the buildout of dangerous infrastructure like the AIM Pipeline. The container home was built using reclaimed and recycled materials, is powered by both photovoltaic solar panels and a bicycle generator, has a green roof growing succulents and herbs, has a solar-heated shower and a compost toilet, and comfortable living space and beds for two occupants. All of these measures are important, but without stopping fossil fuel infrastructure, we are still on a path to disaster – which is why this project is also designed to physically stop construction on the AIM Pipeline.
The sustainable home has two occupants, both of whom walked across the entire country to raise awareness about climate change as part of the Great March for Climate: Jane Kendall is a 65-year-old retired New York mother of two who would like to be spending more time with her family, but feels morally obligated as an elder to do her small part to stop Spectra and to fight for a renewable energy future; and Lee Stewart, a 29-year-old organizer with Beyond Extreme Energy, who has been working to stop FERC since they approved a fracked gas compressor station near his home as part of project that would feed Dominion’s Cove Point LNG export facility.
“I was inspired by the fierce, loving determination in the voices of 13 Resist AIM members who disrupted a FERC public meeting to call out the commissioners for their complicity in the destruction Spectra represents,” said Lee Stewart. “It is an honor to take up temporary residence in New York on the route of the AIM Pipeline.”
“Spectra has placed all of us on a destructive path and in harm’s way. Today this simple small house, built from reused and repurposed materials and powered by renewable energy, stands on the AIM Pipeline path to halt construction,” said Jane Kendall.
This action comes after years of residents and grassroots groups actively engaging in the regulatory process, only to be ignored by FERC. The City of Boston and several grassroots groups have filed a lawsuit in Federal Court challenging FERC approval of the project. In February, Governor Andrew Cuomo wrote to FERC asking for an immediate halt to construction while New York State conducts an independent risk assessment of siting the massive, high-pressure pipeline next to Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant. FERC denied the Governor’s request, and claimed that a risk assessment by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) showed that the plant was safe. Just five days ago, on May 20th, Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand called for an immediate halt to construction. Spectra’s Director of Stakeholder Outreach, Marylee Hanley, responded that “Algonquin Gas Transmission resumed construction on the Algonquin Incremental Market (AIM) project in April and will continue with its construction.”
“Now Spectra is rapidly proceeding with construction in our area despite opposition from thousands of New Yorkers and elected representatives,” said Kendall, “We are at a critical stage in this struggle, with project completion scheduled for November. Each day more trees are cut, more blasting takes place, and more pipeline is laid. It is necessary for us to stop this project now.”
There is no more time to wait. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has shown that it will not protect us from the fossil fuel industry that is destroying our climate. Instead, everyday people are stepping up and modeling the future we want to see while taking a stand against the dangerous pipeline that threatens us and our friends and neighbors.
“I am also taking this step because of the amazing connection I feel to the amazing people all over the state who are not only standing up to AIM, Spectra, and FERC, but who are also finding ways to build community during a time when the power that be are bent on keeping us isolated and narrowly focused,” said Stewart.
Online: www.resistaim.com
On Facebook: www.facebook.com/resistaim
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/ResistAIM
#StopSpectra #ResistAIM #Blockadia
[From a press release]
Democracy Now! covered this story here.
Lee Stewart protested Textron in RI, as seen in this piece on RI Future.
The people of Burrillville realize something about the the Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB), that Margaret Curran, who chairs the board, does not. During Monday night’s public comment meeting, held to decide the fate of of Invenergy’s proposed fracked gas and diesel oil burning power plant, Curran several times tried to stop the crowd from rising and cheering and clapping when someone from the public made a particularly smart or heartfelt point during their five minutes before the board. Other times Curran would attempt to cut speakers off, even as the crowd became agitated and yelled, “Let them speak!”
“You’re taking time from other people by going over your time limit,” Curran would say, but Curran didn’t seem to realize that the community of Burrillville is united. Everyone who rose in opposition to the power plant speaks not just for themselves, but for everyone.
Burrillville itself is speaking through its people, and the Town is saying “No.”
This became very clear when Jennifer Bailey rose, and respectfully requested that her time be give the RI State Senator Paul Fogarty. Fogarty and State Representative Cale Keable have been publicly against this power plant for some time. Last week Keable introduced legislation that would make the approval of the power plant much less likely. Fogarty will introduce the Senate version of the bill today.
As Fogarty approached the podium, the crowd rose in a standing ovation. Fogarty noted the large crowd in the auditorium and the large crowds at previous events as proof that the citizens overwhelmingly don’t want the power plant.
“In all my time as State Senator from Burrillville, I can honestly say I have never seen the citizens come out so strongly and so passionately against something as they have against this proposed power plant.”
Fogarty also noted that the decision to site the power plant in Burrillville falls to “three people who don’t have a stake here.”
“One is from Barrington, one from Providence, and a third person literally just parachuted in from Bridgeport, Connecticut. Shaping the future of Burrillville should belong to the residents of Burrillville and no one else.” Parag Agrawal, the new Associate Director at the RI Division of Planning, and the third member of the EFSB, is from Bridgeport.
This earned Fogarty his second standing ovation. He received a third as he finished.
This is the second thing Margaret Curran doesn’t seem to understand about this phase of the proceedings that the residents of Burrillville have figured out. The EFSB comports itself as a quasi-judiciary body, carefully collecting and evaluating evidence, testimony and reports before rendering a final decision. Yet ever since Invenergy announced the plant with the strong and unwavering support of Governor Gina Raimondo, the building of the plant has appeared to be a done deal, and all the EFSB hearings have been seen as little more than political theater.
The residents of Burrillville, conscripted as actors in this this production, are changing the script even as the play is being performed. The production is going awry, and getting it back on course may prove to be impossible.
As Fogarty left the podium Curran noted that the next speaker, Jeremy Bailey, had spoken at previous meetings. “Didn’t you already speak?” she asked.
“I have a lot to say but I’m going to respectfully yield my time to our [State] Representative Cale Keable,” said Bailey.
Another standing ovation. Cable wore a green “No New Power Plant” shirt. Last week he introduced legislation in the General assembly that gave more power to the residents of Burrillville concerning any potential tax treaties their Town Council might negotiate with Invenergy. The legislation, if passed, would make the building of the power plant much less likely.
“We ask the board for one simple thing,” said Keable, “Please, let us alone.”
In all, 38 people spoke during the meeting. Five spoke in favor, 33 spoke in opposition.
David Esten spoke in favor.
John Scott brought up Flint MI., asking “What judge is going to authorize opening a poison well?”
“Governor Raimondo talks about tourism,” said Scott, “Our tourism is camp grounds.”
Ken Putnam Jr is about to be a great grandfather. He said, “I don’t talk like this. A lot of people can’t take the time out to come here. Kill this plant. We don’t need it.”
If Invenergy can’t get the date right for a flier, how are they to be counted on to build a power plant, asked Erin Olkowski.
Stephanie Sloman is an environmental engineer. She strongly believes in integrity. “I found a multitude of contradictions in Invenergy’s application… the plant will use natural gas as long as it is economically feasible. We know what this means… the plant wants to use 19 percent aqueous among a because at 20 it has to be monitored by the DEM.”
“When a monster comes into my house, I have to do everything in my power to slay it,” said Sloman, “my home is not just Burrillville, not just Rhode Island, or even the United States, my home is the world.”
Anita Bevans said Invenergy mislead the town when they said they would conform to local laws. In their application Invenergy said they would defer to state and federal laws.
Jaimie Tessier said that her morality was questioned at the first meeting when a union member said that she would sell out he home for money. Keeping her son, who has a medical condition that keeps him on a respirator full time, is her highest priority she says. “That’s where my morals are. Where are yours?”
“I voted for Gina Raimondo,” sais Frances DiPoiceglia noting they share a common heritage and upbringing, “but after a couple of years, I don’t think I’d vote for her again.”
“Fracking is not needed, and it’s not cool.” Says Frances DiPoisceglia. “We reject the Invenergy power plant.”
Judy Aubin said that she does her due diligence when she is on a board. “I know for a fact that you are over ruled by Gina Raimondo.”
Burrillville doesn’t need industry, said Aubin. The people live here because it lacks industry.
“These people wouldn’t mind a little raise in their taxes to avoid this power plant.”
“I am unaware of any environmental policies recommending the use of natural gas power plants,” said James Libby.
Terri Lacey asked how an area can go from environmentally spectacular and beneficial, as mentioned in a piece by RIDEM’s Janet Coit, to suitable for a polluting power plant.
Earl McWilliams believes that Invenergy has a series of plan B’s in mind for their power plant. He read the application to mean that Invenergy is not responsible for properly cleaning the MTBE water. Once built, if Invenergy needs more water, he sees the company tapping Wall Lake.
Brian Sclofield has a 4 year old daughter and 1 year old son and refuses to take on significant health risk to his children from the proposed plant. If the plant is built it’s not a matter of if, but when he will move.
Lawyer Barry Craig said Invenergy not assuming liability for the MTBE well when opened is grounds for dismissing the application.
“There isn’t a pipeline in this world that doesn’t leak,” said Craig, “We need eco-terrorism insurance in place… There is plenty of clean energy supply out there. There is no immediate need for this plant.”
Christopher Aubin recalled that Invenergy’s Director of Development John Niland said that last year was so mild he wouldn’t have needed to use oil. But diesel fuel breaks down. There’s no way it wouldn’t be burned. “You’re lying!” said Aubin.
“Big companies don’t care about the small people,” said Aubin, “Once you get this plant hooked up, John Niland, what’s your bonus?”
Kevin Frenette wanted to know if the EFSB can help people who are being impacted by these big energy projects. He managed to get Janet Coit to respond, but she still wouldn’t address his concerns.
“So we just get to tell you how we feel and that’s it?”
Meg Curran responded, by saying she can’t respond.
“Your time is up,” says Curran.
The crowd boos.
Leigh Gilbert is in favor of the plant and that said the town needs money, so the town needs the power plant. The crowd tells him to sit down.
Roy Colombe is for the project.
Greg Mancini, a lawyer for the Building Trades, said that many members won’t speak tonight because of the hostile environment created by the opposition. He mentioned the First Amendment and a chilling effect.
Andrew Hessler, 17 years old, said Gina Raimondo is all about fracked gas since Goldman Sachs wrote her a big check. She used to be for renewables. An impressive testimony.
Governor Raimondo, “has a chance to be on the right side of this issue,” said Burrillville resident and Teamster Ron Lizotte.
“My son was affected by MTBE I’m the water,” said Norman Desjarlais, “my grandson is on chemotherapy, which doctors have linked to gas additives.”
Paul Lander of the RI Carpenters Union is for this project, but he was very impressed with the Burrillville resident’s knowledge and passion. He says that we need to hold Invenergy’s feet to the fire.
Stacy Slekis objected to the power plant. She brought a picture from her daughter, asking the EFSB not to “mess up” our town.
Don Allen said if you could pick the worst place to place a power plant based on prevailing winds, Burrillville would be the worst.
“We’re vetting this Governor after the fact,” said Allen, “she has an agenda.”
Lisa Petrie, arrested at the State House protesting the Invenergy power plant, says the goals of the Resilient RI Act van’t be met if this power plant is built.
“We need dramatic cuts in our greenhouse gas emissions starting now, not ten years from now. Now,” said Petrie.
“Prisons create jobs. Wars create jobs,” said Lisa Petrie, “but we can create more jobs through renewable energy.”
“There is no such thing as a clean fossil fuel power plant,” said Mike Lamoureux, “You can tell by all the permits needed to build one.”
Chair Curran asked Paul A. Roselli not to speak, since he had spoken at a previous meeting. “If I had been told that before hand,” said Roselli, “I wouldn’t have put my name on the list. But since I wasn’t, I’d like to speak.”
Cynthia Crook-Pick wanted to speak plainly to the EFSB. The fact this board is the only body that can make this decision is against the principles of democracy and all that this country stands for, she said.
Debbie Krieg told of the battle to close the MTBE well, and worries that “this monster” will be unleashed when Invenergy uses the well water to cool the plant. There has been no site every cleaned up as Invenergy claims it can do.
New to this area, Ewa Roselli says she is really impressed with this community and she is eager to make friends. She asked Invenrgy, “Do you hate us? Why are you wanting to hurt us? How many people here would protest solar?”
“Nobody!” says the crowd.
Deborah Yablonski is from NYC but she’s a Burrillville farmer now. She raises chickens and goats. “I became a steward of the land.”
Thomas Trimble has a map that shows a nature corridor that runs from Canada to Burrillville. The power plant is right in the middle of this corridor.
Lynn Clark said the plant is being proposed for the heart of Burrillville’s forested area. It will have a “direct, negative impact.”
Justin Kelley, from the Painter’s Union, is a friend of mine. He supports this plant. “I’m the guy who looks in the workers eyes when they can’t pay their bills or are evicted from their homes.”
Donald Champiany read Invenergy CEO’S own words against him. Brilliant.
Red Bandana Award winner Artermis Moonhawk lead a group of homeless, elderly and disabled people and allies carrying signs demanding that RIPTA re-institute the no-fare bus pass system. The protesters marched from McAuley House on Elmwood Avenue to the RIPTA Board of Director’s meeting on Melrose Street Monday afternoon. After the quarter mile walk the marchers were told that the board room was filled to capacity and that many people, including the elderly and disabled, might have to wait in the hallway for their turn to participate in the public comment portion of the meeting.
Peering into the room, one woman pointed out that there were still empty seats inside the meeting room. When told that the room’s occupancy had been reached at 40 people, she asked why there were more than 40 chairs then. No answer was immediately provided.
At issue is Rhode Island Public Transportation Authority‘s decision, per last year’s General Assembly budget, to do away with free bus fare for the elderly, disabled and homeless, and instead institute a 50 cent charge. While it is true that RIPTA’s free bus fare is generous, as Randall Rose testified before the House Finance committee, “We don’t have to be ashamed of who we are in Rhode Island. We don’t have to be ashamed that we’re more generous than other states because we’re doing the right thing…”
Even as Rhode Island seeks to do away with no-fare system, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Board unanimously voted to approve a no-fare system for seniors and disabled. Similar systems exist in communities in Pennsylvania, Illionois, Oregon, Texas and Wisconsin.
I write this same humbling post just about every year asking you, our readers, for your financial support.
I despise it. It makes me sick to my stomach, and that’s not hyperbole. I have no problem demanding you surrender your largess to the community, but I have a real hard time asking for myself.
It’s easily the part of running RI Future I enjoy the least. I’d rather line edit a million long form essays on political theory, my second least favorite part of this job, than ask one person for a dollar. I am not, by nature or nurture, a salesman or a self-promoter.
That’s not to say I don’t believe very deeply in what RI Future does. Unequivocally I think this state needs a source of information about social justice and progressive politics. And there isn’t a day I’m not happier making less than $20,000 a year with RI Future than I was making more than $60,000 working in corporate media.
But four years after making that switch, the $40,000+ income swing continues to pose a challenge for me. I’ve moved from my home and rented it out – I’d really like to keep it because it’s the only retirement security I have. I’ve cobbled together part-time work with an oyster farmer, and some other odd jobs, to make up the difference. For the most part, I’m stable. But as is the case with everyone subsisting on poverty wages, it’s a very fine line and one false move or unexpected event can upend everything.
Recently, I learned I have a $2,400 delinquent sewer tax on my house. I have until the first week of June to pay up or the place I intend to die a cranky old Swamp Yankee some day goes up for tax sale.
It’s not a lot of money and I’m hopeful my efforts over the past year have been worthy of asking you to help me out of this jam.
If you appreciate what we do and want to support us, now would be a great time to make a donation. I’m certain our readers can do this Bernie Sanders-style with a slew of small donations. But if you want to help me spend more time writing for RI Future and less time cleaning oysters, make a big donation! Either way, I promise I will continue to give RI Future, and by extension Rhode Island, everything I’ve got to give.
Or send a check to:RI Future
225 Shady Lea Rd.
North Kingstown, RI 02852
Jerry Belair, President of the Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence (RICAGV) had hinted at the poll results during the recent rally against gun violence outside the State House, but yesterday the coalition released the full poll on Rhode Islander’s attitudes towards some common sense gun legislation currently under review by the General Assembly, and the numbers were staggering.
Remarkably, in Speaker Nicholas Mattiello‘s own district, the numbers for keeping guns out of the hands of domestic abusers is higher than the state wide pol, at 95%. Mattiello has an ‘A’ rating from the National Rifle association (NRA) and has been obstinately opposed to any proposed gun legislation. In the case of ethics reform, it took a disaster to change the Speaker’s mind. Is the Speaker waiting for another kind of disaster to occur before he gets behind common sense gun reform?
You can watch the full press conference below. The bills under consideration are: No Guns in Schools (H7243, S2761), Disarm Domestic Abusers (H7283, S2730, S2491) and the High Capacity Magazine Ban (H7199, S2835)
You can access the full poll here.
After a meeting with Governor Gina Raimondo, Rep. Cale Keable and Sen. Paul Fogarty introduced legislation that would give residents in Burrillville the ability to vote on “any tax agreement negotiated between the Burrillville Town Council and the developers of a proposed power plant in town be subject to voter approval.” Keable and Fogarty represent voters in Burrillville.
On Facebook, Keable described Raimondo as “gracious.” According to Keable, “We re-iterated the points in our letter to the [Energy Facilities] Siting Board (EFSB) and asked her to use the power of her office to stop the power plant. She listened to each of our concerns and stated that she is currently planning a meeting in Burrillville to hear directly from the people. She asked good questions about our concerns and showed an understanding of the issues. I came away from the meeting believing that she has real concerns about this project’s impact on water, children and the environment.”
Keable and Fogarty also gave the Governor a pile of emails, petitions and correspondence from Burrillville residents opposed to the power plant, as well as a bumper sticker, tee shirt and a lawn sign. (see picture)
In addition to allowing Burrillville residents the ability to vote on tax treaties negotiated by the Town Council, the legislation also makes changes to the EFSB. The number of seats on the board would be increased from three to nine members, including the chairperson of the Commerce Corporation (the state’s economic development agency), the general manager of the state Water Resources Board, the director of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, and three members of the public.
In addition, of the three members of the public, “one must be experienced in environmental issues, one in energy issues and one in labor issues,” and “None must have received a significant portion of their income in the previous two years from the developer of an energy facility or an electric, gas or oil company.”
A final feature of the bill mandates that the EFSB must take into consideration “any resolution regarding” applications for new power plants.
You can read the full press release here:
Rep. Cale P. Keable and Sen. Paul W. Fogarty are introducing legislation to require that any tax agreement negotiated between the Burrillville Town Council and the developers of a proposed power plant in town be subject to voter approval.
The legislation, which emanates from Invenergy’s pending proposal to build a 1000-megawatt, fracked gas power plant in Pascoag, was introduced in response to the frustration expressed by residents and elected officials of Burrillville and across the state regarding their lack of input into the approval process.
“The people of Burrillville are the ones who will lose our unspoiled woods and instead get pollution, risk to our water supply, traffic and noise. We deserve a say in the matter, and this is one way to provide it,” said Representative Keable (D-Dist. 47, Burrillville, Glocester).
The legislation, which was introduced in the House today and is expected to be introduced in the Senate next week, would alter an existing state law that applies only to Burrillville and was enacted in 1987 to allow the town to negotiate a tax treaty with Ocean State Power, the 560-MW power plant in Burrillville that began operating in 1990.
Representative Keable’s and Senator Fogarty’s legislation adds a clause to the law that would subject any such tax agreement to a binding referendum of town voters. If that referendum can’t be held at the same time as a regular election, the entity proposing the plant would be required to pay the town’s costs of holding it.
“The people of our districts have spoken loud and clear. However, under current law, all they can do is ask for consideration from those who get to make the decision. That’s not right, and we intend to do something about it,” said Senator Fogarty (D-Dist. 23, Glocester, Burrillville, North Smithfield). “Every single voter in Burrillville deserves the opportunity to have a real say in whether they are going to host another power plant.”
The legislation also adds to the membership of the Energy Facilities Siting Board, currently a three-member panel that includes the chairperson of the Public Utilities Commission, the director of the Department of Environmental Management and the state associate director of administration for planning. The bill adds six new members: the chairperson of the Commerce Corporation (the state’s economic development agency), the general manager of the state Water Resources Board, the director of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, and three members of the public. Of the members of the public, one must be experienced in environmental issues, one in energy issues and one in labor issues. None must have received a significant portion of their income in the previous two years from the developer of an energy facility or an electric, gas or oil company. The sponsors say the change would add diverse viewpoints to the board so decisions about power plant locations are made with careful consideration toward the environment and natural resources, the state’s business development strategies, the needs of cities and towns and the opinions of residents.
The bill also adds a requirement that prior to issuing any decision on an application for a power plant, the EFSB must take into consideration any resolution regarding it.
“As we speak the defendants in that lawsuit are being served,” said Senator William Conley, who serves Pawtucket and East Providence. “The cities of Pawtucket and Central Falls have Filed a lawsuit against Care New England, The RI Department of Health and the Attorney General’s Office. Through that lawsuit we’re asking the court to enjoin the dismantling of Memorial Hospital and make sure that those services continue while we go through this process of restructuring South Coast.”
Care New England, which manages Memorial Hospital in Pawtucket, announced the closing on March 2. Since then there have been public hearings and rallies, but the plan to close the hospital seems to be continuing. Over 200 jobs are threatened. Conley is working pro bono as the lawyer on the case, and his work will compliment rather than complicate the legal work of Attorney Chris Callaci, who is representing the nurses union, UNAP 5082 in their efforts to keep Memorial open.
“When Memorial was licensed,” said Senator Conley, “a determination was made that this hospital was providing vital medical services to a core service area with higher social deprivation demographics than any other place in the state of Rhode island.
“That alone should be enough to tell us that you can’t relocate those services to Kent County.”
At the second “special meeting” of the Burrillville Town Council, held as a semi-official “workshop” to allow discussion of various aspects of Invenergy‘s plan to build a fracked gas and diesel oil burning electrical plant in the town, the agenda, entitled “Hour on Power II” claimed that the “fundamentals of municipal tax agreements” would be discussed. Potential tax agreements with Invenergy are a very contentious issue, because under state law, as explained by Conservation Law Foundation Senior Attorney Jerry Elmer, Burillville has the right to set the property taxes on the plant at any level it chooses, yet Town Solicitor Oleg Nikolyszyn, it seems, disagrees, maintaining that the Town must negotiate a fair tax treaty with Invenergy.
Expecting that there would be expert legal advice on offer, many residents made the trip to this special meeting, only to find that there were no lawyers or expert advice on offer. Instead, the Town Council introduced Dr. Robin Muksian, a resident of Burrillville who currently serves as executive director of operations for the Providence School Department. She holds a Ph.D. in rhetoric and composition. Speaking as someone with some experience in negotiating deals between the state and private citizens, (she claims to have once lost a strip of land to the state in some kind of imminent domain situation) Muksian said that under state law, the town “must” negotiate with Invenergy, they can’t just set the tax at what ever rate they wish. Jerry Elmer explained otherwise, quite clearly, here.
Muksian misquoted the statute, advancing the idea that under state law 44-3-30, Burrillville “must negotiate” with Invenergy for a fair tax treaty, when the law actually states that town may “determine, by ordinance or resolution, an amount of taxes to be paid each year”. The plain text of the law does not contain the word negotiate, and if other laws on the books do contain such a provision, it does not matter, because 44-3-30 starts with the words, “Notwithstanding any other provisions of the general laws to the contrary,” meaning that 44-3-30 supersedes any other laws governing such negotiations.
Muksian also admitted to coming to the power plant issue late, and that she hadn’t attended any of the Energy Facility Siting Board (EFSB) meetings held in the town so far. This might explain why she thought that residents could bring questions to the EFSB, instead of just comments. The EFSB does not respond to residents at these meetings, yet Muksian said that questions should be brought to the EFSB at these meetings.
Under questioning from Burrillville resident Paul Lefebvre, Muksian at first dodged the question of whether or not she opposed the building of the new power plant. It took Lefebvre several questions before Muksian reluctantly said that she opposes the plant. For some reason she seemed at first to strike a more neutral position.
Most of Muksian’s talk is in the first half hour of the video below. Note that the meeting took place in Burrillville’s beautiful Assembly Theater, which was dark and not kind to video or photography. The Town Council is on the stage, well lit. The rest of those in attendance, not so much.
Many in attendance were asking themselves why Muksian was given so much time to expound on legal issues she was clearly not qualified to speak about. She constantly prefaced her comments by saying that she was “speaking as a resident of Burrillville” and that she wasn’t a lawyer. That raised an important question for the Town Council that went unanswered: Why Muksian and not any other non-lawyer resident of Burrillville?
After the meeting a resident told me that there is a rumor that Muksian is being considered for the position of Town Manager. Michael Wood, the current Town Manager, was not in attendance at the meeting, and Council President John Pacheco, from the stage, made a pointed comment about Wood’s contract being up for renewal in February of 2017. During the meeting, when a resident suggested that Michael Wood be fired, there was a standing ovation.
Wood has alienated many in the town with what one resident characterized as his “imperious” attitude. Further, in the April 23 Burrillville Bugle, delivered to every resident’s mailbox every month, Wood made comments that seemed to indicate his support for the new power plant and disregarded the environmental and health concerns of residents. For instance, he said, “the negative effects of the existing power plant, Ocean State, is not “anything to be overly concerned about.” Many feel that the over all tenor of his comments in the Bugle indicate that he supports building the plant.
As a result, the residents of Burrillville distrust Wood’s judgement when it comes to the hiring of experts to review the proposed plant’s impact on health, environment, wildlife, water quality, noise etc. They also distrust his ability to negotiate with Invenergy wisely, with the best interests of the town in mind.
A breath of fresh air came to the meeting about 82 minutes into it. Barry Craig, an actual lawyer (though not one licensed to practice law in Rhode Island) and a Burrillville resident, rose to call out the Town Council and Town Solicitor Oleg Nikolyszyn on what he termed their timidity in dealing with Invenergy.
Craig attended the first EFSB meeting in Burrillville. He thought, “it was very poorly managed.” He called the set up of the meeting, with the applicants (Invenergy’s Director of Development John Niland and his lawyers) on stage and the residents of Burrillville below them in the seats of the auditorium was “an insult.”
Craig said that to defeat this plant, the residents of Burrillville, through their Town Council, must “vigorously oppose” the plant. Craig came to the special town council meeting last night because he read the legal opinions of Town Solicitor Nikolyszyn, made in response to questions posed by residents. “At best,” said Craig, “I read these responses as being timid, at worst I read these responses as responses that discourage action rather than encourage action.”
For instance, the proper answer to the question, “Can the town council find new solutions to prevent locating the power plant in Burrillville?” isn’t to note that the EFSB has enormous power, the answer, says Craig, is, “Can we find creative ways of dealing with this issue? … Anything that delays this project makes it less likely… Companies like this work on a time schedule. If they can’t get a project done within a particular time frame they move onto the next project.”
One thing that became very clear in last night’s Burrillville Town council meeting is that discussing complex legal issues without lawyers present is a waste of time. Perhaps Muksian’s appearance was an audition for a future job, perhaps she’s just a citizen who waded into waters over her head, but her advice and commentary were worse than a waste of time: They spread dangerous misinformation, misinformation that will weaken the Town’s resolve and ability to fight Invenergy’s plans for the town.
Burrillville doesn’t need more bullshit. Burrillville needs courageous leadership ready to fight Invenergy with everything they have, or they will be living with the first of a series of such power plants very soon.
If ever the history of a nation deserved our respect and awe, it is Haiti, whose history reads like a superhero epic. Haiti is the first and only nation in the world to be liberated by slaves. Unlike the United States, which rebelled against England with the help of France, Haiti found itself fighting for independence against France, England and Spain. Unlike the United States, who paid lip service to freedom and equality, Haiti banished slavery outright, showing the world how to eradicate one of the most evil institutions in human history.
At the RI State House New Bridges for Haitian Success held their Haitian Independence Day Awards. Several public officials were in attendance, including Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea, Lt. Governor Daniel McKee and State Senator Juan Pichardo. Dr. Mark Lentz, Professor of Latin American History at Brown University gave an excellent short lecture on the historical importance of Haiti’s revolution.
New Bridges for Haitian success was founded by Bernard Georges.
Keynote Speaker Jean-Claude Sanon, a Boston area politician and radio personality born in Haiti, said, “Free yourself completely and continue to fight for the freedom of the entire world. Wherever there is injustice it is my obligation, as well as yours, to fight it.”
Romie Bois kicked things off with an amazing rendition of the United States National Anthem, and the event ended with a beautiful song in French.
