Rhode Island – Page 5

July 21, 2016July 21, 2016

The Toxic Tour of South Providence

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South Providence, at the port, is one of the heaviest concentrations of toxic chemical storage in New England, and not coincidentally, those who live in the area suffer the highest rates of asthma. Sherrie Anne Andre of the FANG Collective and Julian Rodríguez-Drix of the Environmental Justice League of Rhode Island lead a tour of over 60 people, including Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein, along Allens Avenue, pointing out some of the worst polluters in our state.

The Rhode Island Recycled Metals facility was the first stop. In 2015 the US Coast Guard revealed that the site was operating without proper permits. As a result the facility was not in compliance with laws regarding oil spillage and storm water run-off. In general, recycling is a good and positive thing. But when done without concern for the health and safety of residents and the environment, the losses can outweigh the gains.

2016-07-21 Toxic Tour 015 — The tour passes through Motiva

Motiva Enterprises LLC occupies both sides of Allens Avenue. Chemical piping actually runs underneath the road. Motiva is a joint venture between Saudi Aramco and Shell Oil. Here in Providence the facility is the largest of many fuel terminals in the port and a major importer of petroleum products. It receives regular shipments via tanker ship and exports via truck. The Port of Providence is the entry point for the majority of fuels that power southern New England. In 2014 Motiva managed 34,425 pounds of toxic waste products. Over 1000 pounds of toxic waste was emitted into the air, making Motiva the largest air emitter in the City of Providence.

Ethanol trains come through the port every week. Known as “bomb trains” elsewhere in the United States, similar trains were banned in Boston because of safety and toxic concerns. The ethanol is mixed at the Motiva facility and transported out.

2016-07-21 Toxic Tour 008 — Rhode Island Recycled Metals

Univar is the largest facility in the area. It is a wholesale chemical distributor and chlorine manufacturer. As far as is known, though Univar produces chemicals used in fracking, they are not manufactured or stored in Rhode Island. There are 3.3 million pounds of toxic chemicals stored at the Univar facility. It is the most dangerous facility in all of Rhode Island, with a 14 mile hazard radius. Stored here are 1.4 million pounds of chlorine gas, 1.2 million pounds of anhydrous ammonia, 626,400 pounds of ammonium and 35,000 pounds of formaldehyde. each one requires a chemical risk assessment plan from the Environmental Protection Agency.

National Grid wants to upgrade its facilities at the Port of Providence by installing a liquefaction plant on the premises. This would allow the company to supercool LNG so that it becomes more compact, allowing the company to store much more LNG on the premises. Note that LNG is fracked methane, imported through pipelines to the facility. These pipelines, owned by Spectra Energy, run through Burrillville, through Cumberland, and across the bay from East Providence.

The existing storage tank is filled by truck. It takes about 2600 trucks to fill the 24.2 million gallon tank, said Andre.

The proposed LNG liquefaction facility will cost $180 million. These costs will most likely be passed on to consumers. The facility will be located between National Grid’s existing storage tank and the Univar facility. The energy required to power the liquefaction is equivalent to half of the energy generated by Deepwater Wind, the first offshore wind farm in the United States, presently under construction off the coast of Rhode Island.

One more concern: National Grid is located on the former site of a manufactured gas plant. The soil in the area is soaked with chemicals from when a company squeezed gas from coal, a toxic process that permanently contaminated the land. The RI Department of Environmental Management has records of dozens of other leaking, underground tanks in this area. “The soil we are walking on is known to be toxic,” said Rodríguez-Drix.

On the National Grid site, some of the chemical contaminants have been capped with the intention of keeping the contamination from further spreading, but this capping will be disturbed when construction begins, allowing the wind to carry the toxins into the air and into the bay for the two years of construction.

Below is video of the tour:

Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein attended the Toxic Tour, and talked about the Green New Deal.

Raymond Two-Hawks spoke about the aboriginal response to the continued denigration of his ancestral lands.

Laura Perez is running for House District 11 against incumbent state Representative Grace Diaz.

Sheila Calderone is a resident of South providence and a member of the Environmental Justice League who suspects that illnesses she has suffered are a result of the pollutants she has been exposed to while growing up in the area.

2016-07-21 Toxic Tour 018 — Julian Rodríguez-Drix

2016-07-21 Toxic Tour 021 — Raymond Two-Hawks

2016-07-21 Toxic Tour 022 — Sheila Calderone

July 19, 2016July 24, 2016

Visiting Burrillville’s MTBE contamination site

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During the three day march from Providence to Burrillville, ahead of Governor Raimondo’s meeting with residents, the people protesting Invenergy‘s planned $700 million fracked gas and diesel oil burning power plant made one small detour to the site of the 2001 MTBE disaster that affected and even destroyed so many lives in Pascoag. On the site of a long dead ExxonMobil Gas Station, overgrown with weeds and bushes, where only rubble and dirt remain, the marchers gathered to refresh themselves and listen to the stories of an environmental disaster.

Pascoag resident Thomas Sylvester laid out the scene for everyone. The gas station is on a hill. The contaminated water wells are about a quarter mile down the road. “Under where we are standing there is shell ledge and bedrock that is permeated with gasoline,” said Sylvester, “we speak about MTBE but really what we’re talking about is a gas spill.”

The wells that were contaminated were new. It took only months to reveal that they were contaminated. “What this means is that this gas station was leaking for a long time before those wells ever went in,” said Sylvester, “MTBE is a tracer, it’s the first contaminant to come out.” This means that the rest of the gasoline, and all the “really nasty stuff” that makes it up, is right behind the MTBE. In truth, the MTBE is only a small part of the problem, and a sign of bigger problems ahead.

Opening the well down the hill won’t remediate the area, says Sylvester. If someone were truly interested in remediating the water, the would put a well “almost where we are standing.” Using the well down the hill will only draw more contaminants down the hill, the “really nasty stuff” that right now is contained beneath the long dead Mobil station. The plan currently under consideration by Invenergy will draw more contaminants into the aquifer says Sylvester. Residents with their own wells might find their water becoming contaminated years from now.

There were a thousand homes and 4000 residents affected by the MTBE contamination. It took years for the state to be involved. People hired their own water safety experts, hired their own lawyers. There was no Energy Facilities Siting Board to hear their worries.

Sylvester first noticed the contamination when his wife was nursing their son, and the baby’s face became red and irritated where it came in contact with his wife’s skin. She had recently taken a shower, and the MTBE was hurting her baby. The sweet smell of the contamination filled the house. Sylvester began putting saran wrap over the toilets. He used bottled water in his house’s steam heating to minimize exposure to the well water. He and his family bathed and did laundry at their relative’s homes. They went without water, except for toilets, for 248 days.

Terri Lacey told the story of her niece and nephew, who “lived right around the corner.” They had a little girl at the time. Lacey’s niece developed thyroid cancer and her nephew developed Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Her nephew was given last rites four times before a treatment finally sent his cancer into remission.

“I remember being in the shower and feeling something, I couldn’t even describe it. The water didn’t feel right on my skin and there was a smell….”

Invenergy “is not remediating [the well] for us, they’re opening a monster for us.”

2016-07-19 Burrillville MTBE Site Visit 006 — The marchers arrive in Burrillville

2016-07-19 Burrillville MTBE Site Visit 010 — Arriving at the MTBE site

2016-07-19 Burrillville MTBE Site Visit 019 — Where the Mobil station stood

July 19, 2016July 19, 2016

Raimondo in Burrillville

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When Governor Gina Raimondo came to Burrillville Monday evening to hear the concerns of residents regarding Invenergy’s proposed $700 million fracked gas and diesel oil burning power plant, the people greeted her with applause, cheers, and gifts. Over the course of the two hour meeting, the Governor assured the people that she had not just listened to them, but had truly heard them.

The people rose and told them their stories, many of which those who have attended meeting after meeting in Burrillville had heard before. But Governor Raimondo was hearing them, in person, for the first time. She told the six hundred people gathered at the Burrillville High School that though she understood the problems with the MTBE in the water, that to hear the stories first hand was very powerful.

She heard them, she said.

Time and again Governor Raimondo assured the people that the power plant was “not a done deal.” For the first time the governor publicly walked back her support for the plant, saying that it was important that she maintain neutrality during the process of approving the plant. She told the people that there was a process, that the Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB) was holding a series of hearings and meetings. She urged the people to get involved and let their opinions be known.

Here, I think, Governor Raimondo stumbled. The people of Burrillville could not be more involved in this process. Her visit to Burrillville is a testament to their involvement. The visit is the result of months of work by Kathy Martley of BASE (Burrillville Against Spectra Expansion) and Nick Katkevich of the FANG Collective. If anything, the people of Burrillville understand “the process” better than the governor ever will. They attend the meetings of the EFSB, the Burrillville Town Council, the sewer board, the DEM, the DOH and countless others. There are many people in in Burrillville who dedicate every moment of free time, the entirety of their non-working lives, to this power plant.

This is what Invenergy has already stolen from the people of Burrillville: Every free moment of their lives.

Governor Raimondo urged the people to ”trust the process” but if the people don’t trust the process, it’s not out of some perverse anti-authoritarian impulse, it’s out of first hand experience with the very process she’s telling them to trust in. The people understand the process intimately, and they know that the process favors Invenergy, not the people.

Governor Raimondo was not asked to come to Burrillville as an advocate for “the process” she was asked to come to Burrillville to become an advocate for the people.

Additional thoughts:

As people were let into the Burrillville High School, after waiting outside in the parking lot in the ninety degree heat for hours, security informed them that no more than one person would be allowed in the restrooms at a time. Each restroom accommodates at least seven people. I asked the man in charge of security why this was the case. He told me “Security reasons.” I asked how two people in a men’s room might threaten security in a way that one person couldn’t. He became angry and said, “I’m not going to debate you, I already answered your question.”

Raimondo in Burrillville 020 — Dave Layman

The event was moderated by retired newscaster Dave Layman, who volunteered for the mission. Layman set the rules for the meeting, but did so in a way that was infantilizing. This wasn’t a high school full of children, this was a high school full of engaged residents who were very familiar with the ways in which public meetings work. This was a high school auditorium full of people who understand how to behave at a public forum, yet Layman decided to devote no small amount of time to explaining the importance of a Norman Rockwell painting about civil civic engagement. It was elitist and condescending and a poor way to set the tone.

But, despite these caveats, once the meeting got under way, it seemed to go well. The people of Burrillville stood tall, hit hard and did not back away from calling the governor to account. She stayed through the end and beyond, coming off the stage after the meeting and greeted the people one on one.

The people of Burrillville have been treated as afterthoughts in this process, then as agitators and then as children. But by the end of the night Governor Gina Raimondo was forced to see them as people, and recognize their full humanity.

Here’s the full video:

Senator Paul Fogarty

Representative Cale Keable

Dave Layman sets the rules.

Kathy Martley

Raimondo in Burrillville 005 — The marchers from Providence arrive

Raimondo in Burrillville 010 — Only one person allowed in here at a time

Raimondo in Burrillville 012 — The gift baskets presented to Governor Raimondo

Raimondo in Burrillville 013 — The opposition

Raimondo in Burrillville 019 — David Layman

Raimondo in Burrillville 021 — Super serious about the timing

July 16, 2016

FANG Collective begins their long march to Burrillville ahead of Governor’s visit

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The FANG Collective began their three day march to Burrillville Saturday morning, leaving from the State House in Providence just before 10am. The march is a protest against the Invenergy‘s planned $700 million fracked gas and diesel oil burning power plant, currently supported by Governor Gina Raimondo and opposed by the vast majority of Burrillville residents. The march also serves as a greeting of sorts to the Governor, as Raimondo is scheduled to meet with Burrillvillians and hear their concerns at the Burrillville High School on Monday night at 6pm.

Ahead of the march members of the FANG Collective and others distributed signs, spoke to reporters and provided instructions to participants about staying healthy during the long march, as temperatures were expected to be in the 90’s throughout the weekend. The importance of sunscreen, staying hydrated and being aware of any physical problems was stressed.

The marchers hope to cover about six to eight miles a day. They expect to arrive at the Greenville Public Library by 1pm. On Sunday, they will begin their march at 3pm at the Greenville Public Library to Village Bean Cafe and hope to arrive in Gloceter RI by 7pm.

The final leg of their trip, on Monday, begins at 12:30pm at the Village Bean Cafe and then to 24 North Main Street in Pascoag, the site of the MTBE spill that poisoned the water supply in Burrillville 15 years ago. It is this well water that Invenergy hopes to use to cool their power plant, under the promise that the water will be purified. After a short ceremony at the site of the MTBE spill, the marchers will continue to the Burrillville High School, in time to greet the governor.

The march is expected to grow by the day, with people participating as their schedule and ability allows. On Monday, many more Burrillville residents will be joining the march.

July 15, 2016

CLF announces historic settlement on Johnston Landfill

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Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) announced a historic settlement agreement today in its lawsuit against the owners and operators of Central Landfill in Johnston, Rhode Island. In December 2013, CLF filed a Clean Air Act suit against the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation (RIRRC), Broadrock Gas Services, LLC (BGS), and Rhode Island LFG Genco, LLC (RILG). RIRRC owns Central Landfill, BGS operates the gas collection system, and RILG uses the gas to fuel their electricity-generating facilities located next to the landfill. CLF’s suit alleged that the gas generated at the landfill was being inadequately collected or destroyed and that the landfill’s owner and operators failed to obtain the legally-required operating permit since 1997.

“Landfills produce gases that must be controlled in order to avoid risks to the health and wellbeing of surrounding communities,” said CLF attorney Max Greene. “Today’s agreement goes a long way toward enhancing gas generation and collection at Central Landfill in Johnston. By harnessing the gas for electricity generation and preventing it from escaping into the atmosphere, we protect our neighborhoods for generations to come.”

Under the settlement, RIRRC, BGS and RILG will hire an engineering firm to perform an assessment and recommend projects that will enhance gas generation and the performance of the collection system. The engineering firm also will examine and recommend improvements to an existing network of ambient-air monitors that test for hydrogen sulfide, a landfill-gas component, in the surrounding neighborhoods. The parties will evaluate these recommendations and undertake such projects.

In addition, for the first time, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management intends to issue a single Clean Air Act operating permit to govern the landfill.

“The issuance of a single operating permit covering the entire landfill is deeply important,” continued Greene. “Judges have called this type of permit ‘a source-specific bible for Clean Air Act compliance.’ Now, Central Landfill will finally have this important tool.”

[From a press release]

July 15, 2016July 18, 2016

What Governor Raimondo should expect in Burrillville

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With the opposition to Invenergy‘s proposed $700 million fracked gas and diesel oil burning power plant intensifying every day, Governor Gina Raimondo might be worrying about the reception she’s likely to receive when she visits Burrillville Monday evening. Having visited Burrillville many times myself, and having met and chatted with dozens of residents there, I can safely say that the Governor can expect a strong rebuttal to her support for the plant, but also a courteous and respectful reception.

This may be a career defining moment for Governor Raimondo. Does she listen to the concerns of her constituents, or does she cave to the desires of foreign billionaires? She says that the ultimate decision as to whether the plant gets built is in the hands of the Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB), but if she drops her support, that will go a long way towards stopping the plant.

Residents are looking forward to her visit. It’s not often that the state’s leaders get to Burrillville, especially on an issue of such grave concern. Residents are rolling out the red carpet for her visit. She can expect to be well treated.

The residents of Burrillville have been polite to a fault when dealing with Governor Raimondo. Her invitation, by Kathy Martley from Burrillville Against Spectra Expansion (BASE) was accompanied by a flower and a home made card. When protesters hold signs at her events, they don’t attempt to disrupt the event, they simply remind the governor of the public’s concern.

This is not to say that Governor Raimondo can expect to charm Burrillvillians into accepting the power plant. The residents there have done their research, and they know that Invenergy has not been honest about the proposed plant’s environmental impact or about the need for the plant in the first place. She should expect to be confronted by the recent RIDEM data requests, which accuses Invenergy of submitting an application that contains, “several confusing and conflicting assertions about the purpose and need for the project.” She should expect to hear about the research that’s been done, the environmental tragedies Burrillville residents have already endured, and a case for saving the world from the ravages of the fossil fuel industry.

But though the meeting is bound to be emotional and the arguments will be made with passion, Burrillville is a town of good people.

July 15, 2016

Locking arms for peace in Pawtucket

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“There have been 6 or 7 shootings in and around the Pence Park area in Pawtucket,” said Melissa Darosa, a streetworker for the Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence, “and that’s just what’s been reported.”

Melissa and fellow streetworker Tara were joined by #300Women representatives from Providence and local community members at the corner of Jefferson and West Avenues in Pawtucket, across the street from two convenience stores and almost across from the Oaklawn Community Center, to lock arms for peace and to take a stand against violence in the community. The area has become a hangout for kids.

“These are good kids, they aren’t bad kids,” said Melissa, “they just need guidance. They just need more tender loving care.”

As the small group gathered around, Pawtucket Police cruisers drove past slowly. They did not interfere.

Some people who live in the neighborhood joined in, calling the kids from across the street at the stores to join them in locking arms and calling for peace. All of the kids demurred. “I can’t lock arms with him,” said one boy, about 14 years old. He didn’t want to appear in any way to be less manly. Women offered to let the boy between them but he answered, “Nah.”

Pawtucket has been plagued by a string of shootings in this area. So far, no one has been killed. Mary Gray, a Pawtucket City Councillor, was on hand. This is her district, and she’s been working to get Mayor Grebien more involved. Part of the solution is the Midnight Basketball League.

Diana Garlington, of #300Women, explained that the League gets kids off the streets, but also gets them to a place where they can hear better messages.

“The Midnight League is not about guys playing basketball,” said Melissa, “It’s a way to capture everybody’s ear that we can do better.”

The league had a game scheduled for the park that evening, but due to rain it was being moved indoors.

People looking to help end the violence should contact the Institute, or contact Anchor Recovery. People are looking for jobs and job training opportunities. If you can’t offer jobs, money could help.

Meanwhile, the effort to save our kids from violence continues. “We need to come together and save them,” said Melissa DaRosa, “before we end up having a grieving family and have to bury somebody else.”

2016-07-14 Lock Arms for Peace Pawtucket 016 — Melissa

2016-07-14 Lock Arms for Peace Pawtucket 015 — Tara

2016-07-14 Lock Arms for Peace Pawtucket 011 — Diana Garlington

2016-07-14 Lock Arms for Peace Pawtucket 007 — Melissa, Jane Jellison

2016-07-14 Lock Arms for Peace Pawtucket 006 — Mary Gray, Melissa

July 14, 2016

Protesting environmental racism in South Providence

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Protests against environmental racism and the expansion of fracked gas infrastructure in Rhode Island continued yesterday as members of the FANG Collective and the Environmental Justice League of RI, along with area residents and other community and environmental organizations, held signs and delivered flyers to drivers at the corner of Eddy St and Thurbers Ave.

National Grid is trying to build a $180 million fracked gas production facility in South Providence, and organizers call 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 made up of low-income people of color. The impact and dangers of this project are enormous and have been outlined by the EJ League in detail.

Among those attending the protest was Kate Aubin, who is running for Cranston City Council. The section of Edgewood, where she lives, would potentially be affected by a disaster occurring in any one of several chemical and toxic storage facilities in South Providence.

2016-07-13 NoLNGinPVD 011 — Handing out flyers to motorists in English or Spanish

2016-07-13 NoLNGinPVD 004 — Laura Perez, House district 11 candidate

2016-07-13 NoLNGinPVD 001 — Mary Pendergast

July 14, 2016

CNBC’s state rankings flawed and anti-middle class

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From the headlines, you would think that CNBC is the gold standard economic authority. After the cable news network released its 10th annual “America’s Top States for Business 2016” listing, in which Rhode Island was ranked dead last, local corporate media raced to bring the bad news to readers and viewers. CNBC ranks R.I. worst state for business, CNBC: Rhode Island ranked ‘Bottom State for Business‘, and RI back to dead last in new CNBC rankings are typical examples from the Projo, Channel 10 and Channel 12 respectively.

Missing from the Cassandra-like coverage is any hint that the rankings are meaningless and based on metrics that rate our state on how well our policies kowtow to the whims of business, not on how well they benefit the poor and middle class. Only Ted Nesi even approaches this angle in his coverage, but he did so through the lens of competing political discourse. But what about the economics of the report? Does it hold up under scrutiny? I’ve tackled the subject of economic rankings before, here and here, trying to bring some sort of real economic analysis to bear.

I asked Doctor of Economics Douglas Hall, Director of Economic and Fiscal Policy at the Economic Progress Institute, for some insights. Hall said that many of CNBC’s economic indicators “have a lot of merit and point to the need to address matters via public policy, such as repairing the state’s crumbling infrastructure and the need to help Rhode Islanders improve their educational attainment. But when you deconstruct their aggregate groupings,” said Hall, “many of the categories are deeply flawed and point to policies that would severely undermine the well-being and quality of life of working families in Rhode Island.”

One indicator the report uses is “union membership and the states’ right to work laws.” Low union membership and strong anti-union right to work laws contribute to a higher economic ranking for a state in CNBC’s report, yet Hall says that “research clearly shows that as unionization rates have gone down, the well-being of the American middle class has gone down.” In Hall’s view, this metric “taints the entire aggregate measure.”

Another metric, the CNBC aggregate category for the cost of doing business, considers the cost of paying wages and presumably, says Hall, “a state in which every employee worked for sub-poverty wages would get a very high grade in this category, while those paying living wages that can sustain a family and support a viable business community through demand for goods and services, would get a low grade in this category.”

It seems clear that these rankings of states by various business interests, including corporate entities such as CNBC, puppet organizations such as ALEC and members of the State Policy Network (which includes the RI Center for Freedom and Prosperity) and various Chambers of Commerce are are not objective measures of a state’s economic well-being, but are tools crafted to shape public policy to the advantage of large business interests and to the detriment of the poor and middle class.

The most sensible tactic in dealing with such garbage is to file it accordingly.

July 14, 2016

Acushnet, not Burrillville, targeted for Spectra LNG storage facility says town council

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Spectra Energy is not planning to build a liquified natural gas (LNG) storage facility in Burrillville alongside the controversial compressor station and near the site of Invenergy‘s planned $700 million fracked gas and diesel oil burning power plant. The Burrillville Town Council evealed at their Wednesday night meeting that when Spectra submits their official FERC pre-application for the project on July 22, it will be Acushnet, MA, not Burrillville, that will be forced to fight against yet another fracked gas infrastructure nightmare in New England.

The existence of Spectra’s plan came to light when the Burrillville Town Council released the agenda for the July 13 meeting, which included item 16-200 “Correspondence from Spectra Energy regarding Algonquin Gas Transmission LLC – Access Northeast Project (Pre-filing Docket No. PF16-1-000) relative to potential construction of a liquefied natural gas (“LNG”) storage facility in New England.”

This project is yet another addition to the expansion of fracked gas infrastructure in New England. Page 4 of the Supplemental Project Information Filing for Spectra’s Access Northeast Project (FERC Docket No. PF16-1-000) released in April 2016, reads “As part of this Project, Algonquin will upgrade and expand the existing Algonquin pipeline system and construct a liquefied natural gas storage facility in New England to deliver, on peak days, up to an additional 925,000 dekatherms per day (“Dth/d”) of natural gas.”

This same document, on page 11, lists Burrillville as an alternative site for the facility, noting that further expansion of pipeline capacity might be needed due to its location.

4.2.2.1 Burrillville Site Area

Algonquin began evaluating alternative sites as far west as its Burrillville Compressor Station, which offers a large site already owned in fee by Algonquin. The Burrillville, Rhode Island alternative site is located adjacent to Algonquin’s existing Burrillville Compressor Station. Due to its location, any LNG service that would be pulled into on the G-System and Algonquin’s mainline pipelines from the proposed LNG facility site would have to be pushed from the alternative site at Burrillville using Algonquin’s mainline pipelines that, to this point in the Project development, have been designed to carry 195,000 Dth/d. The location of the LNG site at Burrillville would require that Algonquin’s mainline pipelines carry an additional 225,000 Dth/d for a total of 420,000 Dth/d. To render the same service as that provided by the proposed Access Northeast LNG Facility site (Acushnet, Massachusetts), additional upgrades would be required including: the installation of a total of approximately 17.7 miles of new pipeline (8.1 miles of additional 36-inch diameter pipeline at the Burrillville Compressor Station Discharged 9.6 miles of 30-inch loop on the G-1 System); plus additional horsepower at the proposed Rehoboth Compressor Station.

At Wednesday’s Burrillville Town Council meeting, Town Manager Michael Wood said that there were two locations being considered in Burrillville, the one adjacent to the compressor station mentioned above and another location “off Barnes Rd.” Council president John Pacheco III cautioned those in attendance that the information looks good for Burrillville, but that no one will definitively know Spectra’s plans until July 22.

Repeated calls to Spectra’s media hotline on Tuesday and Wednesday went unanswered, save for an email that Thanked me for my interest, answered none of my questions and referred me to Spectra’s Algonquin Northeast Project website.

Of course, just because the project isn’t being built in Burrillville doesn’t make this a win. Acushnet already has an LNG storage facility, and this will be a second one, or possibly an upgrade.

“This project shouldn’t be built anywhere,” said a Burrillville resident to me after the meeting.

July 13, 2016July 15, 2016

Police remove Burrillville residents from zoning board meeting

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The Burrillville Zoning Board meeting on Tuesday night became tense when Burrillville resident John Anthony Scott, an outspoken opponent of Invenergy’s proposed $700 million fracked gas and diesel oil burning power plant, attempted to play some video of the noise made by the Spectra Energy compressor station.

One of the many issues regarding the proposed power plant is the noise generated by the build up of fracked gas infrastructure in the area.

“Can we have the security stop this?” asked zoning board chair Raymond Cloutier, at which point four or five police officers descended and peacefully removed Scott from the podium, before escorting him out of the auditorium.

“So you’re surpresssing our first amendment rights,” said Scott, “I’m going to make sure I tell the news channels that. I’ll post it all over social media.”

According to Sally Mendzela, who attended the meeting,

“John Anthony Scott and Nicholas Cook set up huge speakers on the stage. The meeting started with regular business and then went on to public comment. Every speaker had to be sworn in. At some point, Burrillville Town Council attorney Oleg Nikolyszyn or Ray Cloutier, the zoning board chair, asked who had put the speakers up there. Nicholas and John were fetched and then all hell broke loose. They wanted to play a video John’s wife had of the pressure release from the compressor station.

“Oleg got all fired up about the difference between decibels and megahertz and said he would not allow Cook and Scott to play the video or audio recording.

“Cloutier had the five cops present come down front, all with the audience screaming and whatnot. John and Nicholas picked up the speakers and headed out with the cops.”

Edit: John Scott issued a statement in which he points out that “I have & always had a great relationship with the Burrillville Police… After the video… Nick & I left freely to go put equipment away in his car then returned to watch the rest of the meeting listening & supporting our family & friends residents & community!”

Some time after Scott and Cook were escorted out, Burrillville resident and power plant opponent Jeremy Bailey spoke to the board. He took the opportunity to hum to the board, to approximate the sound they might have heard if they had listened to the video and audio.

Both Bailey and John Scott have announced that they are running for positions on the Burrillville Town Council.

During a blow off, which happens several times a year, large quantities of methane and other chemicals are released directly into the atmosphere. The sound approximates a commercial jet airliner taking off.

July 13, 2016July 13, 2016

Canvassers’ call on Carnevale may define Elorza’s mayorship

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2015-10-13 Elorza Homes 007 — Jorge Elorza

When Jorge Elorza ran against Buddy Cianci for Mayor of Providence he highlighted the message that we cannot return to a culture of corruption. In the swirl of issues that surrounded Cianci’s campaign were allegations of rape as well as convictions for crimes committed while in office.

Today, the Providence Board of Canvassers, a body whose members are appointed by Elorza, will decide the fate of Representative John Carnevale, a man who has a similar history of alleged sexual violence against women, and a man who could be said to represent the very culture of corruption that Cianci represented.

Carnevale was one of Buddy Cianci’s principle boosters in 2014. He has faced multiple accusations of physically abusing his ex-wife, and in 2011 he was indicted for sexually assaulting a Johnston woman. Carnevale pleaded innocent. The charges were dropped after the woman died suddenly.

In June, a WPRI investigation discovered evidence that Carnevale has been lying about living in his district. The investigation seems to have revealed that Carnevale lives in Johnston, and that told the tenants of the Providence house he is registered at to lie when asked if he resided there.

These allegations should make Carnevale ineligible to run for representative again, but Mayor Elorza has struggled to build support in the General Assembly and, according to sources, has developed an alliance with House Majority Leader John DeSimone, a close friend of Carnevale.

The question is, will Elorza play cynical politics and pressure his Board of Canvassers to give Carnevale a pass? Elorza has had a rocky first two years in office, but from all accounts he is so far un-blighted by the overt corruption of Rhode Island politics. Appeasing John DeSimone and allowing John Carnevale to be allowed to run despite evidence he does not reside in his district would be akin to jumping into the deep end of the dirtiest pool in Rhode Island.

That kind of thing does not wash off.

Although Mayor Elorza is trying to make the case, as was reported by WPRI, that he is not responsible for this decision, the choice is clearly his to make.

Mayor Jorge Elorza has a chance to do the right thing today. After everything he said about Buddy Cianci and the political culture of corruption during his campaign, allowing John Carnevale to run would be a betrayal.

The Board of Canvassers meets at the Providence City Hall at 11am today.

Elorza’s legacy hangs in the balance.

July 12, 2016

Whitehouse calls out ‘deceitful’ industry backed climate change denial

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Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, of Rhode Island, and Representative Ted Lieu, of California, are sponsoring a resolution in Congress calling out fossil fuel companies for their “sophisticated and deceitful campaign” to deny climate science.

In the resolution Whitehouse and Lieu talk about lead and tobacco manufacturers developing “a sophisticated and deceitful campaign that funded think tanks and front groups, and paid public relations firms to deny, counter and obfuscate peer-reviewed research” and using “that misinformation campaign to mis-lead the public and cast doubt in order to protect their financial interest.”

Whitehouse, long considered the Senate’s foremost climate advocate, draws some criticism in Rhode Island for his tacit support of LNG and his refusal to come out against both a proposed power plant in Burrillville and the LNG infrastructure expansion that has been proposed for both Burrillville and South Providence.

In an email, Whitehouse said he’s “joining a group of my colleagues on the Senate floor to expose a web of denial: Along with respected scientists and journalists, we’re standing strong to shine a light on the trade associations, think tanks and shady front groups that have been funded by the Koch brothers, ExxonMobil and their allies to con the public and undermine climate action.”

The Conservation Law Foundation applauded the efforts of Whitehouse and Lieu regarding the resolution. In a statement, the CLF said:

“Corporations like ExxonMobil have spent decades using the same playbook as Big Tobacco to cover up the enormous societal harm brought on by the products they’re peddling,” said CLF president Bradley Campbell. “It’s time for our leaders to hold them accountable and to stand up for communities across the country already facing significant public safety and economic hazards from the impacts of climate change. We applaud Representative Lieu and Senator Whitehouse for bringing this issue to the forefront, and we’re confident that, even in the face of these companies’ multi-million dollar lobbyists, the truth on our side will ultimately win the day.”

The most high-profile company engaged in such behavior, ExxonMobil, is currently facing a first-in-the-nation lawsuit from the CLF (Conservation Law Foundation) over its indifference and harm to the Greater Boston community.

After an exposé last September by InsideClimate News revealed that ExxonMobil has engaged in a deliberate cover-up of sound climate science for more than thirty years, CLF launched its own investigation and discovered that the company’s deceit has put New England communities in harm’s way. On May 17, CLF announced that it would be taking legal action against ExxonMobil for its continued neglect of the communities lining the Mystic River, communities increasingly threatened by ExxonMobil’s unwillingness to bring its facility in Everett, Massachusetts up to code.

July 12, 2016July 12, 2016

Unions, industry collaborate on big oil astroturfing campaign in RI

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2016-03-31-Burrillville-EFSB-026-54 Michael Sabitoni — Michael Sabitoni in Burrillville

Rhode Island building and trade unions are working with a Koch brother-funded astroturfing campaign to fight against renewable energy, an email obtained by RI Future reveals.

Michael Sabitoni, president of the Rhode Island Building & Construction Trades Council, had distributed to union members and legislators an email from Paul Hartman of Energy4US, a shadowy oil industry insider, asking if “someone from your shop could add a comment or two” to a Facebook post that labeled Energy4US as a “‘big oil’ entity,” according to the email.

Efforts to contact Mr. Sabitoni were unsuccessful.

“We are thrilled to have the Rhode Island Building and Construction Trades Council on board with Energy4US and I look forward to working with you and your members in the future,” said Hartman in the email.

Energy4US is an astroturfing campaign attempting to raise support for fossil fuels and downplay the expansion of renewable energy sources. In Rhode Island, Energy4US has concentrated on opposing the carbon tax bill proposed by Representative Aaron Regunberg. Astroturfing “is the practice of masking the sponsors of a message or organization to make it appear as though it originates from and is supported by a grassroots participants.”

On June 20 Paul Hartman, the coalition advisor for Energy4US, sent Sabitoni the following email:

In the email Hartman notes the existence of “a few comments on Facebook” that call Energy4US out as an astroturfing group, or in the words of Hartman, “only a ‘big Oil’ entity.” Hartman asks Sabitoni if “someone from your shop could add a comment or two to the post highlighting your collective concerns with such proposals.”

Sabitoni promptly forwarded the email to three recipients under the header, “Energy4US and RI Carbon Tax proposal” saying:

Scott send this out to all b[uilding] t[rades] reps…Faith put this up on our web site please…thx M

Here’s the Facebook post in question, with a link to the ‘op-ed’ –

According to Frackorporation, “Energy 4 Us lists no one by name with regards to staff or contact… To the casual viewer it appears to be an independent “grassroots” group.” Paul Hartman, who identifies himself as Energy4US’s coalition advisor in his email to Sabitoni, is mentioned as the Regional Director, State Affairs for America’s Natural Gas Alliance (ANGA) in the Frackorporation piece. Hartman does not list his involvement with Energy4US on his LinkedIn page.

In an email Hartman confirmed that he has “recently come on board as the Coalition Advisor.” He answered none of my questions regarding the claims that Energy4US is an astroturfing group, instead claiming that, “E4US is a collaboration of diverse organizations from across the northeast who have an interest in affordable, reliable energy for our families, employers, employees, communities, schools, hospitals and the most vulnerable among us.”

They are listed on the website, seen below, second from the bottom of the list. Hartman wrote, “I would encourage you to check back often to see the growth of the collaboration and check our social media feeds for educational posts on national and regional energy issues.”

The Rhode Island Building & Construction Trades Council is listed as a member of the Energy4US coalition, along with many other union groups such as the New York State Iron Workers District Council and the Connecticut State Building Trades and Construction Council. Also listed on the website as a coalition member is the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM). The AFPM is yet another coalition, of big oil companies such as ExxonMobil, Citgo and Koch Industries, among others.

July 11, 2016July 12, 2016

Protesters march from PVD to Burrillville ahead of Governor’s visit

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From July 16th to 18th local activists and residents will be marching from the Statehouse to the Burrillville High School to protest the 1000 MW fossil fuel power plant proposed for the town. The three day, 23 mile march, will coincide with Governor Gina Raimondo’s July 18th open meeting in Burrillville where she will discuss Invenergy’s proposed power plant with residents. Hundreds of people are expected to attend the meeting which begins at 6pm.

Temperatures are expected to reach into the 90’s through the weekend, but the marchers are undeterred. “We want the Governor to know that people from across the State support the residents of Burrillville and their fight against Invenergy’s toxic power plant. This is the Governor’s climate and environmental legacy moment, and the whole State is watching.” Sherrie Anne Andre, of The FANG Collective, the group organizing the march.

The march will head west on Route 44 and then head north on Route 100. The march will make a stop at the site of a chemical spill in Pascoag before continuing on to the Burrillville High School in time for the event with the Governor.

In 2001, a spill at a gas station in Pascoag led to MTBE, a now banned gasoline additive, contaminating one of Burrillville’s main water supplies. The contaminated water wells were capped by a Superior Court order after MTBE levels in local drinking water soared above the federal legal limit. Invenergy, the Chicago based company who has proposed the power plant, plans to uncap the MTBE wells and use up to 900,000 gallons of the water a day at the plant, drawing the ire of local residents.

“There are many health and environmental concerns with the proposed power plant. But the fact that Invenergy wants to use the MTBE water at the plant, and the lack of any thorough study on the potential impacts of this, is shocking and deeply concerning”. Kathy Martley of Burrillville Against Spectra Expansion (BASE), who lives a quarter mile from the site of the proposed plant.

Opposition has been steadily growing to the proposed power plant with hundreds of residents attending recent public hearings on the project. Last month, legislation that would have given Burrillville residents the ability to vote on any tax agreement reached between Invenergy and the town council stalled in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The Governor agreed to meet with Burrillville residents after months of protests and actions led by FANG and BASE.

“We are excited that the Governor has agreed to come to Burrillville and meet with those that would be most impacted by Invenergy’s power plant. But beyond just listening to the concerns of residents, we need the Governor to use the visit to revoke her support of the toxic Invenergy project once and for all,” said Nick Katkevich, of Providence, RI from the FANG Collective.

You can join the Facebook event here.

Here’s the schedule for the March:

July 16th: 9am-1pm – RI State House to Greenville Public Library

July 17th: 3-7pm – Greenville Public Library to Village Bean Cafe in Gloucester RI

July 18th: Noon – 430pm – Village Bean Cafe to Burrillville High School
– Noon-230pm Village Bean Cafe to 24 North Main Street in Pascoag (site of the MTBE spill)
– 230-3pm Ceremony at the site of the MTBE spill
– 3-430pm March from 24 North Main Street to the Burrillville High School

July 10, 2016July 10, 2016

Providence honors Alton Sterling and Philando Castile

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Hundreds gathered in Providence last night to celebrate the lives of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, two men killed last week by police. The celebration was organized by a myriad of people representing many groups, and was modeled on a New Orleans-style second line funeral procession. Organizers provided the following explanation:

The Second line funeral march is an African American tradition most associated with New Orleans, it has in its roots a deep and unmistakable connection to African funeral tradition. In America the 2nd line was a way to mark the passage of Black life and demand recognition of our basic humanity. In the 2nd line the tears are mixed with joyous songs and expressions of Black kinship. In the 2nd line it was traditional to carry a decorated umbrella symbolic of protecting one from a storm as a shield, but also as an expression of beauty facing the heavens, shining in the rain. It is also traditional to carry a handkerchief for our tears but also as a flag of defiance and a part of our dance.

“The 2nd line can be seen as just a parade but it is a deeply powerful and solemn expression of homecoming and love. This invitation is offered in that spirit. Come mourn, come weep and wail, come to love, come to share and build power, come to witness, come to sing.”

Alton Sterling was a 37-year old black man killed by police in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Philando Castile was a 32-year old black man killed by a police officer during a routine traffic stop in Falcon Heights, Minnesota. Castile’s girlfriend and her 4-year old daughter were in the car.

The march ended on the water at India Point Park, where there were performances, remembrances and a final act of throwing flowers into the water.

Below find photos and video of the event. Much of the video was recorded by RI Future contributor Andrew Stewart.

July 9, 2016July 9, 2016

Rhode Island’s response to Dallas defines our priorities

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At a meeting to plan a Rhode Island response to the killing of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, the moderator, a black man, made the point that many in his community feel these deaths – of people they don’t know who live far away – as personally and intensely as they feel the death of a cousin or a friend.

“White people,” he said, “don’t understand that.”

This is true. None of us truly understands the day to day prejudice experienced by people of color in our country absent actually experiencing it. This solidarity of experience escapes most, if not all white people in this country. The bond created across time and distance by systemic oppression is intense, and personal.

I can feel some of this. When Trayvon Martin was murdered, he was about my son’s age. They both wore hoodies and both liked Mountain Dew and Skittles. I felt Trayvon Martin’s death acutely, but my reaction was blunted by my privilege. I didn’t then and don’t now fear for my son’s life the way parents of black children do. My son is white. I have the luxury of keeping my parental fear levels at the lowest setting.

2016-07-08 PVD BLM Dallas 015 — Steven Paré

“A part of us died last night,” said Providence Public Safety Commissioner Stephen Paré at a press conference Friday afternoon, “when five colleagues in Dallas, were shot and killed.”

Paré can acutely feel the deaths of police officers far away. He sees the police officers killed in Dallas as colleagues, and can certainly imagine the nightmare of losing five officers in Providence.

But the analogy ends there.

When police officers were murdered in Dallas, Governor Gina Raimondo called a press conference of police and community leaders well within 24 hours. Two United States senators offered words of calm and condolence. Flags were ordered to fly at half mast by government order.

No press conferences were planned for Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. It took the death of police officers to do that. That alone signals our priorities as a culture.

Police can call for back up. They can get the National Guard and the full power of the United States military flown in if necessary. Police can attach bombs to robots and kill by remote control if necessary.

The unlimited force and power of the United States can be brought to bear against those who kill police officers, but when it comes to the extra-judicial murders of people of color by police…

… there is no back-up.

2016-07-08 PVD BLM Dallas 001 — Janelle organized a small protest in Kennedy Plaza Friday morning.

2016-07-08 PVD BLM Dallas 002 — Thirty feet from the protest PVD Police were arresting a black man.

2016-07-08 PVD BLM Dallas 007 — This woman berated the protesters. “All lives matter,” she said, “not just black lives.”

2016-07-08 PVD BLM Dallas 011 — Reverends Eugene Dyszlewski and Donald Anderson

2016-07-08 PVD BLM Dallas 012 — Moira Walsh and son

2016-07-08 PVD BLM Dallas 013 — Governor Raimondo reiterated her call for the passage of justice reform and gun control legislation.

2016-07-08 PVD BLM Dallas 014 — Jim Vincent, Kobi Dennis, Jack Reed

2016-07-08 PVD BLM Dallas 016 — Steven O’Donnell

2016-07-08 PVD BLM Dallas 017 — Kobi Dennis

Here’s the full video from the press conference:

July 7, 2016July 7, 2016

RI Democratic Party snubs Linda Finn, endorses unknown opponent

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Ignoring the will of the Middletown and Portsmouth town Democratic committees, the Rhode Island state Democratic Party endorsed James J. Cawley for the District 72 House seat instead of former representative Linda Finn.

Both the Middletown and Portsmouth town committees had voted to endorse Finn.

“I want you to immediately withdraw your endorsement and honor the Middletown and Portsmouth, committee endorsements of Linda Finn,” wrote Robert J. Silvia, chair of the Middletown Democratic Town Committee and president of the Town Council, in a letter to to Joseph McNamara, chair of the state Democratic Party and a Warwick representative who served with Finn. “I personally will not accept anything less.”

Silvia wrote, “I feel side stepped, over-looked and highly offended that YOU and the State Democratic Party have, without seeking local input, endorsed representative candidate Jamie Cawley. Your State Party actions, by doing this without the Middletown and Portsmouth Party, is classless and unprofessional. This shows me that you have no respect for the local troops who do the grunt work.”

Len Katzmann, chair of the Portsmouth Democratic Town Committee said, “The state party never consulted us — back in April, our committee voted unanimously to support Linda Finn for State Representative in District 72. She worked diligently with our elected officials when she held the District 72 seat, and has come to many of our committee meetings and events. Our Town Committee has literally never met the person who has been endorsed as the Democrat from Portsmouth in this race. Our committee works hard to elect Democrats in Portsmouth and, indeed, statewide, and some members feel that the lack of consultation of a proposed endorsement shows a lack of respect for our efforts.”

The endorsement in question is important because this is the endorsement that follows a candidate’s name in the primary. Cawley is listed on the Secretary of State’s website as the endorsed Democratic candidate, despite the recommendations and objections of local Democrats.

The process for becoming the endorsed candidate is pretty straightforward. Democratic Party bylaws call for Representative Committees (associated with each representative district) to make the endorsement for their respective candidate. These are wholly separate from the town committees and often are populated with close friends or relatives of the incumbent.

There are two ways you can appoint members to the representative committees: the incumbent representative may do so at anytime (assuming they are of the same party, as was not the case in House District 72), or the chairman of the party, in this case Joseph McNamara, may appoint anyone.

Because there was no active committee, the Finn campaign asked and the chairs of the Middletown and Portsmouth Democratic town committees to each sent messages to the chairman asking that he appoint members so they might endorse Finn.

Instead of following the committee’s recommendations, McNamara endorsed Cawley.

July 5, 2016July 6, 2016

Community supports Benny’s and redemption amid GoLocalProv ‘controversy’

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Last week, GoLocalProvidence published an article provocatively entitled: “New Benny’s Ad Features Convicted Murderer”. A more appropriate title would have been “New Benny’s Ad Features Criminal Justice Success Story”. Or “New Benny’s Ad Illustrates the Potential of Nonviolence”.

The controversy about the ad centered on the presence of Sal Montiero Jr., one of a dozen or so Rhode Islanders in the video. Montiero did a relatively long bid at the state prison for second degree murder. Many have objected to his appearance in the ad because of that record.

I teach college courses at the state prison, and I have students like Sal who spend their time while incarcerated getting an education, improving their self-understanding, and trying to equip themselves to be more effective and compassionate human beings once they are released into society. They are there because they have made mistakes, but almost without exception, the students that I have taught in the prison work very hard to become better versions of themselves.

This is no small task, even for those of us who are not incarcerated. It takes courage to face and atone for our mistakes, especially very serious ones that deeply affect the lives of others. Self-improvement is challenging, and getting an education is a long road.

Montiero, by all accounts, is an example of how we want our justice system to work, and an example of someone stepping into his full potential when given a second chance. He was released from prison, is holding down a job, and importantly, that job is teaching nonviolence through the Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence. He is trying to help others avoid making the mistake that he made, and teaching a practice that will benefit everyone. This is important work that our community needs desperately. He took the consequences mandated by the legal system, took advantages of the opportunities for self-improvement within the prison, and has been participating positively in the world since his release.

If our goal is to ultimately have safer, healthier communities that benefit everyone, then we would do well to celebrate, rather than shame, the success stories. Congratulations, Sal. Benny’s, I applaud your inclusivity. You have my business.

July 5, 2016July 5, 2016

Power plant opposition dominates Ancients & Horribles Parade

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Opposition to Invenergy‘s proposed $700 million fracked gas and diesel oil burning power plant, planned for Burrillville, dominated the 90th annual Ancients & Horribles Parade in neighboring Glocester on the 4th of July. First and second prize for best in show went to floats opposing the power plant.

The prize for “Most Politically Incorrect” float went to a truck emblazoned with a “Trump” campaign sign that displayed a series of posters of State House leadership that cited a series of political scandals and unpopular decisions. This was followed by two trucks full of Trump supporters, with one man waving a large Confederate Flag in support of the putative Republican presidential nominee. The presence of racist Confederate Flags in the parade was disturbing. I counted at least four.

Governor Gina Raimondo, perhaps sensing that her presence would not be appreciated, did not march in the parade. Her presence was felt, however, in every float that expressed dissatisfaction with her close association with corporations like Invenergy and Goldman-Sachs. Tracey Potvin Keegan rode a bike dressed as the governor, with bags of Goldman-Sachs money hanging like saddlebags and a $700 price tag on her head.

Marching in the parade were Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Jack Reed and Representative James Langevin. Whitehouse did not escape criticism for his early support of Invenergy’s power plant. A woman marching with the power plant protesters held a sign with a quote from Whitehouse that said, “If I look back 20 years from now and I can’t say I did everything possible, I’ll never be able to live with myself.”

After first supporting the power plant, Whitehouse later back tracked, saying that weighing in on the issue would be inappropriate. Many in Burrillville and the surrounding areas feel betrayed by Whitehouse’s position, feeling that his reputation as the Senate’s strongest environmentalist is mere political posturing.

Almost as unpopular as the governor are the gypsy moths, who have infested the area and strip entire trees bare of foliage. One group of marchers came dressed as a gypsy moth caterpillar, with the words, “It’s raining poop” on it’s tail end.

The parade featured an appearance by Tony Lepore, the Dancing Cop. Lepore sported his new uniform, emblazoned with a special “Dancing Cop” patch, instead of his former Providence Police Officer uniform. Lepore’s career has been in free fall since he interjected himself into the incident late last year when a Dunkin Donuts employee wrote “Black Lives Matter” on a police officer’s cup. As a consequence of his words and actions Lepore lost his annual gig directing traffic downtown and lost out on a replacement gig directing traffic in East Providence.

Governor Raimondo is due to meet with Burrillville residents on July 18.

2016-07-04 Ancients and Horrbles Parade 002 — Whaitehouse, Langevin and Reed

2016-07-04 Ancients and Horrbles Parade 003 — First “No New Power Plant” sign in the parade

2016-07-04 Ancients and Horrbles Parade 007 — Tony Lepore

2016-07-04 Ancients and Horrbles Parade 010 — The first anti-Invenergy float came from BASE and the Fang Collective

2016-07-04 Ancients and Horrbles Parade 024 — BASE and the Fang Collective won second place.

2016-07-04 Ancients and Horrbles Parade 041 — Most politically Incorrect

2016-07-04 Ancients and Horrbles Parade 048 — This was by far the most disturbing thing in the parade

2016-07-04 Ancients and Horrbles Parade 049 — First place for best in show…

2016-07-04 Ancients and Horrbles Parade 051 — Burrillville State Rep Cale Keable

2016-07-04 Ancients and Horrbles Parade 052 — “Governor Gina Raimondo”

2016-07-04 Ancients and Horrbles Parade 067 — Nice play on Trump’s campaign slogan

2016-07-04 Ancients and Horrbles Parade 068 — The specter of death haunts America?

2016-07-04 Ancients and Horrbles Parade 069 — Another Confederate Flag.

2016-07-04 Ancients and Horrbles Parade 070 — Here are close-ups of the “Most Politically Incorrect” float

2016-07-04 Ancients and Horrbles Parade 076 — “Best in Parade”

2016-07-04 Ancients and Horrbles Parade 086 — “Second Best in Show”

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