Glocester Town Council

October 20, 2016

North Smithfield and Lincoln Town Councils come out against Burrillville power plant

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On Tuesday night the North Smithfield Town Council voted unanimously to oppose Invenergy‘s $700 million fracked gas and diesel oil burning power plant, and on Wednesday evening a second unanimous vote opposing the power plant happened in Lincoln. When Middletown votes to oppose the plant next week, as is expected, that will bring the total number of municipalities passing resolutions in opposition to the power plant to four, since Glocester passed a resolution last week. Many other cities and towns are considering similar resolutions as per the Town of Burrillville‘s request, with Cranston‘s town council discussing it at their next meeting.

Denise Potvin and Suzanne Dumas of Burrillville, Rhoda-Ann Northrup of Cranston and Lorraine Savard of Central Falls all spoke out against the plant in Lincoln. Only Savard spoke out against the plant in North Smithfield.

Over 60 local environmental groups have come out against the power plant, the Burrillville Zoning and Planning Boards have expressed their opposition, and both Pascoag and Harrisville have chosen to not sell Invenergy the water they need to cool their turbines.

Below see video from the Town of Lincoln’s meeting last night and from North Smithfield’s meeting Tuesday night.

October 11, 2016October 11, 2016

Glocester Town Council supports Burrillville in opposition to power plant

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Though the Middletown Town Council was the first municipality in Rhode Island to take up the issue of whether or not to support the Burrillville Town Council in opposition to Invenergy‘s proposed $700 million fracked gas and diesel oil burning power plant, on Thursday the Glocester Town Council became the first municipality in the state to pass it. Lead by Council President Walter MO Steere, the resolution was passed unanimously.

Before the resolution could be passed, two town councilors took the opportunity to address some rumors that had been swirling about town. Councilor George Steere said that he was not negotiating to sell water to Invenergy, whose application before the Energy Facilities Siting Board has stalled due o a lack of water to cool its turbines. (Invenergy is currently pursuing a deal with Woonsocket, and perhaps other suppliers.) The rumors, said Steere, originated from an effort begun in 2011 when he was approached to potentially supply water to Pascoag in the aftermath of that town’s water contamination crisis. Crushing the rumor entirely, Steere said, “There will never be one gallon of water from my property [used] to cool a power plant.”

Councilor William Reichart wanted to assure those in attendance that his company, Reichert & Sons Fuel Oil Inc. was in the business of supplying heating oil to homes and small businesses and was in no way able or willing to supply Invenergy with the diesel oil needed to ill its million gallon tanks.

Three residents from Burrillville, Ray Trinque, Paul Roselli and Jeremy Bailey, spoke before the town council, and about a dozen more attended the meeting.

June 28, 2016

Lauren Niedel declares for Glocester Town Council

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Lauren Niedel, a 22 year resident of Glocester has officially declared her candidacy for her Town Council. Motivated by the Council’s dismissive response to her call to action against the proposed Burrillville fracked gas power plant Lauren decided that the only way to make change is to become the change.

The Glocester Town Council is made up of 5 men, no democrats, and does not reflect the makeup of the people in town or their vision. Her main platform items will be to stop the Clear River Energy Center, create a NW RI Renewable Energy task force, Open up communication channels for residents and make the Town Council much more transparent. Lauren also wants to create two intern positions for Ponaganset High School Seniors to update the town’s archaic website and a to have a student ambassador as a liaison.

“Our town functions as if it is 1990,” says Lauren, “it is time to bring it into the 21st century and that cannot be done with our existing Town Council members. Our rural way of life has to be preserved but we don’t live in a bubble and it is time we govern that way.”

Lauren is a sales professional with 2 grown children and has been married for over 30 years. Her children Joel and Hannah both graduated from Ponaganset High School school system. Joel is entering his 4th year at New England College – majoring in Environmental Science and Hannah works for the Federal Government in Maryland. Her Husband David has been employed by the Foster/Glocester school system for over 15 years.

This past year Lauren was one of the leading organizers for RI Bernie Sanders 2016 campaign. She is also a delegate for Sanders and will be taking part in the July DNC Convention. Since 2013 she has been the Deputy State Coordinator of the RI Progressive Democrats. She is also a contributing writer for RI Future.

[From a press release]