The Middletown Town Council appears to be the first town or city council in Rhode Island to take up the Burrillville Town Council’s call for solidarity in the face of Invenergy’s planned $700 million fracked gas and diesel oil burning power plant. As part of the vote to oppose the power plant, the Burrillville Town Council also voted to ask every city and town in Rhode Island to support them in their opposition.
At Monday’s town council meeting Claudia Gorman spoke about the issues surrounding the approval process and the wide ranging opposition to Invenergy’s plans both locally and statewide.
“Advisory opinions submitted during the ongoing permitting process have expressed reservations regarding the vagueness of Invenergy’s application, negative environmental impacts, incomplete or unsatisfactory mitigating practices, and a glaring lack of a source for the thousands and thousands of water needed to cool this operation,” said Gorman, “I hope my town council will support Burrillville, Rhode Island in their opposition to this major, industrial project called the Clear River Energy Center.”
After Gorman finished her statement Councillor Henry Lombardi Jr said that he has been following this because of issues Middletown is facing with “another energy issue.”
“Burrillville already has a power plant in their town, it is going to affect their water supply,” said Lombardi, “I watched some of the public comment and they are just vehemently opposed to this. Enough is enough. I would suggest that we strongly support this resolution.”
“I have already directed the town clerk to draw up the resolution to oppose it,” said Council President Robert Sylvia, “which will be on the next docket.”