Carcieri Signs Wind Farm Bill
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Gov. Don Carcieri yesterday signed into law a bill that would allow Rhode Island to build a small wind farm off Block Island.
“Today, we are taking another step forward in our efforts to be the first state in the nation to construct an offshore wind farm,” Carcieri said. “We are setting a new course for renewable energy which will reduce our reliance on foreign oil, protect our environment and grow a new, green industry which will provide thousands of good-paying jobs for our citizens in the years to come.”
House Speaker Gordon Fox said the project was more important than ever, given the disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. He said the legislation would enable Rhode Island to become a leader in renewable energy.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST“This legislation allows our state to seize upon that opportunity to bring jobs and economic development to the state,” added Senate President Senate M. Teresa Paiva Weed. “It positions Rhode Island to be a hub of wind turbine manufacturing, and helps to make us a national leader in wind energy development.”
AG Lynch Condemns Bill
Attorney General Patrick Lynch, meanwhile, issued a statement saying the bill was "bad business" for Rhode Island.
"Today’s bill signing of this special interest legislation is far from a celebratory occasion for residents of the Ocean State who are expected to support an ineffectual wind power demonstration project when the only viable generator of jobs and wind power for Rhode Island would be a large-scale wind farm such as Cape Wind’s project in Massachusetts," Lynch said.
"The legislation enabling Deepwater to do what is still essentially an end-run around the PUC to deliver the sweetheart deal of a demonstration project only demonstrates how determined Deepwater and its capital providers are to bring the eight-turbine wind farm to fruition," he added.
The bill requires that the Public Utilities Commission make a decision within 45 days on a proposed contract between National Grid and Deepwater Wind, the developer of the off-shore wind farm. The PUC has previously turned down the contract.
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