Energy Consortium Needs Certain Powers

New legislation to create the quasi-public East Bay Energy Consortium needs some clarification, including an explanation of proposed eminent domain power and issuing of bonds.

  The East Bay Energy Consortium (EBEC), made up of the nine East Bay communities, has submitted a bill to the Legislature to enable the creation of a quasi-public agency. New legislation creates a need to clarify issues and to inform the public. Background: EBEC was formed in late 2009 to use renewable energy and energy efficiencies to save taxpayer money by reducing the amount of energy our municipalities pay for. (Schools, streetlights, water treatment, and municipal buildings require a lot of energy.)  Each city and town joined through council resolution and a cash contribution or in-kind payment, and each city and town council appointed one representative and alternates to attend meetings and report back to the municipality. Entity: …

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Gary Morse

9:39 am on Monday, May 14, 2012

The eminent domain powers described above are similar to those in another quasi, BCWA. The public record shows that similar "checks and balances" didn't work with BCWA, why should we believe they would work any better here? And the pro forma (minimum requirements) business case analysis used to date is insufficient to determine if any project will work in the absence of taxpayer subsidies. There …   more ›

Letter to the Editor

Stop East Bay Energy Consortium Bill

East Bay Energy Consortium Act must be stopped before it creates another quasi-governmental agency with too much power, including eminent domain.

The East Bay Energy Consortium, given a grant by the Economic Development Corporation two years ago, was originally envisioning a $75 million project to develop alternative energy – wind turbines in East Bay communities and selling that energy to National Grid. What has emerged is a bill that creates a quasi-government entity granting unleashed powers to appointees or unelected officials that are a fatal blow to private property rights.   Over the past two months, town councils in the East Bay have passed resolutions supporting the East Bay Energy Consortium Act, apparently with no regard for the fact that they are putting their constituents property in harms way due to the power of eminent domain that is included in the bill.   Once this …

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'Dangerous' Bill Builds Wind Authority

Legislation in General Assembly would create water authority-type consortium for wind power in East Bay.

There is a very dangerous bill currently coming up for review in the House on Wednesday, May 2. The House Bill, H7592 was introduced by Representatives Gallison, Malik, Morrison, Edwards, and Handy on February 16, 2012. The Senate Bill 2870 is sponsored by Senator Lou De Palma, with the support of Senators Paiva-Weed and Chris Ottiano. It has been deemed to be a "dangerous" bill by Rhode Island Statewide Coalition, is too far-reaching, and has too much power. It is another Deepwater Wind, but far worse due to the power of eminent domain! The group was formed in 2009 by nine communities, Bristol, Warren, Barrington, East Providence, Portsmouth, Little Compton, Tiverton, Middletown and Newport, and has pretty much stayed under the radar. At …

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xatianAquidneck

8:09 am on Tuesday, May 8, 2012

The nine East Bay cities have expressed a community investment to wind energy generation. The wind is a natural resource, an untapped Natural resource on Narragansett Bay, and Rhode Island residents can tap into it as a western state would tap into coal mining. It is a wise investment of the nine cities that must account for the energy needs of the mega city that makes up the East Bay and …   more ›