Final Witness Testimony Concludes EFSB Hearing

Final Witness Testimony Concludes EFSB Hearing on
Proposed Invenergy Power Plant

Next - Final Briefs & Deliberation on Controversial Proposal

The final witness testimony is completed before the Energy Facility Siting Board (EFSB) on the proposed Invenergy Power Plant Project in Northern Rhode Island. The Town of Burrillville along with hundreds of representatives, environmentalists and elected officials have been engaged in scrutiny and opposition to the plant since it was proposed over 3 years ago.

Burrillville Town Manager Michael Wood says the central issues before the board are water supply, need and the environmental harm, but believes there are significant problems and deficiencies with Invenergy’s project application and business plan.

“The members of the EFSB have conducted a painstaking and detailed hearing into this proposal,” said Burrillville Town Manager Michael Wood. “We have presented testimony from experts that have shown that the plant will cause unacceptable harm to the environment and in addition it is not needed to meet the electricity needs for Rhode Island or the New England region.”

The hearing, one attorney said, was the longest regulatory process he’s ever been involved in, and at its conclusion, there were thousands upon thousands of pages of expert testimony, public input and in-depth analysis. 

Wood thanked the strong, engaged and vocal group of citizens who attended the hearings and worked over several years to highlight what is at stake should the plant be built in the irreplaceable and pristine forests of Northern Rhode Island.

“When this first was proposed- a lot of people claimed the opposition was just about residents of Burrillville not wanting this plant in their back yard,” said Cranston resident and opponent to the plant, Rhode-Ann Northrup “But the opposition and concern about the environmental impact led to resolutions of opposition from 32 Rhode Island municipalities. This is clearly not something that will benefit our state.”

"What I felt at the beginning of the process that this was inappropriate and dangerous,” said opponent and Burrillville resident Denise Potvin. Now after hearing witness after witness and expert after expert testify- I not only feel this is wrong- I absolutely know it!"

The EFSB now enters the next phase of its process. Attorneys have until May 17, 2019 to file briefs which must be limited to 50 pages. After that a schedule will be set for board deliberations, which the three-member EFSB will hold in public session.
 

Town of Burrillville
105 Harrisville Main St.
Harrisvolle, RI  02830
401-568-4300
lphaneuf@burrillville.org