What happens if the planning board and/or zoning board provide opinions opposed to the power plant?

Response from the Solicitor:

All opinions of the planning and zoning boards are “advisory” in nature.  This means that those opinions are taken into consideration by the EFSB, but those opinions are not binding upon the EFSB.  So, for example, if our boards issue advisory opinions against the siting of the power plant in Burrillville, or issue  advisory opinions against the granting the variances or special permits that our Town Ordinances require, the EFSB is still free to grant Invenergy its permit. 

What we would strive to achieve with our advisory opinions is that (since we do not have the power to deny the permit, since that power is vested solely with the EFSB), if the EFSB grants a permit to Invenergy, that the EFSB would place specific conditions upon that permit that would benefit the Town as contained in those advisory opinions.  That is, if the planning or zoning board would provide an “advisory opinion” that raises concerns because of adverse effect upon the residents or to the environment, then the best we can hope for would be that the EFSB would “condition” the granting of a permit (if it sought fit to grant a permit) upon complying with the specific “recommendations” made by the planning or zoning boards.