Climate Action Rhode Island: Protest to demand Newport Preservation Society to stop obstructing clean energy

“The Preservation Society's shamelessly greedy lawsuit against the wind farms is unconscionable,” said Newport resident Bart Lloyd.

After months of refused attempts to contact the Preservation Society of Newport County (PSNC)’s Executive Director and Board, Climate Action Rhode Island (CARI) is announcing a Sept. 19th protest demanding the Preservation Society drop their obstructionist lawsuit against offshore wind development in Rhode Island.

“The lawsuit threatens Rhode Island's ability to meet its clean energy goals and end our dependence on foreign oil,” stated Climate Action Rhode Island. “Their Newport Mansions are already worth over eighty million dollars and the organization is run by some of Rhode Island's wealthiest people. Yet they are suing the Federal Government in an attempt to win a multi-million dollar settlement from the offshore wind companies, which is money Rhode Islanders will end up paying in higher electricity bills. They refuse to discuss their lawsuit with us so we are taking our demands to them and protesting their $750/per person fundraiser.”

CARI has already obtained hundreds of signatures on its petition against the lawsuit and is continuing to collect more (sign the petition here).    

Climate Action Rhode Island will be protesting outside the Newport Mansions on Thursday, September 19th at 6:45 pm (Details and RSVP here). This protest comes after Trudy Coxe, Director of PSNC, refused to participate in a panel discussion organized by the Newport Energy and Environment Commission on the topic in August, as described in a recent CARI Op-Ed in the Boston Globe. 

“The Preservation Society's shamelessly greedy lawsuit against the wind farms is unconscionable,” said Bart Lloyd, a CARI member and Newport Resident. “Make no mistake about it - it's about the money. The idea that their view is impaired - or that people will decide not to visit the mansions because of the wind turbines - is ludicrous. The law firm has convinced them that they can get paid by suing - as this same law firm has done for other clients - and the Preservation Society doesn't care that clean energy consumers will end up footing the bill. The same law firm approached the City of Newport to join in the same lawsuit - and they declined - because it was not the right thing to do.”

“The Town of New Shoreham was also promised a big cash payout from Cultural Heritage Partners if they sued wind companies,” said Nick Horton, CARI ‘Yes to Wind’ Campaign Organizer, “but unlike the Newport Mansions, New Shoreham cared more about supporting the transition from fossil fuels and reducing pollution spewing projects that have serious health, environmental and long-term economic dangers for Rhode Islanders than their self-interest.”