Oped: Climate Action Rhode Island to protest Newport Preservation Society Holiday Party

"Tourists aren’t going to stay away from Newport or the mansions because there are barely visible wind turbines far in the distance. The turbines must be installed for the benefit of everyone..."

The Elms, 367 Bellevue Avenue, Newport

A press release from Climate Action Rhode Island:

Why is Climate Action Rhode Island (CARI) holding a protest at the Preservation Society of Newport County’s “Holiday Open House” this Tuesday?

Because the Preservation Society has filed a lawsuit against the construction of wind turbines off the coast of Rhode Island.

The turbines’ construction has already been legally approved, and the Preservation Society’s own projected visuals demonstrate that they would be barely visible, but their suit claims that Newport’s Tourist industry will suffer and predicts the possibility that large sums of money would need to be provided to fishermen to mitigate the impacts on them of coastal wind turbines. They also claim they weren’t adequately consulted and hope to reverse the approval and permanently end construction. [See: Sabotaging the Future: Environmental, scientific, and labor leaders ask for lawsuit to be withdrawn against wind project]

However, The White House has set a goal of increasing the United States offshore wind energy capacity to 30 gigawatts by 2030, and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is actively working to ensure that the development of new projects does not harm fisheries, fishing communities, marine mammals, endangered species, and important habitats. Although Rhode Island, and most of the world, has agreed to move toward “green energy” to prevent more global warming, the Preservation Society’s suit would significantly delay the beginning of construction, setting a precedent that wind farms can be easily stopped or delayed, eliminating jobs, and an enormous source of “green” electricity for Rhode Island and Connecticut.

Katherine Sochacka, a CARI volunteer member and CARI co-chair says, “The Preservation Society is demanding that the turbines we all need to replace the fossil fuels causing global warming must not be even barely visible from their mansions. Tourists aren’t going to stay away from Newport or the mansions because there are barely visible wind turbines far in the distance. The turbines must be installed for the benefit of everyone and without delay.”

Climate Action RI is an action group focused specifically on the issue of climate change and what can be done on national, local, and individual levels. We are volunteers based in Rhode Island and are a local 350.org affiliate. New members are warmly welcome! Find more information about CARI here.