Newport† VOL. 38. NO. 11
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2010
BORN FREE
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LNG: Locals Oppose Tankers Public sounds off on Weaver’s Cove plan Safety, economy, recreation cited for opposition By Tom Shevlin PROVIDENCE — A procession of local residents and officials from the area’s leading tourism organizations had their turn to speak out agains a proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Mount Hope Bay on Tuesday. With sometimes impassioned pleas, opponents of the project took to the microphone before the Senate Task Force on Liquefied Natural Gas in what was the first opportunity for the general public to weigh in on the proposed facility since hearings began earlier this year. Among those testifying was John Rodman, director of museum experience for the Preservation Society of Newport County. In February, his board of trustees voted unanimously to endorse a resolution passed by the Newport City Council opposing the siting of an LNG facility in Mount Hope Bay. “We believe that this LNG facility - or any other LNG facility would have a devestating effect” on Rhode Island’s “fragile” tourism economy, Rodman said. According to Rodman, the tourism industry accounts for more than 10 percent of state revenues, is the fourth largest employer, and “should not be taken for granted.” Nor should the community be complacent, he said. In 2006, when work to dismantle the old Jamestown Bridge shut down traffic over the new span, the Preservation Society experienced its lowest visitor count in the last 15 years. That fact alone, he said, gives him pause that even the prospect of frequent and unannonced bridge closures resulting from LNG tankers could be devestating for an industry dependent on the discretionary income of visitors who, could quite frankly choose to vacation elsewhere.
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Cup plans take shape By Tom Shevlin
NEWPORT - Efforts to bring the America’s Cup back to Newport are moving ahead at full steam. Newport Collaborative Architects has been chosen to provide the architectural vision behind the state’s bid to bring the America’s Cup back to Newport. The Newport-based firm, which has been behind many a highprofile designs, including the CCRI Newport Campus, the Clubhouse at Carnegie Abbey, and the restoration of the Fort Adams officer’s barracks and Dutch Island Lighthouse, beat out three other competing firms, Keith Stokes, executive director of the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (RIEDC) said on Friday. And with little time to spare to develop an infrastructure plan to John Rodman of the Preservation Society of Newport County shows a graph of attendence at the Newport lure the Cup back to New England Mansion properties. The low point was in 2006 when construction forced frequent closures of the Jamestown waters, the firm has gotten right to bridge Photo by Ryan T. Conaty work, drawing up preliminary designs which outline several differOf particular concern, he said, Hess Weaver’s Cove Energy LLC ent options for how the city could is the impact that such closures that there haven’t been any signifihost the competition. would have on bus and cruise ship cant incidents involving the fuel READ MORE ON PG. 3 traffic, both of which account for since the 1970s. Pointing to an accident in Clevea sizable portion of his organizaland that killed 128 people after a tion’s business. If you’re interested in hear“When you mess with bridges, tank cracked, 27 more that were ing both sides of the ongoing and bridge access, you’re messing killed in Algeria, and the recent ex- debate over LNG, then be sure with Mother Nature, in a way,” Rod- plosion in Middletown, Conn., he to join the Alliance for a Livsaid “Don’t kid yourself; there will able Newport (ALN) on Monday, man said. How big is the problem? Rod- be other accidents.” March 29. By Tom Shevlin Somerset resident and oil indusman asked. According to a 2005 The group will be hosting a study, the Preservation Society re- try veteran Lorne Lawless agreed. public forum entitled the “Pro’s NEWPORT – School Committee corded 500,000 visitors and 785, “You can’t protect that ship,” he and Con’s” of transporting liquemembers on Monday voted 5-1 to 000 tours. It employs roughly 400 said of the tankers that will be en- fied natural gas tankers through send a Stage 2 construction applipeople and accounted for roughly tering into Narragansett Bay. Narragansett Bay at the CCRI cation for a proposed K-4 elemen“We need to understand this is Newport Campus auditorium. $100 million in economic activity. tary school on Dexter Street to the Cruise ship companies and all about profits,” he said. The evening will feature a Rhode Island Department of EduWeaver’s Cove, however, main- panel discussion between both tour bus operators, Rodman said, cation (RIDE), a critical step in movwill not react well to having their tains that their plan is safe, and sides of the controversial issue. ing the city toward a referendum schedules disrupted by LNG tank- that an LNG facility can co-exist Currently scheduled to ap- on the project. with a tourist-friendly Newport. ers. pear are: In a roughly hour-long meeting Newport residents will be given “The Preservation Society will Gordon Shearer, CEO of Weav- devoted solely to the application, be here next year, and the year af- a unique chance to hear both er’s Cove Energy, LLC; Jonathan Laura Wernick of HMFH Architects, ter that,” he concluded. “But how sides of the issue during a public Stone, executive director of spurred by questions over cost and many people will we be able to forum planned for later in the Save The Bay; and Evan Smith, design efficiencies, gave a brief month. employ?” exeuctive director of the New- overview of the proposed design, That sense of uncertainty carried port and Bristol County Visitors juxtaposed with two alternatives: a over into testimony from Jamesand Convention Bureau. large rectangular design, and what PLUS town resident Gordon Carrolton, Mike Kehew will serve as she called a “simple T” schematic. who described himself a genuinemoderator. Seeking to clear up what she ly concerned private citizen and The forum, which will begin described as “many inaccuracies” Bill would give states more member of the Jamestown LNG at 6 p.m. is free and open to the floating around in recent weeks, authority over LNG working group. public.. Questions may be sub- Wernick compared estimated According to Carrolton, he’s conmitted in advance to info@liv- costs, and fielded quetions rangRead about it online at cerned over the safety that the ablenewport.net. For more, visit ing from the shadows cast on winNewport Now LNG tankers present, and disputed ALN online at dows to the location of exterior claims made by project developer www.livablenewport.net. www.newport-now.com doors. In terms of cost, Wernick estimated that between the three designs presented, the city would save Everybody loves a parade...Even only about $1 million, or roughly When we heard that George’s, when it’s raining. Photos from the 3 percent of the overall build costs. a quintessential barbershop on 54th Annual St. Patrick’s Day PaBroadway was turning 50, we At a meeting last week, the rade inside and online at Newport committee had voted 2-4 not to knew we had to write about it. Now. Visit www.newport-now. Lynne Tungett has the story of submit the application pending com for more. this good, old fashioned family various questions being answered. business on page 2. READ MORE ON PG. 3
Forum to focus on LNG
School plan gets go-ahead