In accordance with notice to members of the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council, a meeting was held on Tuesday, May 13, 2014 at 6:00 p.m. in Conference Room A, Administration Building, One Capitol Hill, Providence, RI.

Members Present
Anne Maxwell Livingston, Chair
Paul Lemont, Vice Chair
Ronald Gagnon, RIDEM
Raymond Coia
Donald Gomez
Joy Montanaro
Tony Affigne

Members Excused
Jerry Sahagian
Mike Hudner

Staff Present
Grover J. Fugate, Executive Director
Jeffrey M. Willis, Deputy Director
David Reis, Spv Environmental Scientist
Danni Goulet, Infrastructure Coordinator
David Beutel, Aquaculture Coordinator
William Mosunic, Administrative Officer

1. CALL TO ORDER

Chair Livingston called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.

2. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING

Mr. Coia motioned, seconded by Vice Chair Lemont, for approval of the minutes. Mr. Gagnon asked for a correction to Janet Coit’s name, RIDEM Director. Motion carried with correction.

3. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS

Vice Chair Lemont, read out changes to the RICRMP Section 210.3, 210.3c and adding new Section 210.3e. Also, an addition to the RICRMP Glossary to define “existing hospitality industry business.”

4. STAFF REPORTS

Mr. Fugate informed the Council on these topics:

• Mr. Fugate sits on the Governor’s Cabinet Committee for climate change which is working on developing a report for the Governor for the General Assembly on climate change and its effects on Rhode Island and courses of action. Two bills are in General Assembly: one to formalize the committee and also confirming statute.

• Jim Boyd, CRMC Coastal Policy Analyst represented CRMC at the RIDOT Transportation Excellence awards banquet where the CRMC received an award for Master Stormwater Permit for the I-195 Redevelopment District.

• Mr. Fugate met with the Regional Director for FEMA to discuss FEMA mapping program for flood insurance rates. As part of the Beach SAMP, we’re working on the state of the art modeling system that would essentially develop a set of Federal floodplains and areas for the entire coastline of RI, which would become a series of floodplain maps to be used by FEMA process for flood insurance rates.

• A Stakeholder meeting regarding the Beach SAMP process which will focus on hurricane climate will be held on July 24th, 2014 at 6:00 p.m. where Dr. Isaac Guinness of URI will talk about his model development used by NOAA for hurricane protection.

5. APPLICATION WHICH HAS HAD PUBLIC HEARINGS AND IS BEFORE THE FULL COUNCIL FOR FINAL DECISION:

2012-09-065 Deepwater Wind Block Island, LLC -- Construct and maintain the Block Island Wind Farm (BIWF), a 30-megawatt (MW) offshore wind farm located in Rhode Island state territorial waters. The BIWF will consist of five 6-MW wind turbine generators (WTGs), a submarine cable interconnecting the five WTGs, and a 34.5-kilovolt (kV) submarine transmission cable from the northernmost WTG to an interconnection point on east-central Block Island where the cable will go ashore to a new substation built at the existing Block Island Power Company (BIPCO) property. In connection with the BIWF, Deepwater Wind Block Island Transmission, LLC proposes to construct the Block Island Transmission System (BITS), a 34.5-kV alternating current bi-directional submarine transmission cable from Block Island to the Rhode Island mainland at Scarborough Beach. This project also requires Special Exceptions for the cable landfall locations which are in Type 1 waters.

Mr. Goldman polled the Council members regarding the reading of the record. All 7 Council members present confirmed their reading of the record.

Mr. Goldman explained that after the Subcommittee Recommendations have been formally submitted to the Council, only new evidence can be submitted for discussion before the Council.

Chair Livingston stated that although new correspondence had been received, it was not determined to be new evidence.

Attorney Robin Main, Legal Counsel for Deepwater Wind addressed the Council thanking them and the OSAMP Subcommittee for their diligent review of the application, expressing that the review of the application was an extraordinary event for the future. Ms. Main requested that the Council vote in favor of subcommittee recommendation that will allow project to proceed to assents, hoping to become the first offshore wind farm in the United Stated right here in Rhode Island waters.

Ms. Main talked about the events that led up to that night’s hearing:

• The application process
• The extensive public notification process
• Staff Reports
• Public Hearings with public comment of 43 in favor and 20 against
• Workshop of OSAMP Subcommittee with a unanimous vote in favor to recommend approval to the full Council.

Ms. Main stated that Deepwater Wind agrees to all staff stipulations and will submit design, facilities and construction reports as time goes by.

Ms. Main made closing statement and respectfully requested for the Council to approve the Subcommittee recommendation.

Vice Chair Lemont spoke as being an original member throughout the process and acknowledged his fellow council members that had been there from the beginning: Dave Abedon, Don Gomez, Brian Goldman, Grover Fugate and also former Council Chair Mike Tikoian. Vice Chair Lemont stated that it was plain and clear that the OSAMP was not created for any particular project and its for the best use of the ocean of the State of RI. Vice Chair Lemont stated that he was very proud of everyone who had a part in this product which will be very important for this State and he hopes it will be a great success. Vice Chair Lemont endorsed it and appreciates the work of everyone involved.

Mr. Affigne acknowledged staff for all work and acknowledge staff of Deepwater in providing volumes of documentation for thorough review. Mr. Affigne stated that the Subcommittee and Council members reviewed the application for consistency with state policy rules and regulations and to look at environmental impacts and consistency with the RICRMP and OSAMP as well; due diligence is important for what is being done here. Mr. Affigne stated that comments were heard on all aspects of the application with testimony being detailed and persuasive. Mr. Affigne stated that he will vote in favor of application as he is convinced it is as best can be done with resources we have to help RI meet renewable energy targets. Mr. Affigne stated that the stately elegant machines, largest in the world at time of construction, will give RIers something to be proud of and that the approval of the application will be one of the finest moments in RI’s history tangible and real for our future.

Mr. Gomez stated that he had been on the project from the beginning and very proud to have been part of that. He stated that he had learned quite a lot during the process from some of the best scientists in the world to educate the subcommittee, URI staff members. Mr. Gomez was impressed with the length gone to for research such as involving special interest groups, fishermen and Narragansett Indians. Mr. Gomez stated that he respected that the iron works community and the nature conservancy got up hand in hand and agreed that this was needed. Mr. Gomez stated that he signed for approval as a subcommittee member and that he intended to vote for it as a Council member.

Mr. Gagnon spoke about the cooperation between CRMC and RIDEM in the approval of RIDEM permits required, two water quality certificates and a freshwater wetlands permit.

Mr. Fugate acknowledged David Abedon, long time CRMC Council member and subcommittee member of OSAMP for a job well done thank you.

Mr. Fugate also acknowledged Dr. Tiffany Smythe, faculty member at the US Coast Guard Academy, as a major writer of the Ocean SAMP.

Chair Livingston briefly commented also expressing gratitude to former Council member David Abedon for many years of consistent hard work. Chair Livingston thanked the applicant and Council for a very collegial process that has brought us to this point and stated that she was happy to be moving forward to renewable energy in the state of Rhode Island.

Chair Anne Livingston asked for a motion.

Vice Chair Paul Lemont and Mr. Donald Gomez together made the motion to adopt the subcommittee recommendation with staff stipulations. Mr. Raymond Coia, Mr. Tony Affigne, Mr. Ronald Gagnon and Ms. Joy Montanaro all collectively seconded the motion. The motion carried on a unanimous voice vote.

6. ADJOURN

Vice Chair Lemont motioned, seconded by Mr. Coia, for the meeting to be adjourned at 6:30 p.m. Motion was seconded and carried on a unanimous voice vote.

Respectfully submitted,
Lisa A. Turner, Recording Secretary

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