In accordance with notice to members of the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council, a meeting was held on Tuesday, September 27, 2016 at 6:00 p.m. in Conference Room A, Administration Building, One Capitol Hill, Providence, RI.

Members Present
Anne Maxwell Livingston, Chair Raymond Coia
Ron Gagnon, DEM Rep
Don Gomez
Tony Affigne
Jerry Sahagian
Joy Montanaro
Michael Hudner
Patricia Reynolds
Paul Beaudette

Staff Present
Jeffrey M. Willis, Deputy Director
Jim Boyd, Coastal Policy Analyst
Anthony DeSisto, Legal Counsel

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

Chair Livingston called for approval of the minutes from the previous meeting.

Mr. Gomez motioned for the approval of the minutes from the August 23, 2016 Semimonthly meeting; seconded by Mr. Hudner. Motion carried on unanimous voice vote. Mr. Beaudette abstained as he was absent from the August 23, 2016 meeting.

3. STAFF REPORTS

Mr. Willis reported on the following:

• CRMC Staff met with three members of the Town of Charlestown Town Council and the Town Manager last week and took them on a tour of Ninigret Pond on to show them some aquaculture projects and some of the marsh elevation projects for information and education purposes. The field trip was successful.
• There was a subcabinet meeting of the Governor on Energy and the Environment with one of the agenda items being Coastal Resiliency. The Beach SAMP, and two of the tools developed as part of that effort, STORMTOOLS and CERI were discussed at the meeting.
• Wednesday, September 28th there is a public webinar on the Northeast Ocean Plan in which Mr. Fugate is one of the state leads for that committee and he will be at webinar available to answer questions from the public. The webinar is from 1:30 pm to 3:00 p.m.

4. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS

None were heard.

5. PRESENTATION: Deepwater Wind – Block Island Wind Farm Project

Update from Ted Hofbauer, CVA, ABS & Chris vanBeek, DWW

• The Wind Turbine Fabrication and Installation report – coordinating to close all open items.
• All Turbines have been installed with 103 having undergone commissioning, spin testing and have produced power back to Block Island to test power production. The purpose of this is also to test generator. Turbines 4 and 5 have not undergone testing. Currently awaiting final installation records for turbines as they are completed.
• List of Items that have been identified as needing to be corrected on all turbines and DWW is working along with GE Alstom to correct those items.
• Mr. Hoffbauer explained that the operating tests are being done by the commissioning crew by the turbines. The next step is to test remotely.
• Environmental Health and Safety – GE is leading the activities employing a “shift toolbox meeting” to ensure open communication between workers.
• Arc Flash protection system has been reviewed and questionable items have been addressed, such as labeling and safety clothing.
• Mr. Hoffbauer confirmed that the grid connection would be available after October 25th which will enable the final staging of the commissioning where wind will be used to bring the turbines to full power and go through the testing regimen.
• 2015-2016 FDR is complete and awaiting completion of the FIR for 2015-2016
• Mr. Hofbauer explained wind velocity for power production in accordance with the power curve.
• The next steps would be to complete all DCS, collect reports and records, witness commissioning activities, final inspection of each turbine for safety and position to produce power and then final reporting.
• Mr. vanBeek confirmed that the project was going well and progressing normally. He confirmed that there would be two remote locations that will watch the turbines – Duke Energy in Charlotte for DWW and GE will have a remote location to monitor the maintenance and the sensors either in Germany or the US.

Chair Livingston explained that the CRMC File 2016-02-083 for PAM NALETTE which had been scheduled was settled prior to the meeting and would not be heard.

6. COASTAL EDUCATION SERIES

Education Series -- STORMTOOLS – Teresa Crean, URI CRC

Ms. Crean, using a power point presentation, talked about STORMTOOLS, which the Beach SAMP Team along with URI launched in December 2015 and in 2016 added a beginners and a Municipal partners version of the tool. Ms. Crean went through STORMTOOLS with the Council and explained various aspects and how it can be used in the process of permitting, as well as the value it adds to industries like real estate and insurance, as well as its ease of use by homeowners.

Emily Patrolia of URI CRC was also present with Ms. Crean to explain “Map Journals,” visual aids located within the STORMTOOLS program which tell historical accounts of past storm events with the aid of text, historic and current photos, which are helpful in explaining context of past and present storm event impacts.

Mr. Affigne suggested that the real estate community be kept abreast of the progress of this important tool as it will be necessary in the future for coastal real estate sales.

Ms. Crean gave a nod to CRMC Coastal Geologist, Janet Freedman, for her work in the “MyCoast” app, which provides an online venue for members of the public to submit photographs of king tides and storm events in Rhode Island. People are asked to “Snap the Shore, See the Future” and upload the picture to the site with time and place of picture. The app is particularly useful during those events, where members of the public can simply use it via their smartphone to capture images in real time.

10. ADJOURN

Mr. Beaudette motioned, seconded by Mr. Affigne, to adjourn.

Motion carried on unanimous voice vote. Meeting adjourned at 7:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Lisa A. Turner
Recording Secretary

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