A row of gas meters. Photo: Justin Henry via Creative Commons 2.0
August 22, 2024 (Providence, RI) – The Rhode Island Energy Facility Siting Board included conditions proposed by Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) in its approval today of a liquefied natural gas facility in Portsmouth. The terminal supports Rhode Island Energy’s gas system on Aquidneck Island, where an outage in January 2019 left families and businesses without heat and hot water for a week. CLF released the following statement in response.
“The Energy Facility Siting Board made the best decision in a difficult situation,” said CLF staff attorney James Crowley. “Families and businesses on Aquidneck Island shouldn’t be left in the cold again. And they shouldn’t be left to rely on dirty, polluting fossil fuels like gas that accelerate climate change and harm our communities. The sooner we upgrade to clean energy sources and eliminate the need for LNG facilities like this, the better equipped we will be to protect our environment and the Rhode Island we know and love for future generations.”
CLF advocates offered expert witness testimony and participated in the years-long process examining the need for the LNG terminal on Aquidneck Island as the state moves toward its legal requirement to slash climate-damaging emissions by 2050. During this process, CLF argued that any license granted to the LNG facility should be subject to regular review to determine if the site is still needed. CLF also called for Rhode Island Energy to take steps to decrease gas demand on the island, eliminating the need for the facility and reducing the risk of homes and businesses losing service during future supply disruptions.
During its meeting today, the Board included both conditions sought by CLF in its approval of the facility.
The Board also left open the possibility of a moratorium on new gas connections on Aquidneck Island, which CLF advocated for during the process. The moratorium will help reduce emissions by moving Rhode Island away from outdated gas and toward clean, modern technologies.
CLF experts are available for further comment.
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