Lawmakers ask the Energy Facilities Siting Board to reject Sea 3’s proposed LPG expansion
“We respectfully ask that the Energy Facilities Siting Board fully vet and reject Sea 3’s proposed expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure in the Port of Providence, an already burdened neighborhood with some of the highest rates of asthma in the country.”
May 8, 2021, 8:00 am
By Steve Ahlquist
Sea 3 Providence LLC is seeking to have a major expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure in the Port of Providence not declared as an “alteration to a major energy facility.” The company has filed a petition asking to be excused from Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB) oversight.
See: Sea 3 seeks major fossil fuel expansion in the Port of Pvd
On Friday, 26 state legislators, representatives and senators, expressed their opposition to the EFSB not holding robust public hearings about the proposed expansion. Below is their letter.
Dear Energy Facilities Siting Board:
We write to you asking that you fully vet and reject Sea 3’s proposed expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure in the Port of Providence.
Our communities in Providence, specifically the dense Washington Park and the South Side neighborhood, are already overburdened by fossil fuel development and polluting industries. Unfortunately, environmental assessments by the EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] have found that these community members, most of whom are predominantly low-income and people of color, are actively being exposed to high levels of dangerous pollutants, including diesel-based particulate matter, hazardous waste, and toxic air contaminants all of which are extremely harmful to one’s health. As a result, residents of these neighborhoods experience higher rates of respiratory diseases, lung damage, neurological disorders, and cancer.
Therefore, the expansion of Sea 3 would further harm the public health of our neighbors. After all, Sea 3 is proposing an expansion of their Liquid Propane Gas (LPG) facility. This expansion would allow more LPG to come in by rail and be stored in new storage tanks that would add to the dozens upon dozens of tanks already storing toxic, explosive material. The proposed expansion of this facility would also increase diesel emissions in the Port area, which is already smogged by industrial activities and truck traffic. Furthermore, this expansion would set our state back from achieving our recently established goal of net-zero emissions by 2050 (Act on Climate). Clearly, this proposal raises public safety concerns that must be fully vetted by the EFSB and ultimately rejected.
We respectfully ask that the Energy Facilities Siting Board fully vet and reject Sea 3’s proposed expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure in the Port of Providence, an already burdened neighborhood with some of the highest rates of asthma in the country.
Sincerely,
- Representative David Morales, District 7
- Representative Anastasia Williams, District 9
- Representative Rebecca M. Kislak, District 4
- Representative Marcia Ranglin-Vassell, District 5
- Representative Raymond Hull, District 6
- Representative Scott Slater, District 10
- Representative John Lombardi, District 8
- Representative Nathan Biah, District 3
- Representative Ramon Perez, District 13
- Representative Susan Donovan, District 69
- Representative Deb Ruggiero, District 74
- Representative Lauren Carson, District 75
- Representative Liana Cassar, District 66
- Representative Teresa Tanzi, District 34
- Representative Leonela Felix, District 61
- Representative Justine Caldwell, District 30
- Representative Michelle McGaw, District 71
- Representative Brandon Potter, District 16
- Representative Brianna Henries, District 64
- Representative Joshua Giraldo, District 56
- Senator Tiara Mack, District 6
- Senator Sam Bell, District 5
- Senator Jonathon Acosta, District 16
- Senator Kendra Anderson, District 31
- Senator Josh Miller, District 28
- Senator Alana DiMario, District 36
