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Gov. vetoes wind and solar legislation

Environment Rhode Island plans to fight back

Despite hundreds of public comments from concerned citizens, bipartisan  support in the General Assembly and a mounting energy crisis, Gov. Don Carcieri  has vetoed  comprehensive renewable energy legislation designed to promote wind  and solar power in the Ocean State.

Earlier this year, House Majority Leader Gordon Fox and Senate President Joseph Montalbano introduced Environment Rhode Island-backed legislation that would have required National Grid to purchase enough renewable energy to power 130,000 homes in Rhode Island. During the winter and spring, Environment Rhode Island worked with a variety of stakeholders, including renewable energy developers and labor unions, to build support for the proposal.

Then this summer, we kicked our efforts into high gear to ensure our elected officials understood the depth of public support behind producing more wind and solar power. We activated our members, and went door-to-door in nearly every city and town statewide to rally public support.

Possible to override?

In June, the General Assembly overwhelmingly approved the renewable energy legislation we had endorsed. But then, despite receiving hundreds of comments from Environment Rhode Island members and our allies, Gov. Carcieri decided to veto the legislation.

As a result, for the first time since Gov. Carcieri took office, Environment Rhode Island has decided to advocate for the General Assembly to override a gubernatorial veto. “Rhode Island can not afford any delay in starting the shift to wind and solar power,” said Environment Rhode Island Advocate Matt Auten. “We must tap into our homegrown renewable energy potential to become more energy independent.”

Studies have shown that Rhode Island has the potential to produce as much as 75 percent of its energy needs from wind power alone.  However, unless new legislation is approved, Rhode Island will remain unattractive to renewable energy developers. Consequently, Environment Rhode Island will be working throughout the fall to urge the General Assembly to override Gov. Carcieri’s veto.

Legislation would have promoted the development of wind power.