Rhode Island officials have set a goal of meeting the state’s electricity needs with 100% renewable energy by 2033, and there’s still a long way to go. Last week, the three southern New England states were hoping to procure enough offshore wind to make serious progress toward their climate goals. But Rhode Island only secured […]
offshore wind
Posted inBusiness, Environment, Local, South Coast Bureau
Mass. and R.I. to buy power from 3 new offshore wind farms, reviving stalled plans
Massachusetts and Rhode Island officials announced on Friday they plan to buy power from three new offshore wind farms, signaling that energy regulators in both states still consider the renewable energy source economically viable in New England after an industry wide contraction last year. Private utility companies in both states will now negotiate contracts to […]
Posted inBusiness, Environment, Local, South Coast Bureau
States to announce Friday if New England is ready for more offshore wind farms
The Captain Les Eldridge used to chase bass and tuna out of New Bedford. Now, the vessel has a new role in the nation’s emerging offshore wind industry. “We’re bringing people out to the offshore wind farms,” said Ed Anthes-Washburn, whose company Coast Line Transfers manages the vessel. “People and stuff.” The Captain Les Eldridge […]
Posted inBusiness, Local, Politics, South Coast Bureau
New Bedford pols bury the hatchet and try again with State Pier redevelopment
Plans to redevelop a central slice of New Bedford’s waterfront have begun to move forward again after a dispute between local politicians last year cast some doubts over the future of the project. On an industrial waterfront that prides itself for preserving its fishing industry, the New Bedford State Pier has emerged as a unique […]
Posted inLocal, South Coast Bureau
New Bedford activist Bill do Carmo, dead at 94, knew whalers, Black Panthers and wind developers
When I met Bill do Carmo, I was struck by the paleness of his eyes. He looked like a seer or an oracle — a face out of Shakespeare or Moby Dick. Immediately, he was saying things that connected the fight for rent control to centuries of activism in the same neighborhood. “New Bedford has […]
Posted inEnvironment, Local, South Coast Bureau
Avangrid’s New England Wind wins federal approval for 129 offshore turbines
Another proposed offshore wind development received federal approval on Tuesday, setting the stage for the construction of up to 129 new turbines in the federal waters south of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management granted approval to Avangrid for a pair of proposed wind farms identified as New England Wind […]
Posted inEnvironment, Local, South Coast Bureau
Fishermen displaced by offshore wind farm apply for compensation
On a recent weekday afternoon, fishermen sat around a large table at the New Bedford Port Authority, learning to fill out an online form that could entitle them to financial compensation from a company that some fishermen have treated as their sworn enemy. Vineyard Wind, the offshore wind developer, is constructing a 62-turbine wind farm […]
Posted inEnvironment, Local, The Weekly Catch
Preparing for coastal erosion, Vineyard Wind to compensate fishermen, and more
Offshore Wind company Vineyard Wind is establishing a fund to pay fishermen for financial losses they may suffer as a result of the wind farm being built near Martha’s Vineyard. As South Coast Bureau Reporter Ben Berke tells us, it’s the first program of its kind in the nation. And the General Assembly is considering a bill that would create a comprehensive plan to deal with threats to the Rhode Island coastline. We hear from bill sponsor State Rep. Tina Spears. Meanwhile, Newport Bureau Reporter Cheryl Hatch talks with a group of residents in Portsmouth that are taking storm and flood preparedness into their own hands. Also, we have a studio session with Keith McCurdy of Providence-based gothic folk band Vudu Sister. Plus: a look back on the week in politics; and a few recommendations on what to do this week.
Posted inEnvironment, Local, South Coast Bureau
Developers seek to get offshore wind back on track with latest bids to New England states
Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island received bids for new wind farms on Wednesday from offshore wind developers seeking to get construction back on track after a string of projects were canceled last year because of rising construction costs. The bids seek to lock in higher electricity prices for offshore wind that manage to strike a […]
Posted inLocal, Newport Bureau
Climate activists protest outside Newport mansion to challenge lawsuits filed by local preservation group
On Tuesday night, the Elms mansion on Bellevue Avenue was aglow with white lights and alive with the sound of protests. “Preserve our future! Not the mansions! Drop the lawsuit! Drop it now!,” they chanted. A few cars honked in solidarity as they passed. Guests arrived in cars, passing through the gate on their way […]