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Portsmouth Town Council notes: Old Mill Lane again, and more

National Grid briefs members on backup facility, future plans

By Jim McGaw
Posted 10/28/20

PORTSMOUTH — Representatives from National Grid briefed residents about its temporary liquified natural gas (LNG) facility on Old Mill Lane as well as its long-range plans to address …

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Portsmouth Town Council notes: Old Mill Lane again, and more

National Grid briefs members on backup facility, future plans

Posted

PORTSMOUTH — Representatives from National Grid briefed residents about its temporary liquified natural gas (LNG) facility on Old Mill Lane as well as its long-range plans to address island capacity issues during a virtual forum on Oct. 14.

Although Brian Schuster, director of customer community management for National Grid in Rhode Island, basically repeated his spiel to the Town Council Monday night, some new information did come out of that meeting.

During the virtual meeting, Council Vice President Linda Ujifusa said she’s heard that constituents are being “harmed” by the backup facility on Old Mill Lane, which will be operational during the four months of the year when the demand for gas is high — from Dec. 1 to March 31. While several abutters have raised safety concerns about the facility, they’ve also complained about lighting, noise and other issues.

“If they are being harmed, they should be compensated by National Grid,” Ms. Ujifusa told Mr. Schuster, referring to concerns that the facility could lower property values.

Mr. Schuster replied he didn’t understand what the “harm” would be. While he said he understands residents don’t like bright lights and noise, it’s not National Grid’s policy to compensate for “alleged devaluation of property.” If the utility did, customers’ rates would go through the roof, he said.

Town Planner Gary Crosby, who described National Grid’s course of action “a sterling example of the planning process,” said there are “misconceptions on how property values are affected by this sort of thing.”

As assessor does not, for example, consider a junk farm as devaluing a nearby piece of property, he said. It’s the same situation with a facility such as National Grid’s on Old Mill Lane, he said.

National Grid is working to reduce any nuisance the mobile facility may present to neighbors, such as directing the light more inwardly, erecting fencing and planting shrubs around the area, and limiting venting operations to normal business hours. 

The frequency of these “blow-downs” depends on the conditions, said Mr. Schuster, who acknowledged the exercise produces an unpleasant sound. “It’s a loud hissing noise as the air vents out of the tanks,” he said.

As far as safety issues go, Mr. Schuster said “the likelihood of any kind of scenario is extremely rare.” One potential situation would be a gas leak, in which the Portsmouth Fire Department would be mobilized along with National Grid staff, and neighbors would need to be temporarily evacuated, he said.

“That’s the kind of risk we’re talking about,” Mr. Schuster said.

Four options

In its Aquidneck Island Long-Term Gas Capacity Study, National Grid outlined four possible long-term solutions in all: major non-infrastructure changes, a new transmission pipeline, an LNG barge located a few miles offshore, or continuing with the portable facility at Old Mill Lane. All of those options, however, will require the use of the Old Mill Lane site for at least another “two to three winters,” according to Mr. Schuster.

National Grid has no predetermined solution and is looking for residents to provide feedback at ngrid.com/aquidneck by Dec. 1, he said.

Council member Daniela Abbott said she’d like to see a “hybrid approach” using a bit of the non-infrastructure option woven in. She also favored a partial moratorium, with incentives for customers.

Council member Keith Hamilton said he wanted to get rid of the Old Mill Lane facility as soon as possible. “It seems that the only real viable longterm solution for this is a new pipeline for the island,” he said.

Mr. Hamilton added that a moratorium on new gas hook-ups may defeat the purpose of any longterm goal of mitigating climate change because more people might then go with oil, “which is not as clean as natural gas.”

Park bench approved

In other business Monday night, the council unanimously approved a request by Debra Dube and Preston Davis to place a park bench in Mount Hope Park, located at the bottom of Bristol Ferry Road.

The town and the Aquidneck Land Trust (ALT) purchased the property in January 2016. ALT has a conservation easement on the land, which will be dedicated for use as a public park. 

According to Department of Public Works Director Brian Woodhead, ALT has no problems with the bench, which will be placed close to the location for a memorial bench that was mapped out in the original plan for the park. Mr. Woodhead said he will reposition the bench so it has a better view of Mt. Hope Bridge and the bay.

Mr. Crosby, who facilitates an ongoing program that has placed 10 memorial benches along Park Avenue so far, said several residents have approached him about placing benches elsewhere in town. He asked the council for some direction going forward.

Council President Kevin Aguiar said it’s a good topic that should be explored at another council meeting.

Ms. Abbott said the town should identify the appropriate spots for such benches. “We don’t want memorial benches haphazardly placed all over the place,” she said.

COVID funds

On an agenda item requested by Ms. Ujifusa, the council unanimously approved a resolution calling on Gov. Gina Raimondo to execute a plan to release federal COVID-19 relief funds that are available to local communities but are being held up by the state.

The resolution, she said, was recommended by the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, and has been passed by several other communities.

“Most of the funding is on the school side … It’s several hundreds of thousands of dollars that we’ve had to spend for COVID,” Ms. Ujifusa said.

Solar hearing delayed

The council voted unanimously to re-schedule until Nov. 23 a public hearing on proposed amendments to the town’s zoning ordinance that will include regulations for solar energy systems.

According to council member Leonard Katzman, a citizen pointed out a possible “defect in the notice” for the original hearing date, so the council is rescheduling out of “an abundance of caution.”

Appointments

The council unanimously appointed Gary Gump, Jim Seveney and Terri Cortvriend to fill three vacancies on the Portsmouth Housing Authority. No other applications were filed for the seats, Town Clerk Jennifer West said.

Future meetings

The council will next meet on the following Mondays, all at 7 p.m. The meetings will most likely be held virtually on the Zoom platform: Nov. 9, Nov. 23, Dec. 14 and Dec. 28.

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