Block Island, 12 miles off the coast of Rhode Island, has a year-round population of about 950. Residents pay up to 60 cents per kilowatt hour for their electricity, which is generated on the island with diesel generators. Summer brings an influx of visitors and vacationers—and their money— with as many as 15,000 people on the island on a nice summer day.
It looks like offshore wind is coming to waters near Block Island.
A few years ago, Rhode Island used an ocean planning process to identify potential sites for an offshore wind farm. The process, the Ocean Special Area Management Plan, or SAMP, pulled together a variety of information about the ocean environment and the people who use it. Through the Ocean SAMP process, Rhode Island was better able to understand how and where to site an offshore wind farm in a way that minimized conflicts.
As Kim Gaffett, an island resident said at the Island Institute’s recent energy conference in Portland, “Before you put something in the ocean you should know what you might possibly disrupt.”
Through numerous public meetings, a potentially suitable site was identified and Deepwater Wind received one of the first offshore wind power purchase agreements in the country and state approvals to develop a pilot project. Being a leader in offshore wind and renewable energy is important to Rhode Island’s economic development and energy goals. But there are impacts.
Block Island, as Gaffett noted, “is a little island out in the ocean. Everybody in the state is happy because Rhode Island is putting up an offshore wind farm and it won’t impact anybody—except us out on Block Island.”
In 2009 and 2010, Maine went through a similar siting process, analyzing data and potential sites for testing floating offshore wind technology prior to grid scale development. Three test sites were selected, including one off Monhegan, and the University of Maine started to develop a pilot project that would be deployed in the waters just south of the island.
Speaking at the energy conference, Suzanne MacDonald, the Island Institute’s community energy director, said both Block Island’s and Monhegan’s experiences offer lessons “about how developers and communities should interact.”
Developers and project proponents need to help impacted communities engage in the regulatory process, MacDonald said, to understand the details of the project, and to be able to effectively negotiate for tangible benefits.
TALK, LISTEN, TALK
Gaffett and others on Block Island realized they needed to attend a lot of meetings on the mainland where decisions were going to be made by various state agencies. The island’s town council, made up of ordinary people, had no expertise in power purchase agreements, designing rates, ensuring decommissioning funds were set aside, or fairly and appropriately allocating the cost of the cable.
“When a developer comes in with all sorts of resources saying, ‘Trust me, this is going to be a good thing’ and you are sitting on the town council, you wonder, ‘How do I know for sure?'” Gaffett said.
Locals had to attend meetings and hire consultants to be sure they wouldn’t be left holding a very expensive bag at the end of the day, she said.
On Monhegan, the community had similar concerns. Finding time during the busy summer season was a challenge. In both the Block Island and Monhegan cases, Deepwater Wind and UMaine reimbursed the community for expenses incurred during participation in the process.
“We don’t have a voice here, so developer, you need to help give us a voice,” is how Gaffett characterized it.
Deepwater Wind hired a community liaison to transmit information to the community and relay community concerns and questions. By hiring someone from the community who was trusted, the developer was able to develop a more civil discourse, conference participants said.
On Monhegan, the Monhegan Energy Task Force (METF) helped with the flow of information between the community and the UMaine and Maine Aqua Ventus (MAV), the consortium developing the project. It also encouraged MAV to reach those who could not attend some of the community meetings because they had to work.
UMaine’s Jake Ward said he and his colleagues were naÃ¯ve in understanding how to communicate with the locals and how the islanders communicated with each other. Many missed that the project was evolving from a short-term deployment of a one-third-scale turbine to a 20-year deployment of two full-scale turbines. Having the communications structure between METF and UMaine that is now in place would have helped residents better understand all aspects of the project, he said.
Marian Chioffi, co-chairwoman of METF, noted that Monhegan didn’t have a unified voice and that forming METF gave the island a better, more formal way to communicate with both UMaine and the community.
On Block Island, there is general support for the wind project, though some remain strongly opposed. On Monhegan, the future of the project is uncertain; UMaine is working to complete the design and engineering of the full scale pilot project after being awarded a lower level of federal funds than hoped for. Funding to build the project has not yet been identified.
As ocean planning continues in New England, finding ways to help communities participate in federal and state decisions about offshore wind, and other activities, such as offshore aquaculture or sand and gravel mining, is critical.
This is the third in a series of stories exploring changing ocean uses that are the focus of the regional ocean planning process. For more information about Island Institute’s marine work, contact Marine Programs Director Nick Battista at firstname.lastname@example.org; for more information on regional ocean planning, contact John Weber at email@example.com.
Kisiwa cha Block, kilicho karibu na pwani ya Rhode Island, kina watu wapatao 950. Wakazi wa kisiwa hicho wanalipa dola za Marekani 60 kwa kila kilowatt saa ya umeme wanaotumia, ambao hutengenezwa katika kisiwa hicho kwa kutumia jenereta za dizeli. Majira ya joto huleta mtiririko wa wageni na likizo - na pesa zao - na watu kama 15,000 kwenye kisiwa hicho siku nzuri ya majira ya joto. Inaonekana kama upepo wa pwani unakuja kwenye maji karibu na Kisiwa cha Block. Katika miaka ya hivi karibuni, Rhode Island ilitumia mchakato wa mipango ya bahari kutambua maeneo ya uwezekano kwa shamba la upepo la pwani. Mpango wa Usimamizi wa Eneo Maalum la Bahari (Ocean Special Area Management Plan, SAMP) ni mpango wa kuandaa na kuandaa mazingira ya bahari na mazingira ya bahari kwa ajili ya watu wanaotumia. Kwa njia ya mchakato wa Ocean SAMP, Rhode Island iliweza kuelewa vizuri jinsi na wapi kuweka shamba la upepo la pwani kwa njia ambayo ilipunguza migogoro. "Kim Gaffett, mkaaji wa kisiwa hicho, alisema katika mkutano wa hivi karibuni wa nishati wa Taasisi ya Kisiwa huko Portland, ""Kabla ya kuweka kitu katika bahari unapaswa kujua nini unaweza kusumbua.""Kupitia mikutano mingi ya umma, tovuti inayofaa ilitambuliwa na Deepwater Wind ilipokea moja ya makubaliano ya kwanza ya ununuzi wa nishati ya upepo wa pwani nchini na idhini ya serikali ya kuendeleza mradi wa majaribio." Kuwa kiongozi katika upepo wa pwani na nishati mbadala ni muhimu kwa maendeleo ya kiuchumi ya Rhode Island na malengo ya nishati. Lakini kuna athari. Kisiwa cha Block, kama Gaffett alivyosema, <unk>ni kisiwa kidogo nje ya bahari. "Mwaka 2009 na 2010, Maine ilipitia mchakato sawa wa kuweka, kuchambua data na maeneo ya uwezekano wa majaribio ya teknolojia ya upepo wa pwani kabla ya maendeleo ya kiwango cha gridi. """ Majaribio hayo yalifanywa katika maeneo matatu, ikiwa ni pamoja na moja karibu na kisiwa cha Monhegan, na Chuo Kikuu cha Maine kilianza kuendeleza mradi wa majaribio ambao ungefanywa katika maji ya kusini mwa kisiwa hicho. "Suzanne MacDonald, mkurugenzi wa nishati ya jamii ya Taasisi ya Kisiwa, alisema uzoefu wa Block Island na Monhegan hutoa masomo ""kuhusu jinsi watengenezaji na jamii zinapaswa kuingiliana"" - Watengenezaji na watetezi wa mradi wanahitaji kusaidia jamii zilizoathiriwa kushiriki katika mchakato wa udhibiti, MacDonald alisema, kuelewa maelezo ya mradi na kuwa na uwezo wa kujadili kwa ufanisi kwa faida halisi." "Gaffett na wengine kwenye kisiwa cha Block waligundua kwamba walihitaji kuhudhuria mikutano mingi kwenye bara ambapo maamuzi yalipangwa kufanywa na mashirika mbalimbali ya serikali.""" Baraza la mji wa kisiwa hicho, lililoundwa na watu wa kawaida, halikuwa na utaalam katika makubaliano ya ununuzi wa umeme, kubuni viwango, kuhakikisha fedha za kuondolewa kwa huduma zilitolewa, au kugawa kwa haki na kwa usahihi gharama ya kebo. <unk>Wakati developer inakuja na aina zote za rasilimali akisema, <unk>Amini mimi, hii itakuwa kitu kizuri<unk> na wewe ni kukaa juu ya baraza la mji, wewe ajabu, <unk>Ninajuaje kwa uhakika? 'Gaffett alisema. Wenyeji walilazimika kuhudhuria mikutano na kuajiri washauri ili kuwa na uhakika kwamba hawataachwa wakibeba mfuko wa bei ghali sana mwishoni mwa siku, alisema. Onhegan, jumuiya hiyo ilikuwa na wasiwasi kama huo. Ilikuwa vigumu kupata wakati wakati wa majira ya kiangazi yenye shughuli nyingi. Katika kesi zote mbili za Block Island na Monhegan, Deepwater Wind na UMaine zililipia jamii kwa gharama zilizopatikana wakati wa kushiriki katika mchakato huo. "Hatuna sauti hapa, kwa hiyo msanidi programu, unahitaji kusaidia kutupa sauti", ndivyo Gaffett alivyoelezea. Deepwater Wind aliajiri mratibu wa jamii kupeleka habari kwa jamii na kuhamisha wasiwasi na maswali ya jamii. Kwa kuajiri mtu kutoka kwa jamii ambaye aliaminiwa, msanidi programu aliweza kuendeleza mazungumzo ya kiraia zaidi, washiriki wa mkutano walisema. Monhegan Energy Task Force (METF) ilisaidia na mtiririko wa habari kati ya jamii na UMaine na Maine Aqua Ventus (MAV), shirika linaloendeleza mradi huo. Pia, ilitia moyo MAV ifikie wale ambao hawakuweza kuhudhuria baadhi ya mikutano ya jumuiya kwa sababu walihitaji kufanya kazi. Jake Ward wa UMaine alisema yeye na wenzake walikuwa na busara katika kuelewa jinsi ya kuwasiliana na wenyeji na jinsi wa kisiwa waliwasiliana na kila mmoja. "Watu wengi walishindwa kuona kwamba mradi huo ulikuwa ukiendelea kutoka kwa matumizi ya muda mfupi ya turbine ya kiwango cha theluthi moja hadi matumizi ya miaka 20 ya turbine mbili za kiwango kamili. """ """Kuwa na muundo wa mawasiliano kati ya METU na UMAINE ambayo sasa iko mahali ingesaidia wakazi kuelewa vizuri mambo yote ya mradi huo,"" alisema." Marian Chioffi, mwenyekiti mwenza wa METF, alibainisha kwamba Monhegan hakuwa na sauti moja na kwamba kuunda METF ilitoa kisiwa njia bora, rasmi zaidi ya kuwasiliana na wote UMaine na jamii. Katika Kisiwa cha Block, kuna utegemezo wa jumla kwa mradi wa upepo, ingawa baadhi bado wanapinga vikali. Wakati huo huo, wakati ujao wa mradi huo haujulikani, U-Maine inafanya kazi kukamilisha muundo na uhandisi wa mradi wa majaribio ya kiwango kamili baada ya kupewa kiwango cha chini cha fedha za shirikisho kuliko ilivyotarajiwa. Fedha za kujenga mradi huo bado hazijagunduliwa. Kwa kuwa mipango ya bahari inaendelea katika New England, kutafuta njia za kusaidia jamii kushiriki katika maamuzi ya shirikisho na ya serikali kuhusu upepo wa pwani na shughuli zingine, kama vile ufugaji wa maji ya pwani au uchimbaji wa mchanga na mchanga, ni muhimu. Hii ni ya tatu katika mfululizo wa hadithi zinazochunguza mabadiliko ya matumizi ya bahari ambayo ni lengo la mchakato wa mipango ya bahari ya kikanda. Kwa habari zaidi kuhusu kazi ya bahari ya Taasisi ya Kisiwa, wasiliana na Mkurugenzi wa Programu za Bahari Nick Battista katika jina la kwanza. jina la mwisho@example.org; kwa habari zaidi juu ya mipango ya bahari ya kikanda, wasiliana na John Weber katika email@example.com.