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News Release RI Department of Environmental Management 235 Promenade Street, Providence, RI 02908 (401) 222-2771 TDD/(401) 222-4462
DEM AND TOWN OF NARRAGANSETT RELEASE SURVEY RESULTS FROM TOWN RESIDENTS ON RENEWABLE ENERGY, WIND TURBINE CONSTRUCTION PROVIDENCE - The Department of Environmental Management, in partnership with the Town of Narragansett, has released the results of a survey of Narragansett residents on renewable energy and the possible installation of three to six wind turbines on State and/or Town properties in Narragansett.Rhode Island has abundant wind energy resources and wants to use these resources to maximize the economic development potential inherent in renewable energy projects. This summer, DEM and the Town of Narragansett sought bids from experienced developers interested in the construction of onshore wind turbine projects on one or a combination of state sites and town-owned properties located in Narragansett. The proposals would be designed to maximize revenue and provide energy needs for the State and the Town over the life of the facility. The energy produced from these sites will help to support DEM activities at the Port of Galilee and state camping and beach facilities located in Narragansett. The survey was conducted in July and August and was sent to 778 randomly selected Narragansett residences from a list supplied by the Town. Four hundred thirty Narragansett residents completed the questionnaire, providing a response rate of 55 percent, which is considered statistically significant. The survey had a confidence level of 95 percent and a sampling error of +/- five percent. The survey was divided into six main areas and included 34 questions on renewable energy, siting wind turbines in Narragansett, siting wind turbines at specific sites, specific issues concerning wind turbines, ownership of wind turbines, and personal attributes of responders. Renewable Energy Twelve questions queried residents' viewpoints on renewable energy. There was clear support for moving away from fossil fuels and using more clean energy, with 97 percent of respondents indicating this was an important issue. Further, 91 percent said that clean energy would be good for the state's economy, and 89 percent had positive opinions on the use of wind turbines to generate electricity. When asked about reasons for not supporting clean energy technology, 50 percent of respondents rated the cost of this technology as an important issue, and 44 percent said that noise was an important consideration. Siting Wind Turbines in Narragansett Eight questions dealt with the impact of wind turbines on beach use and placement of turbines in unspecified locations in Narragansett. More than three-quarters of the respondents (77 percent) said they had seen a modern wind turbine in operation. When asked if they would be more or less likely to visit the beach if they could see a wind turbine from the beach, 83 percent indicated the presence of a wind turbine would not make a difference in whether or not they visit the beach, and 12 percent said they would be less likely to visit the beach. The majority of responders - 75 to 78 percent - supported land-based wind farms in Narragansett, with wind turbine development limited to one or two structures on a parcel of land and three to five wind turbines being located in town. Seventy-five percent supported wind turbines if they could not see them from their house, while 61 percent supported wind turbines if they could be seen from their house. Seventy-one percent supported wind turbines if they could not hear them from their house; support dropped to 38 percent if they could be heard from their house, and 41 percent of responders did not support wind turbines if they could be heard from their house. Siting Wind Turbines at Specific Sites in Narragansett The development of wind turbines would be limited to five proposed properties in Narragansett owned by DEM or the Town. The three DEM controlled properties are Camp Cronin, Black Point, and property on the southwest side of the Galilee Escape Road. The proposed Town of Narragansett properties include the Scarborough Treatment Plant on Ocean Road, adjacent to Scarborough State Beach, and the South Kingstown Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant on Westmoreland Street. The majority of survey respondents supported all five proposed sites. The range of support was from 82 percent to 78 percent, with the Port of Galilee having the highest support (82 percent) and Black Point (78 percent) having the lowest. Opposition to the proposed sites ranged from 9 percent to 14 percent, with the Port of Galilee and the Scarborough Treatment facility having the smallest opposition (9 percent), and Black Point having the greatest opposition (14 percent.) When asked if they would be able to see one of the wind turbines from their property, 53 percent said they would not see a turbine from their property, 29 percent said they would see a turbine from their property, and 18 percent were not sure if a turbine would be visible from their property. Specific Issues Concerning Wind Turbines Respondents were asked to rate the impact of wind turbines on 16 specific issues such as job creation, air pollution, electricity rates, tourism, taxes, noise and environmental considerations. Respondents said wind turbine projects in Narragansett would have a positive impact on electricity rates (71 percent), creation of new jobs (55 percent), general environmental considerations (54 percent), and air pollution levels (44 percent.) In total, 78 percent said the wind turbines would have a positive impact on residents from an overall view of the project. The survey also identified issues where wind turbine projects in Narragansett would have a negative impact on residents, including noise levels (33 percent), impact on the landscape (28 percent), property values (23 percent), and bird/bat life (16 percent.) Of the 16 categories, the majority of responders indicated six issues where wind turbines would have no impact, including public safety (81 percent), use of public beaches (77 percent), enjoyment of property (73 percent), traffic at turbine sites (72 percent), fishing (71 percent) and tourism and related businesses (68 percent.) Ownership of Turbines Respondents were asked three questions related to ownership of the wind turbines. Seventy-two percent of those surveyed said they were more likely to support the project if the turbines were owned by the town. Support dropped to 49 percent if the state or a developer owned the project. Personal Attributes In the last section of the survey, respondents were asked about their age, gender, income, education, employment status, home ownership, and whether they would be able to see one of the proposed wind turbines from their property. Sixty percent of the responders were male and 40 percent female; 38 percent were retired, 37 percent employed by others, and 22 percent self-employed; 56 percent were over age 60, and 21 percent were age 45 to 54; 35 percent had an average household income greater than $100,000; 70 percent had at least a Bachelor's degree; and 77 percent of responses were from homeowners. At the close of the July 8 bidding period, four proposals for development of a Narragansett wind turbine project were submitted to the Department of Administration (DOA) for consideration. A review team consisting of representatives from DOA, DEM, EDC, Town of Narragansett, URI, Governor's Office and the Lt. Governor's Office is reviewing each of the proposals and will render a decision later this year. In addition, DEM requested representatives from the environmental community to participate in the review team, but they declined to take part in this endeavor. Information on a host of renewable energy topics is available on the DEM website, www.dem.ri.gov, by selecting "Renewable Energy" on the left side of the homepage. In addition to the Narragansett RFP and survey, the site also includes photos of the proposed Narragansett wind turbine sites and information on wind, sighting guidelines, the MET tower, and energy efficiency. The entire survey report is also available on this site. -30- |
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