Tag Archives: Block Island:

Thomas Elias: Gov. Newsom committing to big wind power projects risky right now

There weren’t many causes Gov. Gavin Newsom pushed harder during the just-concluded state legislative session than offshore wind power, something that has been tried in only a few places around America. For some in the California Legislature, including state Senate President Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, this seems an easy way to modernize the state’s electric grid without risking much pollution, taking advantage of an inexhaustible natural resource — winds that often gust at 40 mph or more. However, now it’s time for Newsom to go slow before committing California electric customers (who always pay for new generating facilities via their monthly bills) to fund this largely untried renewable energy source. If adopted, a plan to build enough offshore windmills to fill about 6% of California’s electric needs would be America’s largest commitment to offshore wind power. There is not yet any offshore wind power along the Pacific Coast, but yes, there is offshore wind power on the Atlantic Coast. There’s a small (five-turbine) project off Block Island, Rhode Island. Also, there are a few windmills off Virginia and others off Massachusetts’ Nantucket Island. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:22

Newport, Block Island preservation groups sue to stop offshore wind farms 

Filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, two separate appeals against the approvals were also filed by the Southeast Lighthouse Foundation, based on Block Island. Both organizations are being represented by Washington D.C.-based law firm Cultural Heritage Partners PLLC. The four filings assert a case of regulatory capture that led the U.S. Department of Interior and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to “shirking its responsibility to the public and allowing corporate energy developers to set the terms for permitting,” and asks the court to issue a construction injunction and find the developers violated federal laws and regulations governing energy development, including the National Environmental Policy Act and National Historic Preservation Act. >>click to read<< 09:52

The afternoon during World War II when they made a ‘Beeline for Block Island’

Encounters with unexploded ordinance from World War II is not limited to Europe or decades after the conflict. The waters around Block Island in the spring of 1945 proved this latter point. While the war in Europe was winding down, three fishermen were killed off the southeastern shore of Block Island. These three fishermen were all over the age of 30, which of course resulted from the war taking any of the younger fishermen away to the far corners of the world. As result, a trawler out of Stonington accidentally bringing up an unexploded 550-pound bomb that rested on the ocean bottom some eight miles from Block Island, would not only take three lives but caused 11 children to be fatherless. World War II stands out in the history of human conflict for two main reasons. First, of course, is the unprecedented scale of the conflict, in terms of weapons used, nations involved, and lives lost. Second, and less understood, was the high percentage of civilians killed in the war. This would include the three Stonington fishermen. >>click to read<<  10:48

Killing Whales To Save Polar Bears: Wind Turbine Infra-sound

The year 2016 was the first year the United States deployed ocean wind turbines which coincide with the whale beachings. Construction of the Block Island, Rhode Island ocean wind turbine started in January of 2016. The construction took place underwater placing miles of electric cables. Construction noise underwater increases.Electric cables generate EMF. Sources of ELF-EMFs include power lines, electrical wiring, and ocean wind turbine construction. The increase in the Whale deaths began when the construction of the Rhode Island ocean wind turbines began,,, by Frank Haggerty >click to read< 17:15

Offshore Wind Farm Costs $150,000 Per Home Currently Powered

An offshore wind farm in Rhode Island went online Monday, but building it costed $150,000 for every household powered. Three miles off the coast of Block Island, R.I., the wind farm is currently generating enough electricity to power 2,000 homes, but building the five turbines costed $300 million. That’s roughly $150,000 per household just to build the turbines, not to operate them. To put this in some perspective, the U.S.’s newest nuclear reactor, Watts Bar Unit 2, cost $4.7 billion to build but powered 4.5 million homes. The extremely high cost of offshore wind doesn’t worry environmentalists and progressives however, because, “it’s the precedent that counts.”  click here to read the rest 11:37

First U.S. Offshore Wind Plant Costs $17,600 Per Home Powered

wind-energyAmerica’s first offshore wind power plant will cost about $17,600 dollars to build per home it will power. Three miles off the coast of Block Island, Rhode Island, the wind farm is supposed to generate enough energy to power 17,000 homes, but will cost $300 million to build five turbines. This cost is just to build the turbines, not to operate them. The extremely high cost of offshore wind doesn’t worry environmentalists and progressives however, because, as Salon.com says about the project, “it’s the precedent that counts.” Despite the extremely high cost, federal officials want to power a whopping 23 million homes with offshore wind by the year 2050. Read the rest here 15:18

MARINE SAFETY INFORMATION BULLETIN [MSIB # 16-12] 13 November 2012 Rhode Island Fishermen”s Alliance

Mariners navigating the waterways of Point Judith and Block Island Old Harbor, RI should be aware of the following aids to navigation discrepancies:
Point Judith:
1. Tower #8 on the east side of the entrance channel; light is reported to be extinguished and all signage on the tower is reportedly missing.
Block Island:
1.      Old Harbor tower #3, including its light and sound signal, is reported to be missing.
2.      Old Harbor buoys #5, #6, and #7 are reported to be off station.
3.      Northeast bell buoy #5 is reported to be off station.

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