Thread by @steveahlquist

In August 2017, @GovRaimondo replaced the three "outspoken environmentalists" on @RI_CRMC with three new members, including current chair Jennifer Cervenka.

ecori.org/government/201…

A thread from @UpriseRI

As reported by @ecoRI_Tim, “changes on the council are typically announced closer to January, when the General Assembly begins its session,” according to former-Chair Livingston.

ecori.org/government/201…

@UpriseRI

Why the sudden replacement? @GovRaimondo's office declined comment to both @EcoRI & @UpriseRI. But there is every reason to believe that these replacements were made to ease the way for @nationalgridus's liquefaction (LNG) facility.

@UpriseRI

.@nationalgridus wanted to build a new LNG facility in the Port of Providence, a mostly low-income BIPOC community already dealing with staggering health issues brought about by the environmental racism shaping Port development.

@UpriseRI

The people who live around the Port of Providence opposed this plan, because their children already suffered from some of the highest asthma rates in all of the United States. The advocacy of NoLNGinPVD (now The People's Port Authority) seems to have scared those in power.

One of the outspoken environmentalists replaced by @GovRaimondo was @TonyAffigne, who was pushing the @RI_CRMC to take seriously the concerns being expressed by the community around the Port of Providence concerning the LNG facility

https://upriseri/2017-12-01-tony-affigne-crmc/

.@nationalgridus submitted their application for the new LNG facility to @RI_CRMC in October 2016.

upriseri.com/2017-12-01-ton…

@UpriseRI

.@RI_CRMC minutes from Feb 28, 2017 & March 28, 2017 show that @TonyAffigne was working to make sure that the community had input into the process. In May, 2017, there was a short delay announced in the process - Then in July the makeup of @RicRmc was altered.

@UpriseRI

After Cervenka took over the @RI_CRMC as chair, @nationalgridus's LNG facility was fast tracked and public hearings held. Hundreds of community members went to the public hearings on the facility, to express their opposition.

upriseri.com/2017-11-15-crm…

@UpriseRI

Only three people spoke in favor of the proposal at the first @RI_CRMC hearing on the LNG Facility, two being representatives from the @NRI_Chamber & the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce.

@UpriseRI

Before becoming the Chair of @RI_CRMC, Jennifer Cervenka was a lawyer specializing in helping companies defend themselves against environmental laws & served as the chair of the RI Chamber of Commerce Coalition.

@UpriseRI

The RI Chamber of Commerce Coalition is “a lobbying partnership representing 9 Chambers of Commerce & more than 7,500 member businesses throughout Rhode Island" that actively works on, & advocates for "issues important to our members.”

@UpriseRI

The 9 chambers in the RI Chamber of Commerce Coalition are the @NRI_Chamber, @CentralRI, @eastbaychamber, East Greenwich, @EPAreaChamber, Newport County, North Kingstown, Southern RI & Ocean Community Chambers of Commerce.

@UpriseRI

The @NRI_Chamber is the organizing chamber of the Coalition, meaning that this is the chamber that manages & runs the coalition. The president & CEO of @NRI_Chamber was John Gregory.

@UpriseRI

At least four people who worked in @nationalgridus management, including Timothy Horan, then-president of National Grid RI, were on the boards of the various Chambers of Commerce in this state.

upriseri.com/2017-11-30-cer…

@UpriseRI

John Gregory testified before @RI_CRMC Chair (and former co-worker) Cervenka in favor of @nationalgridus's LNG Facility saying “LNG is an essential component in the energy supply mix in Southern New England.”

upriseri.com/2017-11-30-cer…

@UpriseRI

The testimony of John Gregory seems like advocating for "issues important to our members,” but afterwards the @RI_CRMC denied that Gregory was representing @NRI_Chamber - was testifying on his own behalf, they said.

@UpriseRI

This denial was weird. Why was @RI_CRMC issuing the denial and not @NRI_Chamber? During his testimony, Gregory identified himself as President and CEO of @NRI_Chamber, not as an interested citizen.

@UpriseRI

Cervenka, through a @RI_CRMC spokesperson, denied that there was any conflict of interest & did not recuse herself from the LNG facility vote.

@UpriseRI

.@RI_CRMC Ex. Dir. Grover Fugate tried to lower the expectations of those in opposition to @nationalgridus’s plan by explaining the limited role CRMC has in the process. What no one knew at that time was that CRMC was withholding information from the public.

@UpriseRI

.@RI_CRMC Ex. Dir. Grover Fugate also said that the facility had to be approved no later than December, but later admitted he got that wrong, & that the actual date was February.

upriseri.com/2017-11-29-crm…

@UpriseRI

.@RI_CRMC maintained that they had a very narrow scope in which to vote & that as long as @nationalgridus filled out their forms properly, they had to vote to approve the project. If they voted no, @FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) would overrule.

@UpriseRI

Former @RI_CRMC member Tony Affigne disagrees.

“In the end, a strong Council vote against this proposal might well be disregarded by @FERC, but would still be important, because it would show that local officials are aware of and...

...concerned about the unnecessary buildout of fossil-fuel capacity, as well as the continuing environmental racism which determines where such dangerous projects are located," said @TonyAffigne.

upriseri.com/2017-12-01-ton…

At the second @RI_CRMC hearing concerning the LNG Facility, an angry Cervenka cut the mic & called the police to remove a young mother & woman of color during her testimony.



@UpriseRI

All the testimony in the world, from people who live in the Port of Providence & from elected officials such as @SenatorCalkin @RebeccaKislak @Nirva_LaFortune did not matter in the end because the fix was in. The LNG Facility was approved.

@UpriseRI

In 2018 @AGNeronha's office found that @RI_CRMC had withheld information from the public, asked for in an Access to Public Records Act request, that showed the CRMC had more power to oppose the LNG Facility than they admitted to.

upriseri.com/2018-09-17-no-…

@UpriseRI

Last week, @RI_CRMC Chair Jennifer Cervenka & Vice-Chair Coia misled the @RISenate Environmental Committee about their actions in trying to shut down a speaker at one of the LNG Facility hearings. It's all explained in this video:

@UpriseRI

Meanwhile, @RI_CRMC decided to screw over the residents of Block Island & approve a compromise on the Champlin Marina expansion, despite that expansion having been shot down in court case after court case. providencejournal.com/story/news/loc… @jimhummel

It seems you can screw over a mostly low-income BIPOC community around the Port of Providence, but if you try to screw over mostly upper-middle class & rich white members of the New Shoreham community, @projo & @AGNeronha will get involved.

upriseri.com/crmc-neronha-s…

@UpriseRI

Despite testimony against her reappointment from people upset over the LNG Facility & Champlin Marina, Jennifer Cervenka was overwhelmingly approved by the Senate Enviro Com & her reappointment goes to the full @RISenate for consideration tomorrow, Feb 10. status.rilegislature.gov/documents/cale…

[As an aside, props to new Senator @MeghanKallman for being the lone, courageous vote against Cervenka's reappointment in committee. @UpriseRI]

How will you ask your RI State Senator to vote on the three @RI_CRMC reappointments tomorrow? Here's their contact information:

webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/Email/SenEmail…

@UpriseRI

If you get a response from your Senator, let the world know by replying to this tweet. @UpriseRI

End of thread.