For you fellow Rho Dyslunduhs

[JohnR]

URGENT!
Save The Bay Action Alert
RI House to Vote on Port Funding This Thursday - Call Your Rep Today!

Last week the House Finance Committee approved next year's state budget. The Committee, at the Governor's request, included $1.5 Million to continue pursuit of environmental permits to build a large load center port on Narragansett Bay, in spite overwhelming community opposition.

But its not too late: On Thursday, an amendment will be introduced in the House to delete the additional port permitting funds from the budget. Please take the time to call your State Representative TODAY, and ask them to support the elimination of funding for the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process.
Take action to prevent further wasting of valuable taxpayer dollars! Governor Almond has asked for an additional $1.5 million in funding in order to continue the environmental permitting process for a container facility at Quonset Point/Davisville.

Rhode Islanders overwhelmingly oppose Governor Almond's vision of a large load center port on the Bay, and opposed the wasting of any more public money on the project. Joining Save The Bay in opposition to the Governor's plan are the Conservation Law Foundation, Sierra Club-RI, the Environment Council of RI, the RI Shellfishermen's Association, RI Saltwater Anglers Association, and 13 city and town councils all remain opposed to the load center port.

The project, which would include the digging of a 52-foot deep channel across the middle of the Bay, the filling of approximately 100 acres of the Bay, and the risk of ecological disruption from the release of ballast water from ships. Local community concerns about light, noise, and truck traffic have been ignored by the Administration.

Contrary to the Administration's claim, the environmental permitting process is not the place to answer fundamental questions of economic viability It is an expensive, time-consuming process designed to measure and address environmental impacts of a specific proposal. Unfortunately the Governor's proposal is ill-defined, lacks the required market analysis, and has failed to attract interest from reputable shipping firms. Applying for permits without a well-defined project only invites more questions and raises public concerns. To date, Save The Bay and the community have not seen a viable port proposal that fits our vision for Narragansett Bay.

So call your Representative Today and Support a Budget Amendment that would stop public funding of this ill-advised vision for Narragansett Bay! You can also remind you Representative that this is an election year.
Just click on the web link below to get your Representative's contact info.

http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/Scripts...irecthouse.asp

Need more info? Contact Topher Hamblett, Director of Advocacy @ 272-3540 ext 123 or thamblett@savebay.org

Thanks for Protecting Narragansett Bay!

We gotta get some word in on this too. They won't give out enough money to manage a fishery but they'll spend that money for a "project" (that nobody wants) that will make life more miserable for the agency that doesn't have enough as it is...