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PARTNERS | HEALTHY CITY | HOW HEALTHY | VISION | SUMMIT | PRIORITIES | FUNCTIONS | CITY OF FALL RIVER |
The
Salem
Harbor Power Station plant revitalization task force's
decommissioning subcommittee held a public hearing to hear directly from
Somerset residents on the deconstruction, remediation and redevelopment
or repowering of coal-fired generation facilities in the Commonwealth on
January 6, 2014. Over one hundred people gathered at the Council on
Aging office on Wood Street as a panel composed of Commissioner
of the Department
of Energy Resources Mark Sylvia, Massachusetts Senator
Michael Rodrigues, Salem Representative
John Keenan, and Secretary of Energy
and Environmental Affairs Richard Sullivan heard first from David
Freysinger, executive vice president of coal operations for EquiPower
Resources Corp., a subsidiary of Brayton Point owner Energy
Capital Parnters and then took questions and statements from town
residents and others over the two-hour forum. Most of the residents'
concern were focused on the announced closing of the plant in June,
2017. Some questioned why the plant could not continue operation or be
switched from coal to gas-powered generation. Others in the audience
directed their thoughts to how the town can transition to other
potential sources of revenue to replace the expected substantial loss of
tax revenue. Still others raised questions of how alternative,
non-polluting, renewable sources of energy could be provided that would
not continue to endanger the health of citizens in the region.
Click here for a six-minute 
video of excerpts from the event. Click here for the Herald News article. |
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(Top row) Somerset residents Ronald Destin and James Mullins pose questions to the panel composed of Commissioner of the Department of Energy Resources Mark Sylvia, Massachusetts Senator Michael Rodrigues, Salem Representative John Keenan, and Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Richard Sullivan before Somerset Selectmen Chair Donald Setters responds. (Row two) Somerset resident Rene Driscoll of the Coalition for Clean Air Southcoast requests local citizens to create an equitable transition process as Coalition member Connie Brodeur, Jane Vieira of New Bedford, Becky Smith of Clean Water Action, and Somerset resident Pauline Rodrigues listen. (Row three) Commissioner Sylvia and Representative Keenan listen as Senator Rodrigues speaks during the discussion in which statements are made by Joe D'Amareau of the Coalition for Social Justice and Somerset resident Daniel Mendonca. (Row four) Somerset resident Armondo Santo, Attorney Joseph Fingliss, and city planner Al Lima posed questions and offered suggestions. (Bottom row) Westport environmental activist David Dionne, Sylvia Broude of the Toxics Action Center, and Jay O'Hara of Cape Cod each speak toward the end of the meeting.
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