After Back-and-Forth With Warwick, Airport Corporation Sends MOU Regarding New Cargo Facility

After Back-and-Forth With Warwick, Airport Corporation Sends MOU Regarding New Cargo Facility

The Rhode Island Airport Corporation (RIAC) announced Tuesday that it sent a revised Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to the Warwick Mayor Frank Picozzi and the Warwick City Council that "reinforces prior commitments to build a sound barrier adjacent to the new cargo terminal and implement a semi-tractor trailer traffic mitigation plan that ensures truck traffic to and from the facility will use the Airport Connector and not local and city roads."

“We are hopeful the mayor and the council will begin to see this project as an opportunity for the residents of Warwick and not a burden. We have the opportunity to get heavy trucks off of Warwick’s streets and create hundreds of jobs,” said RIAC Assistant Vice President John Goodman, “We have two well-respected companies that want to relocate their operations from Boston to Warwick; companies that want to put Warwick residents to work.”

Picozzi said the MOU came as a "surprise" on Tuesday morning in a phone interview. He said he had been demanding that promises by the airport be put in writing -- specifically, a legally-binding MOU. 

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"It would have never gotten to this point if the Airport Corporation had been upfront from the beginning and put their promises in writing," said Picozzi, who added he is dropping a court action regarding the matter. 

According to RIAC, the project will be a "significant economic generator for the city and the state, creating over "1000 construction jobs during a two-year period and another 100 long-term employment opportunities for area residents."

Picozzi is scheduled to give a report before the Warwick City Council on Wednesday regarding the MOU and "activities at Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport."

RIAC says its board is "expected to ratify" the MOU on January 11. 

"When it's ratified by RIAC, I will sign it," said Picozzi. 

The following is the MOU that RIAC released on Tuesday.