Crosswinds: Gov., AG Clash over Wind Farm Bill

Crosswinds: Gov., AG Clash over Wind Farm Bill

Two of the state’s highest elected officials clashed yesterday over a bill that would bypass the Public Utilities Commission, allowing plans for a small wind farm off Block Island to move forward.

It all started with a letter Attorney General Patrick Lynch—who is also a candidate for governor—released on Wednesday, warning that the bill would pave the way for a smaller project at the expense of larger ones.

Gov. Don Carcieri, a supporter of the bill, shot back yesterday with his own letter, telling Lynch he was disappointed in his “myopic view of the legislation” and his dismissal of the importance of the Block Island wind farm development.

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“It is clear from your letter that you neither understand the intent of the legislation nor the process the original long term contracting legislation laid out before the PUC [Public Utilities Commission] to evaluate the Power Purchase Agreement for the Block Island Demonstration project,” Carcieri wrote.

In his letter, Carcieri said the PUC had “overstepped” its bounds when it rejected a contract between National Grid and Deepwater Wind. The governor said the vote reversed a policy decision made by the General Assembly. “The PUC does not have the authority to make public policy,” Carcieri said. “That is a matter that is left up to the authority of the Legislature.”

Lynch fired back with another statement later yesterday afternoon.

“Of the curious points of the Governor’s letter, none is more perplexing than the statements that the Public Utilities Commission’s decision is ‘flawed,’ and the PUC ‘overstepped its bounds,’” Lynch said.

“If these statements were true, or if the Governor truly believed them, there would have been an appeal of the PUC’s unanimous decision reached by the Governor’s appointees to the PUC after months of gathering, analyzing and evaluating evidence,” Lynch added.