Portsmouth Community Events
The Portsmouth Community Event Series is a series of free educational events centered around offshore wind energy topics identified by the community.
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Offshore Wind and the Sakonnet River: A Dialogue for Coastal Communities
Date: November 16, 2022
Meeting Purpose: to address questions and concerns related to offshore wind energy and the Sakonnet River. During this first of three events, experts provided information about the Sakonnet River’s natural resources, such as fish and fish habitats, as well as potential effects from offshore wind energy development.
Speakers include:
Conor McManus, Chief of RI DEM Division of Marine Fisheries
Kevin Stokesbury, professor in the Department of Fisheries Oceanography, School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST) at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Dave Bethoney, Executive Director of the Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation
Capt. Richard Hittinger, 1st Vice President of Rhode Island Saltwater Angler Association
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Offshore Wind and the Sakonnet River: A Dialogue for Coastal Communities II
Date: February 2, 2023
Meeting Purpose: In response to the questions we received during our first event, our goal for this meeting (the second in a three-part series) is to share information about the state and local decision-making process specific to offshore wind cable installation and how and when community members can engage.
Speakers include:
Lea Hitchen, Portsmouth Town Planner
Mike Jarbeau, Narragansett Baykeeper, Save The Bay
Emma Rodvien, Rhode Island Energy Facility Siting Board Coordinator
Jeff Willis, Executive Director, Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council
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Event 3: Pending
In order to be responsive, we plan to see what remaining questions and concerns the community wants us to prioritize once the second event has taken place before planning the third event.