Two elected officials representing Burrillville are asking state regulators to deny approving a proposed power plant in their town.
State Sen. Paul Fogarty and Rep. Cale Keable have emerged as the only elected officials, so far, who oppose the proposed natural gas-fired power plant.
Gov. Gina Raimondo supports the project, but residents in Burrillville overwhelmingly oppose it.
Fogarty and Keable say they never took a position on the project. But after holding their own town hall meeting and attending the first public hearing for the project, “We heard loud and clear questions that have to be answered and we’re just not happy,” said Fogarty.
In a letter to the chair of the state Energy Facility Siting Board, the lead permitting agency, Fogarty and Keable question the benefits touted by both the developer Invenergy and the governor. They ask that the board require the developer to look for alternative sites in industrial zones.
“I think it’s a massive uphill battle to get the Energy [Facility] Siting Board not to approve this,” said Keable.
Keable said the members that make up the board report to the governor, who supports the project, not the General Assembly.
Note: This post has been updated.
