Offshore Wind and the Sakonnet River: A Dialogue for Coastal Communities
Experts will discuss issues related to offshore wind energy, transmission cables, and the Sakonnet River.
Hosted by the Rhode Island Sea Grant
NOTE: This meeting is a free in-person event at the Common Fence Point Community Center. Please register to attend in person. If you would like to watch the meeting online, please contact Maddy Murphy, madelinevmurphy@uri.edu, for a link.
Meeting Purpose:
Our goal is to address questions and concerns related to offshore wind energy and the Sakonnet River. During this first of three events, experts will provide information about the Sakonnet River’s natural resources, such as fish and fish habitats, as well as potential effects from offshore wind energy development. We will also identify other questions the community may have which will be presented during the following two public events.
Outcomes:
Meeting participants will start to gain an understanding of offshore wind energy as it relates to the Sakonnet River in Rhode Island
Meeting organizers will be able to identify remaining questions and concerns that the community has, which will shape the agenda for future meetings
Speakers include:
Conor McManus, Chief of RI DEM Division of Marine Fisheries [bio]
Kevin Stokesbury, professor in the Department of Fisheries Oceanography, School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST) at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth [bio]
Dave Bethoney, Executive Director of the Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation [bio]
Capt. Richard Hittinger, 1st Vice President of Rhode Island Saltwater Angler Association [bio]
Event sponsors: Town of Portsmouth, Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association, Rhode Island Sea Grant, URI Coastal Resources Center, URI Graduate School of Oceanography