Westerly Town Council President Ed Morrone has proposed initiatives that he hopes can preserve forest land, provide for alternative energy sources, and protect the town in the event of drought and severe storms that result from climate change.
He’s asked town officials to explore the possibility of developing a solar farm at the site of the town’s closed landfill that is directly behind the transfer station off Route 91, explore drilling new wells to protect against severe drought, and re-enforce dunes in the event of severe storms.
Morrone made his comments on WBLQ radio’s Morning Show, hosted by Frank Prosnitz. He also mentioned his initiatives at the end of Monday night’s Town Council Meeting.
Noting the need to preserve forest land, but also to develop alternative energy sources, Morrone said the former landfill site would be a good location for a solar farm. He said a similar solar farm exists “on Rose Hill Road in South Kingstown, which, like Westerly is located directly next to their operating transfer station.”
Morrone said he’s also concerned about the impact of climate change, in the form of the extreme drought last year, and storms that have pushed sand onto local highways, the worst of which came during Superstorm Sandy, where houses were shuttered for blocks near area beaches.
Last year, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack declared all Rhode Island counties as “primary natural disaster areas” because of the ongoing drought. During July, the state saw less than a half inch of rain, compared to an average of 2.5 inches.
Morrone hopes to protect the local area by developing new wells, and through fencing and foliating around dunes preventing severe beach erosion.
“I am asking town officials to identify potential new well sites in our community to be acquired drilled and capped for the future. I have no idea as to the quantity of new wells nor can I anticipate what amount of flow we could derive from them. That is why I am requesting we begin the process.”