Portsmouth’s Town Council is set to hold a public hearing on December 9 at 7 p.m. to review a sound variance application for a wind energy project. The meeting will take place at the Portsmouth Middle School Auditorium.
SouthCoast Wind Energy, LLC is asking the council for an advisory opinion to submit to the Rhode Island Energy Facility Siting Board. They’re seeking a variance from the town’s noise ordinance limits for potential after-hours work during the construction of their SouthCoast Wind 1 Project in Portsmouth.
The project involves laying about 2 miles of underground transmission cables using horizontal directional drilling. These cables will run under state and town roads, starting near Boyds Lane and Park Avenue, continuing under Boyds Lane to Anthony Road, and leaving Portsmouth at Montaup Country Club.
Most construction will happen between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m., which doesn’t fall under noise ordinance limits. However, the company wants a variance for any occasional work that might need to happen outside these hours.
The notice points out, “The Portsmouth part of the Project, which only includes underground transmission lines, won’t involve installing any above-ground facilities or create any extra noise once the Project is finished.”
This project aims to connect renewable energy from an offshore wind farm to the regional power grid at Brayton Point in Somerset, Massachusetts.
Residents who want to share their thoughts are encouraged to come to the hearing. If you need any communication help or other accommodations, you can ask the town clerk’s office at least three days before the meeting.
Notice of Public Hearing Sound Variance Application
TOWN OF PORTSMOUTH, RI
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
SOUND VARIANCE APPLICATION
The Portsmouth Town Council will hold a Public Hearing on December 9, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. in the Portsmouth Middle School Auditorium, 125 Jepson Ln, Portsmouth, RI on a request for a Sound Variance:
APPLICANT: SouthCoast Wind Energy, LLC, 3 Center Plaza, Boston, MA 02108.
RELIEF REQUESTED: The Applicant seeks an advisory opinion from the Portsmouth Town Council (the “Council”) to the Rhode Island Energy Facility Siting Board (the “EFSB”) providing that the Applicant is entitled to a variance to the sound limits set forth in the Codification of Ordinances Chapter 257: NOISE, for limited construction period of the portion of the SouthCoast Wind 1 Project (EFSB Docket SB 2022-02-SouthCoast Wind Energy LLC) which will be sited in Portsmouth. The Portsmouth portion of this Project consists of utilizing horizontal directional drilling (“HDD”) technology to install approximately two (2) miles of underground transmission cables beneath mostly state and town roadways. The cables will make landfall in the vicinity of Boyds Lane/Park Avenue, travel beneath Boyds Lane to the intersection with Anthony Road, travel beneath Anthony Road to the northeast, and exit Portsmouth at Montaup Country Club, with a backup location near the RWU parking lot off of Boyds Lane. The Project will interconnect renewable energy generated by the offshore wind farm to the regional transmission system at Brayton Point in Somerset, MA. The Portsmouth portion of the Project, which consists solely of underground transmission lines, will not include the installation of any above-ground facilities or produce any additional noise after the Project is complete. While the majority of the construction activities will occur during the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., during which construction activities are exempt from the Noise Ordinance limits, the Applicant is requesting a sound variance under Section 257-18 of the Noise Ordinance for any occasional after-hours work which might be necessary in connection with construction of the portion of its Project to be sited in Portsmouth.
Those persons wishing to speak should plan to attend and voice their concerns.
The public is welcome to any meeting of the Town’s boards or its committees. If communication assistance (readers/interpreters/captions) is needed or any other accommodation to ensure equal participation, please contact the Town Clerk’s Office at 683-2101 at least three (3) days prior to the meeting.
JENNIFER M. WEST, CMC, TOWN CLERK
