When I co-sponsored a resolution in September 2025 regarding a potential moratorium on new natural gas hookups on Aquidneck Island, it was in response to a state-level discussion involving Rhode Island Energy about whether limiting new connections could help address capacity constraints. The proposal under discussion would not have affected existing natural gas hookups.
Part of the broader concern was how Aquidneck Island could avoid another situation like January 2019, when a natural gas system failure left thousands of Aquidneck Island customers without service during extremely cold weather.
The purpose of introducing the resolution was to bring the state-level discussion before the Council and begin a public conversation so Newport residents and business owners could understand what was being considered. For the Council to formally discuss an issue at a public meeting, it must first be placed on the agenda. Introducing the resolution provided that opportunity. That was its purpose: to open the discussion, provide information, and engage the community.
In response, residents raised legitimate questions about the potential consequences of a moratorium, including affordability, energy choice, development, impacts on businesses, and whether our electrical infrastructure could accommodate increased demand. Those questions deserved answers. Once the goal of bringing the issue forward for public discussion had been achieved, Councilor Pinnock and I withdrew the resolution and advocated for a dedicated Council workshop to provide greater transparency and allow the issue to be examined more thoroughly.
Our energy strategy should provide residents with multiple options. Residents need dependable energy when temperatures fall, storms occur, or infrastructure fails. Families need affordable choices, businesses need predictability, and our community needs the flexibility to adapt as technology and infrastructure evolve.
I believe it is important to revisit this issue because residents deserve accurate information about what was proposed, why it was discussed, and what actually occurred. Complex public policy issues should be addressed with facts, transparency, and an honest discussion of both the benefits and potential consequences.
Public office carries with it a responsibility to communicate truthfully with the people we serve. Unfortunately, false and misleading information has recently been presented about this issue for political advantage. That undermines public trust and does a disservice to our community. Newport residents deserve better. They deserve a public dialogue grounded in facts, transparency, and respect for their ability to make informed decisions.
Steph Smyth
Newport City Council
