PROVIDENCE – The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote tomorrow on legislation sponsored by Rep. Cale P. Keable (D-Dist. 47, Burrillville, Glocester) to require that any tax agreement negotiated between the Burrillville Town Council and the developers of a proposed power plant in town be subject to local voter approval.
The bill (2016-H 8240 A) is the first item on the House’s calendar that day, and the vote will take place during the House’s regularly scheduled session Tuesday, June 7, at approximately 4 p.m. in the House chamber on the second floor of the State House.
The legislation, which has also been introduced in the Senate (2016-S 3037) by Sen. Paul W. Fogarty (D-Dist. 23, Glocester, Burrillville, North Smithfield), emanates from Invenergy’s pending proposal to build a 1000-megawatt, fracked gas power plant in Pascoag, and was introduced in response to the frustration expressed by residents and elected officials of Burrillville and across the state regarding their lack of input into the approval process.
Besides making any tax agreement subject to a binding voter referendum, it would also expand the Energy Facilities Siting Board.
