Today’s Providence Journal has an excellent editorial supporting the Rhode Island Working Waterfronts Protection Act:

Rhode Island must nurture its comparative advantages.

Cheers, then, to Representatives David Caprio (D.-Narragansett), Donald Lally (D.-South Kingstown), John McCauley (D.-Providence) and Joseph Almeida (D.-Providence), and Senators William Walaska (D.-Warwick) and Daniel Connors (D.-Cumberland) for backing legislation to protect Rhode Island’s working waterfronts — including those at Quonset, in North Kingstown, Melville Marine, in Portsmouth, and along Allens Avenue, in Providence.

Rather than becoming the subject of endless study, these companion bills should be moved through now — before working ports are threatened even more.

Modeled closely on the Bay State’s successful Designated Port Area regulations, the legislation would protect the industries operating around ports, and the well-paying blue-collar jobs they create, from the purely local opponents of waterfront industry and the predations of developers of marinas and condominiums. Under the bill, the state Coastal Resources Management Council would develop guidelines for protecting working ports.

Other states have recognized that ports are vital economic resources, creating jobs with regional impact, and that their use should be governed with a broader perspective than a local community alone brings.

When local communities are given carte blanche over ports, for example, they often try to bring in glitzy development that could threaten industrial work, because their interest is in maximizing property taxes rather than protecting and creating private-sector jobs. Thus, Providence is flirting with endangering its working waterfront.

It should be clear by now to even the most obtuse observer that Rhode Island desperately needs the kind of jobs that working ports provide: high-paying blue-collar jobs with good benefits. With the unemployment rate standing at a brutal 10.3 percent, the Ocean State certainly could use such jobs more than another empty condo project. In any event, condos could be built in any number of places besides in the middle of an economically vibrant port.

Keith Stokes, executive director of the Newport County Chamber of Commerce, notes that three-quarters of the workforce in Rhode Island lacks a college degree. “This is a blue-collar state,” he said. “We are losing blue-collar jobs” by failing to protect working ports. Many skilled carpenters, fiberglass workers, machinists and more depend on jobs along the waterfront.

“People seem to have forgotten that, in colonial times, Newport had the fourth largest shipping port in all of America,” he notes. That is because Narragansett Bay is one of the deepest and most compact bays in America, making it a natural for maritime jobs. Yet, during the last 20 years, the state’s working waterfront has been slowly strangled.

Some fear that the bill could threaten such projects as the $150 million Heritage Harbor Museum, in Providence. But the legislation could be amended to protect that very (too?) ambitious project, long on the drawing board.

The bottom line is, the state should have a say in protecting vital economic interests. Such legislation could then be a step toward fully developing these valuable resources, especially at the sorely underused Quonset.

Last year, the General Assembly let a similar bill languish. This year, leaders should recognize that there is no more time to waste. Rhode Island needs to protect, and expand, its high-paying jobs now.

On the same note, the Assembly should get its special commission on ports into gear, and begin holding hearings about developing bigger ports at Quonset and Providence. The well-being of many thousands of Rhode Islanders, and the vibrancy of the region’s economy, are at stake.

On Tuesday, March 3rd, the House Environment Committee heard testimony on H-5617, the “Rhode Island Working Waterfronts Protection Act.”  The bill — modeled after Massachusetts’ “Designated Port Area” regulations — would empower the Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) to preserve and protect Rhode Island’s working waterfronts and water-dependent uses including commercial fishing, shipping, passenger transportation, boat building and repair, marinas, and other marine related businesses which must have access to the water to operate.

Representatives from working waterfronts across Rhode Island attended the hearing to testify in favor of the bill.  Rich Fuka of the Rhode Island Fishermen’s Alliance testified about the need to protect fishing ports like Galilee in Narragansett, as well as the need to preserve boat repair yards like Promet Marine in the Port of Providence.

Keith Stokes of the Newport County Chamber of Commerce noted how over the span of 20 years Newport lost its fishing, boat building, and boat repair businesses to high priced condos, hotels, and marinas, and why legislation is needed to protect Rhode Island’s few remaining working waterfronts:

“There are just three working waterfronts left: Quonset [North Kingstown], Melville Marine [Portsmouth], and Allens Avenue [Providence]… We can’t continue to leak these traditional jobs,” said Keith W. Stokes, executive director of the Newport County Chamber of Commerce.

Keith Stokes testifying before the House Environment Committee

Todd Turcotte of Capital Terminal Co., testified about the importance of oil terminals located on the East Providence side of the Port of Providence,  and several members of the Providence Working Waterfront Alliance testified to the need to protect the port as a critical state and regional asset.  As David Cohen, President of Promet Marine noted in his testimony:

We have a dynamic port in Providence with national trends, like short sea shipping, very much in our future. We have deep water as a result of dredging and a highly desirable geography for distributing fuel oil, gasoline, coal, cement and highway deicing salt and for exporting scrap iron. We have tried to draw attention to these assets and to strengthen the bonds of all working waterfront ports through out the state—Providence, East Providence, Quonset/Davisville, Newport, and Galilee. We are the Ocean State. That is our strength. Let’s not throw it away.

The Providence Working Waterfront Alliance strongly supports the Rhode Island Working Waterfront Protection Act, and we look forward to working with our coastal community allies and the General Assembly to pass this important legislation.

Providence Working Waterfront Alliance Testimony In Support Of H-5617 – The Rhode Island Working Waterfronts Protection Act

• The Providence Working Waterfront Alliance strongly supports H-5617, The Rhode Island Working Waterfronts Protection Act.

• Working waterfronts across Rhode Island, from Newport to Galilee to Warren to the Port of Providence, are currently threatened by the ever-increasing pressure for residential and commercial development along our coast.

• While condominiums, hotels, and office buildings can be located anywhere, water-dependent businesses MUST have access to the water to operate.

• Residential uses are often incompatible with the loud noises, odors, and industrial activity produced by typical working waterfront operations.

• Rhode Island’s ports and working waterfronts are responsible for hundreds of millions of dollars in total economic impact, thousands of jobs, and vital energy resources for the Southern New England region.

• Our ports and working waterfronts are a strategic state resource that must be preserved and protected.

• The Rhode Island Working Waterfront Protection Act — modeled after Massachusetts’ “Designated Port Area” regulations — would empower the Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) to preserve and protect Rhode Island’s working waterfronts and water-dependent uses including commercial fishing, shipping, passenger transportation, boat building and repair, marinas, and other marine related businesses which must have access to the water to operate.

• Rhode Island is, after all, the Ocean State and our ports and working waterfronts need sensible protections from incompatible uses so that they can continue to grow and thrive.

Media Coverage
03-07-09 “Waterfront bill would expand CRMC’s jurisdiction,” Providence Business News 

03-03-09 “Video: Bill would protect state’s working waterfronts,” NBC 10 News

03-04-09 “‘Working waterfronts’ bill criticized by other businesses,” Providence Journal

Blog Posts
03-03-09 “Support the RI Working Waterfronts Protection Act,” Rhode Island’s Future Blog

03-04-09 “Mayor Cicilline is Wrong on the Working Waterfront,” Rhode Island’s Future Blog

Show your support for Rhode Island’s working waterfronts by attending tomorrow’s House Environment Committee hearing on the “Rhode Island Working Waterfronts Protection Act.” This legislation would protect our working waterfronts and water-dependent businesses from incompatible residential and commercial development. Hearing details below.

HOUSE ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE TO HEAR “RHODE ISLAND WORKING WATERFRONTS PROTECTION ACT”

Legislation would preserve and protect Rhode Island’s working waterfronts from incompatible residential and commercial development

WHAT:
House Environment Committee bill hearing on H-5617, “Rhode Island Working Waterfronts Protection Act.” Legislation would empower the Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) to preserve and protect Rhode Island’s working waterfronts and water-dependent uses including commercial fishing, shipping, passenger transportation, boat building and repair, marinas, and other marine related businesses which must have access to the water to operate.

WHEN: Tuesday, March 3rd at 4:30pm

WHERE: State House, Room 207

The Providence Working Waterfront Alliance applauds the General Assembly for the introduction of “The Rhode Island Working Waterfronts Protection Act” (H-5617 / S-0758).This legislation — modeled after Massachusetts’ “Designated Port Area” regulations — would empower the Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) to preserve and protect Rhode Island’s working waterfronts and water-dependent uses including commercial fishing, shipping, passenger transportation, boat building and repair, marinas, and other marine related businesses which must have access to the water to operate.

With ever-increasing pressure for residential and commercial development along our coast, Rhode Island’s working waterfronts are a threatened public resource. This legislation is sorely needed to protect critical statewide resources responsible for hundreds of millions of dollars in total economic impact, thousands of jobs, and vital energy resources for the Southern New England region.

We appreciate the leadership of Representatives David Caprio (D-Dist. 34, Narragansett, South Kingstown), Donald Lally Jr. (D-Dist. 33, Narragansett, South Kingstown, North Kingstown), John McCauley Jr. (D-Dist. 1, Providence), and Joseph Almeida (D-Dist. 12, Providence) in the House and Senators William Walaska (D-Dist. 30, Warwick) and Majority Leader Daniel Connors (D-Dist. 19, Cumberland, Lincoln) in the Senate, for introducing this much needed legislation.

In a recent Providence Business News interview piece, Patrick Conley’s business partner, Erik Bright, makes a number of misleading comments regarding the Allens Avenue Corridor and area businesses.

Bright comments:

. . . it is important to recognize that the restrictive W-3 zoning that was implemented by the city in 1994 has everything to do with the fact that no new businesses have located on this section of the waterfront . . . We can only ask the question that if there were a need for other maritime businesses that wanted to be on the waterfront, why haven’t they relocated there in the past 15 years?

Working Waterfront response:
It is inaccurate that no businesses have located on the Allens Ave. working waterfront since the city created the restrictive W-3 zoning in 1994.

University Shuttle, which runs Brown’s student shuttle service, has been operating at 284 Allens Ave for five years, and employs approximately 40 people.

J. Goodison Company, a full-service marine and industrial repair contractor, has partnered with Promet Marine for the past three years, and primarily operates from Promet’s Allens Ave facility. As a federal HUBZone contractor, J. Goodison has helped attract numerous Coast Guard and Navy repair contracts, and has hired and trained many employees from economically depressed areas of Providence.

Indeed, area businesses including Promet Marine Services (marine repair), Sprague Energy (oil storage and materials handling), Providence Steamboat (tugboat services), Narragansett Improvement (asphalt plant), Walco Electric (automation engineering and industrial service), Philip Services Corp. (environmental services), and J. Goodison Company are thriving precisely because of the existing industrial zoning. According to an economic impact report, these 7 water-dependent, water-enhanced, and industrial businesses are responsible for:

• $294,000,000 in annual business sales
• 372 workers (90% full time) with an average total compensation of approximately $60,000 per year
• Direct, indirect, and induced effects combined = $324 million in total business output within the state, over 700 jobs, and nearly $30 million in household income

The uncertainty that has been cast over the Allens Ave Corridor by the city’s mixed-use vision has actually scared away businesses. At a September 2008 public hearing, real estate broker Frank Jacques testified that he was in advanced negotiations with two businesses who were scared away due to the uncertainty over future zoning. From the Providence Journal’s coverage of the meeting:

However it turns out, this debate has already cost the city business, said commercial real estate agent Frank Jacques, who has been trying to market the 12-acre lot at 434 Allens Ave.

He said that in the last year, he had two businesses lined up — “written offers, with deposits” — looking to use the property, before they both pulled out.

The zoning debate is what made them run, he said.

“The comments we received, unsolicited, is that they didn’t want to get embroiled in the debate we’re having right now — rezoning.”

Bright comments:

And there would be a hotel that would provide a shuttle to the hospital and short-term housing solution for friends, family and guests of patients in the hospital. All of these are commercial uses that do not interfere with the current uses on the waterfront.

Working Waterfront response:
A hotel located directly between a major oil terminal and a marine repair shipyard would almost certainly interfere with the existing businesses. Hotel guests expecting a quiet stay are sure to complain about the busy truck traffic, loud noises, and bright lights that are typical of normal operations at both Sprague and Promet. These complaints will inevitably lead to political pressure to pass operating restrictions that would threaten the future of these businesses.

Bright comments:

Those who oppose rezoning say they fear a loss of jobs within the existing uses, but their businesses would be grandfathered. We would suspect that what they really fear is that the redevelopment would force the existing businesses to comply with environmental regulations resulting in considerable remediation costs.

No environmental remediation is needed for existing industrial uses on Allens Ave. Expensive environmental remediation would only be required for those parcels, like Providence Piers, that propose to be used for residential or hotel uses (should zoning be changed to allow for such uses).

This week, the Providence Journal ran two editorials both arguing strongly for growing Rhode Island’s ports.

Edward Achorn: Growing hope for R.I. ports:

Not every state is fortunate enough to have one of America’s largest protected waterways, to be very near the sea lanes from Europe and to be between Boston and New York, part of the country’s greatest concentration of population. Leaders of many a landlocked state would love to have an opportunity to boost their economies through the booming business of international trade.

But Rhode Island has lacked the leadership to exploit its great advantages, in part because powerful NIMBY voices — people who have theirs, and do not want their views or highways cluttered with jobs and economic activity — have succeeded in scaring off development. Indeed, even the economic engines we have, such as the Port of Providence, are under attack by developers who would like to replace gritty working ports with marinas and condominiums, which put money in the developers’ pockets but end up starving the region of high-paying blue-collar jobs.

Fortunately, this pony is not alone. Last week, the General Assembly created a new commission to study ramping up port facilities. That may help blow on the little spark of hope until it becomes a sustainable fire, and the Ocean State can finally exploit its economic strengths.

Editorial: Propelling the ports:

While Governor Carcieri shrugs off an important opportunity to bring jobs to Rhode Island, the General Assembly is trying to stir the pot — or, rather, port. The legislature commendably created a special commission to study ports at Quonset Point and Providence, seeking to maximize the use of those sites.

More than a decade ago, Governor Almond pushed for a $3 billion deep-sea containerized-cargo project at Quonset Point that would have dramatically boosted the region’s economy. From the time he was a candidate, Governor Carcieri frowned on the idea. He says there is no interest in the private sector in such a port. But surely one reason there is no interest is that the governor frowns on the idea. Other states’ governors, working aggressively to attract jobs, have been big supporters of port expansion.

And no wonder. Freight volumes in the United States are expected to leap 50 percent by 2020, and containerized-cargo shipping is growing even faster, according to the U.S. Committee on the Marine Transportation System. As the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers puts it: “Containerized trade is the fastest growing segment of the economy, doubling every 10 years, which means a steady increase in the number of vessels calling on U.S. ports. In turn, that means more jobs and a stronger economy.”

Such new approaches as short-sea shipping, helping to draw truck traffic off our clogged highways, are also in the works. And with the widening of the Panama Canal, port activity along the East Coast is expected to boom, since it is often faster and easier, and thus cheaper, to move goods straight from Asia by ship than to unload on the West Coast and transfer those goods across the country by train or truck.

At the same time, Rhode Island is close to both the European shipping lanes and in the most heavily populated stretch of the United States, and its infrastructure of highways, rail lines and air transport is superb. Any state that fails to capitalize on such advantages is being absurdly shortsighted.

Whether that translates into a full containerized-cargo port at Quonset, or something on a more modest scale, the legislature is right to seek out the experts and develop a plan of action.

The well-paying jobs associated directly with ports — and indirectly, throughout the region, with cheaper, quicker transportation — are greatly needed in a state with one of America’s highest unemployment rates. More jobs mean more opportunities, and more tax revenue to support public services.

Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed was interviewed on Channel 12’s Newsmakers program this week and talks about the need to examine port development opportunities at both the Port of Providence and Quonset/Davisville.

Watch her comments about port development at 6:22 in the interview.

The Providence Working Waterfront Alliance looks forward to working closely with Senate President Paiva Weed and the General Assembly’s newly created port development commission to examine the best ways to protect and grow the Ocean State’s ports.

Yesterday, the Rhode Island General Assembly passed a joint resolution creating a special legislative commission to study port development opportunities at Quonset/Davisville and the Port of Providence.  As noted in a statement issued after the resolution’s passage:

“It’s time that the State of Rhode Island takes a comprehensive look at our underutilized assets to bolster job creation and grow our economy.” – Speaker William Murphy

“This commission is an opportunity to examine the potential for economic growth through the highest and best use of our state’s waterfront.” – Senate President Teresa Paiva-Weed

“It’s imperative that we take advantage of the economic development opportunities that exist at both Quonset and Providence . . . These ports are among the closest to Europe. The proper facilities, together with the proper management, have the potential to greatly increase jobs for the citizens of Rhode Island.” – House Majority Leader Gordon Fox

“We need to look at all means available to position Rhode Island to better compete in a global marketplace as the economy rebounds. This commission will focus on one area of development – port facilities – that some see as holding the potential for sustained growth.” – Senate Majority Leader Daniel Connors

The Providence Working Waterfront Alliance applauds the General Assembly for passing this important joint resolution, and we look forward to working closely with the study commission to develop a plan to protect and grow the Ocean State’s ports.

Full statement of support below:

Providence Working Waterfront Alliance Statement Applauding the Passage of H-5084 / S-0017 a Joint Resolution Creating a Special Legislative Commission to Study Potential Economic Opportunities in the Development of Port Facilities in the State of Rhode Island

January 14, 2008

The Providence Working Waterfront Alliance applauds the General Assembly for passage of H-5084 / S-0017 a joint resolution creating a special legislative commission to study economic opportunities relating to port development in Rhode Island.

With total freight volumes in the U.S. expected to increase by 50 percent by the year 2020, international cargo container traffic expected to double, and the growth of new shipping techniques like short sea shipping, Rhode Island’s ports, including the Port of Providence, are perfectly situated to take advantage of these trends. If properly protected and promoted, Rhode Island’s ports can continue to grow and serve as an economic engine for our state by providing thousands of high paying jobs and supplying our region’s energy and raw materials needs.

We appreciate the leadership of Speaker William J. Murphy, House Majority Leader Gordon Fox, Senate President M. Teresa Paiva-Weed, and Senate Majority Leader Daniel P. Connors on this issue, and we look forward to working closely with the study commission to develop a plan to protect and grow the Ocean State’s tremendous port resources.

According to a Journal of Commerce article, Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minn) the Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is proposing federal funding to promote short sea shipping:

The chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is proposing an $85-billion spending plan that would benefit virtually every mode of transportation.

Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn., told the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee on Thursday that “infrastructure investment creates family-wage construction jobs, and spin-off benefits that ripple throughout the economy. These construction jobs will not be outsourced to another country.”

The program would provide $45 million for short sea shipping and renewal energy loan guarantees. The Maritime Administration would receive $30 million for the Title XI loan guarantee program to build vessels for short sea service, and shoreside terminals and equipment to accommodate short sea shipping.

Located between New York City and Boston, the Port of Providence is ideally situated to attract short sea shipping, which will help alleviate truck congestion on the I-95 corridor, and also help reduce carbon emissions as shipping by sea is far more efficient than transport on our already clogged highways.

Today’s Providence Journal has an editorial calling on state legislators to:

Super-charge the economy by developing ports, and particularly build a container port at Quonset Point.

With a recently dredged 40ft deep water channel, and a long and proud history as a working waterfront, the Port of Providence is poised to grow and help “super-charge” Rhode Island’s ailing economy.

During this year’s legislative session the Providence Working Waterfront Alliance looks forward to working with members of the Rhode Island General Assembly to develop policies and legislation to protect, promote, and grow our state’s ports.

Local blogger Matt Jerzyk, the founder of the popular Rhode Island’s Future blog, was recently interviewed on Channel 12’s Newsmakers show where he talked about the importance of developing Providence’s working waterfront along Allens Avenue in order to create new jobs and grow our state’s economy.  Watch the Newsmakers interview here, with comments about Providence’s working waterfront at 9:29.

A new report by marine shipping experts Dynamar, predicts significant cargo volume growth for East Coast ports due to an expanded Panama Canal capable of handling ultra large container ships:

The report from the Dutch firm Dynamar, called Panama Canal Container Trades: Past, Present and Future, predicts that volumes to the U.S. East and Gulf coasts from the Far East could climb from 3.2 million TEU today to 15.7 million TEU by 2020.

“Our conclusion is that soon after the expanded Panama Canal opens for business in 2015, ultra large container ships of over 10,000 TEU up to the new Panamax size of 13,000 TEU will start using the waterway,” said Dirk Visser, the managing editor for Dynamar, which is based in Alkmaar, Netherlands . . .

Visser also believes that while trans-Suez volumes from Far East ports will grow in the next few years because of limited capacity at the Panama Canal, much of that cargo could switch to trans-Panama routings after the expanded canal is opened.

“There are two worries for the East Coast ports involved, to have sufficient water depth and large enough cranes – the ability to handle 22 boxes across deck, but at least 20,” he said . . .

“There is more than enough cargo if the trade develops as forecasted to employ a big number of those ships in the Far East-East Coast trade,” Visser said. “If you were to carry the total eastbound to the U.S. East Coast trade in 2020 entirely with 10,000 TEU ships, you would have 40 strings of those ships.

“We expect a swift shift to much larger ships. The carriers will want to take advantage of the economies of scale,” he said. “The new panamax can be around 13,000 TEU, but it will be the U.S. East Coast ports that will determine the maximum size that can be used.

If properly protected and promoted, the Port of Providence, with its 40ft deep water channel, will be perfectly positioned to capitalize on this predicted increase in cargo volume.

Today’s Projo.com video section features a short clip about Providence Working Waterfront Alliance member Promet Marine:

“Family” shipyard in Providence keeps commercial boats shipshape

December 17th, 2008

Commercial vessels are repaired, painted and overhauled at Promet Marine Services Corporation in Providence. Joel Cohen, vice president, says the Allens Ave business has workers who have kept big boats, including Navy and Coast Guard boats, in top shape for 35 years. Providence Journal video by John Freidah

Two opinion editorial pieces in today’s Providence Journal Business section argue for investing in the Port of Providence and Quonset/Davisville to grow Rhode Island economy.

Keith Stokes, the Executive Director of the Newport County Chamber of Commerce, argues in his “Rhode Island needs master infrastructure plan to make future economic development possible” piece that:

. . . Investing in improving and expanding our state’s industrial zoned lands and existing industrial and corporate parks has been a state planning goal for many years, but consistently lacked adequate funding. Rhode Island already enjoys many important industrial and corporate parks that with additional capital and investment will further expand their jobs and tax revenue potential.

Examples of statewide industrial project areas that have the capacity to expand under this plan include the Tiverton Industrial Park, Bristol Industrial Park, and the West Warwick Industrial Park. We should also build upon our maritime industrial capacity by investing in the Melville Marine Trades Center in Portsmouth, Port of Providence, and Quonset West Davisville Commerce Park.

And Grafton Willey, Chairman of the Smaller Business Association of New England, argues in his “It’s time for Rhode Island to get serious about surviving and thriving in the 21st century” piece that:

We need to make productive use of our under-utilized resources such as Quonset, the Port of Providence, and Narragansett Bay

We need to avoid our tendencies to become bogged down by special interest groups and NIMBY responses. We need to accomplish things for the overall benefit of the state.

Rhode Island’s ports and working waterfronts are poised for growth, but state leaders must put in place policies that will protect and promote these tremendous resources.

State Rep. Steven Costantino, the Chairman of the House Finance Committee, has recently given several interviews stressing the need to maximize the value of the Port of Providence and Quonset/Davisville as state-wide resources that can help drive Rhode Island’s economy out of the current downturn.

12/7 interview on Channel 12’s Newsmakers:

• 20:50 – Local permitting is overly burdensome
• 22:30 – Port of Providence is an underutilized asset that needs to be maximized
• 23:20 – Needs to be a plan for port development, container or other shipping opportunities, at Quonset

11/7 interview on Channel 10’s News Conference:

• 5:48 – Better utilize the Port of Providence
• 5:05 – Need to develop state assets without undue interference from local communities
• 3:00 – George Nee (Rhode Island AFL-CIO) advocates for a statewide maritime development organization
• 1:10 – Rep. Costantino makes a quick mention of need for a “super zoning law” before being cut off

The Providence Working Waterfront Alliance looks forward to working with Rep. Costantino and other leaders in the Rhode Island General Assembly to develop policies and legislation to better protect and promote the Ocean State’s ports.