People’s Port Authority issues recommendations in response to new ProvPort master plan draft
This story was originally published in EcoRI News, a publication partner of Ocean State Stories.
PROVIDENCE — The People’s Port Authority is pushing back on ProvPort’s “aspirational” master plan, arguing it’s toothless and lacks measurable outcomes.
ProvPort, the nonprofit that manages the Port of Providence, recently released a draft master plan that will shape waterfront development and environmental quality in the nearby South Providence and Washington Park neighborhoods over the next 30 years.
ecoRI News recently reported that ProvPort’s plan lays out four core objectives that include a mix of economic growth, climate resilience, and public health monitoring. The nonprofit is soliciting feedback until May 4.
The People’s Port Authority, an environmental grassroots organization, and other advocacy groups said they want to avoid the next three decades mirroring the last, where South Providence and Washington Park residents have experienced the impacts of environmental harm and declining public health.
The People’s Port Authority has issued 30 recommendations for the new plan, some of which aren’t new to ProvPort, Monica Huertas, executive director of the People’s Port Authority, said.
ProvPort’s responses were “always no” or “that’s a great suggestion — wait until we do the master plan,” said Huertas, adding, “Now we’re here and it’s still not done.”
Here’s a summary of some of them.
Oversight
ProvPort plans to establish a community advisory board — including Washington Park and South Providence residents, community organizations and advocacy groups, major port users, and city officials — that will review ProvPort’s progress and advise on community benefit and sustainability investments.
The People’s Port Authority argues that advisory boards “can be ignored.”
The organization wants a board with binding authority over the 1% allocation of ProvPort’s revenue for the city’s community benefits fund, air monitoring and response plans, approval of new leases, and shaping the design of ProvPort’s emergency management system.
The advocacy groups also want a seat on ProvPort’s board of directors.
The nonprofit’s seven-member board includes appointees from the mayor and City Council, two tenant representatives, a representative of the Rhode Island commerce secretary, and two members elected by fellow directors.
The People’s Port Authority recommends adding two seats for local community members and the ability to share nonproprietary information with the public.
ecoRI News reported last year that when a member of the People’s Port Authority asked Chris Waterson, CEO of Waterson Terminal Services, which oversees ProvPort’s operations, if he would commit to adding two community members on ProvPort’s board, he responded: “We’re going through a process. I’m not committing one way or the other.”
Public health
While ProvPort plans to install air-quality monitors within the port, the People’s Port Authority recommends placing them in nearby Washington Park and South Providence neighborhoods to measure residents’ exposure to airborne chemicals.
The draft master plan targets a 50% reduction in asthma hospitalizations by 2040, but the People’s Port Authority argues that it doesn’t establish a mechanism to measure baseline rates or track them over time.
The People’s Port Authority wants ProvPort to establish a community health registry in partnership with the Rhode Island Department of Health and Breathe Providence at Brown University to leverage existing baseline data while expanding tracking of asthma, respiratory illness, and cancer rates.
Waterfront access
The master plan proposes expanding public waterfront access through a new greenway, kayak launches, fishing piers, beautification projects, and improvements to Collier Point Park.
The People’s Port Authority supports expanding waterfront access but wants ProvPort to create a public greenway and water access plan within six months of approval of the master plan; involve community members in its design; and track progress on a public dashboard.
Phasing out
The master plan supports phasing out or relocating the most polluting, non-water-dependent businesses, where feasible.
The People’s Port Authority argues that the word “feasible” gives ProvPort broad discretion to delay phasing out businesses and recommends that the nonprofit develop a phase-out schedule identifying the most polluting, non-water-dependent uses, with timelines tied to leases and annual progress reports.
The groups also want ProvPort to factor tenants’ environmental performance into lease renewals and add a non-renewal clause for polluting, non-water-dependent uses.
ProvPort will incorporate feedback after May 4 and present a final plan to the City Council, which will hold a hearing to ensure ProvPort is in compliance with its obligations under the 30-year tax exemption agreement.
