Community Outreach
A major undertaking such as this demands active and open communication between Rhode Island Energy and the state’s residents, businesses, community groups, and town officials. To accomplish that, we’re launching a number of communication efforts and a variety of ways for the public to receive information and interact with us.
Throughout the project, RIE will offer the public a series of opportunities to connect with our project team to learn more and ask questions about the work taking place in your community.
Events:
- Open Houses
- Tuesday, January 30 from 6-8 p.m. at Fort Barton Elementary School
- Wednesday, January 31 from 6-8 p.m. at Portsmouth High School
Throughout the project RI Energy has been sending letters to keep abutters informed of project progress and current happenings. You will find these below.
M13L14 Reliability Upgrade Project
Archaeological Test Pits FAQs
What is the Archeological work happening now?
Rhode Island Energy’s contracted team from POWER Engineers has been making progress northerly on the line in pre-construction survey/test work via shovel digging. Areas that the team identifies as moderate or high sensitivity for archaeological resources are tested with a grid of 50×50 cm square test pits to a depth of usually about 75 cm (less than 3 feet).
- Why are you doing this?
- Rhode Island Energy is required to complete this pre-construction work, under the direction of various permitting agencies, to comply with both State and Federal historic and preservation regulations.
- Why was my property identified?
- There are many factors, but our team looks for mostly dry, level, relatively undisturbed soils as areas of interest. These test pits will be completed as close to the future structure location as possible.
- This work is being performed in a lawn/garden area, how much of an impact will I see?
- We will remove the sod in one big square (so the grass remains intact), dig out the dirt in levels and screen it to look for artifacts. We will place a tarp next to our test pit to complete this work. After we look for artifacts, our team will carefully return the screened dirt into the pit and replace the sod as close to original condition as possible.
- How big is the crew and how long will scientists be on-site?
- Our crews will work in teams of two, and most teams will be able to complete about 12 pit locations per day. We should be working at each pole location for 1-2 days. The crew will park on the public road and access by foot.
- What if you find something of interest?
- If an artifact is found, we will take it back to our lab to clean it and analyze. We then write it up for HPHC and the Tribes. The landowner technically owns the artifact, but it has great value for science and historic preservation.