Cumberland council unanimously backs resolution opposing proposed Manville Landing hydro pre‑application

The Cumberland Town Council on March 19 approved a resolution opposing a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission preliminary‑permit application (P‑15370) for a proposed hydro project at Manville Landing, passing the measure 7–0.

The resolution places the council and administration on record opposing the pre‑application, which citizens and local conservation groups said was submitted without prior town notice and risks damage to a two‑acre parcel the town holds as passive recreational land.

The matter drew several speakers from conservation organizations during the council discussion. John Marsland, president of the Blackstone River Watershed Council, described long experience organizing river cleanups and local stewardship and warned that the application had “crawled out from under a rock.” He said applicants typically invest significant money in permitting and that the council should act while the proposal is at an early stage.

David Newton, a Cumberland resident who described himself as an environmental and hydropower specialist, told the council that “the town of Cumberland has an environmental land use restriction on the property” and said the parcel is a capped solid‑waste site that the town is required to maintain and protect. He urged caution because heavy construction and equipment could damage the engineered cap overseen by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.

Mayor Geoffrey J. Mutter said the town had not been apprised of the submission and that the comment period, which he noted expires March 28, made the current council meeting the last regular opportunity to respond before the deadline. Councilor Shore, who helped organize meetings with residents and agencies, thanked the conservation volunteers and urged the council to act to “put Burke on notice” that the town and community oppose development without engagement.

Speakers from the conservation community also cited a posting by the Rhode Island Historical Commission that identifies Manville Dam within the Manville Mills Industrial Archaeological Site, which the commission said is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. Advocates said the riverbank at Manville Landing serves as one of the town’s limited public access points for fishing, boating and passive recreation and that a hydro installation would reduce public access and alter river hydrology.

Councilors voted to adopt the resolution as presented; the motion to approve the resolution carried unanimously. Council members who voted “yes” (per the meeting record) were Councilors Shaw, McGill, Bolio, Metivier, Schorff, Sweet and Nativia.

The council and citizen advocates emphasized that a FERC preliminary permit does not itself authorize construction, but that public comments made at the preliminary stage can influence later actions. Citizens and the council urged tracking the FERC docket and submitting formal comments before the March 28 deadline.

The council’s resolution does not itself prevent an applicant from pursuing FERC authorization; it records municipal opposition and asks town leadership to act through the comment period and other appropriate forums.