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Sunrise Wind mitigation could fund North Light work, coastal‑resilience planning and visitor materials
Summary
Town staff briefed the council on mitigation commitments from the Sunrise Wind project: up to $500,000 for Block Island North Light (planning and rehabilitation), $200,000 for coastal resiliency planning (up to $50,000 per year for five years) and $50,000 for visitor experience materials; the town is awaiting a draft funding agreement.
Town staff updated the council on mitigation commitments associated with the Sunrise Wind permitting process and what the town may expect if the developer’s funding agreement is finalized.
Under the memorandum of agreement between Sunrise Wind and the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Sunrise has agreed to mitigation measures that include: up to $500,000 to plan and rehabilitate the Block Island North Light (roughly $50,000 for planning and about $450,000 for brick‑and‑mortar rehabilitation); $200,000 aimed at coastal resiliency planning and technical assistance (up to $50,000 per year for five years) to help the town evaluate climate impacts to historic properties; and $50,000 for “past and future adaptations/visitor experience” work, which staff said will focus on digital storytelling and presentation of historic and climate‑adaptation narratives (for example, QR codes or an online trail) rather than prescriptive signage.
Staff said the town is waiting for a draft funding agreement that will specify milestones, payment timing, whether the town or the developer will manage procurement and the form of deliverables. In past wind‑farm mitigation programs in the region (South Fork and others), developers managed contractor selection and payments; staff said Sunrise representatives have signaled some openness to town‑managed processes for items specific to New Shoreham, which would give the town more direct control over scope and procurement. No funding has been disbursed to date and staff emphasized the town will need to review the draft funding agreement and proposed RFP language when it arrives.
Councilors asked whether resiliency planning funds could be targeted to the Coast Guard station and other island historic assets; staff said the MOA language must be followed but that targeting within the program may be possible if the town controls the RFP or scope. Staff promised to circulate the MOA, the related permit language and any draft funding agreement when available and to return with a recommended process for managing the funds.
