Current Bay Health:
Narragansett Bay health is in critical condition. Eelgrass is almost extinct. Half of the salt marshes are lost. Flounder, tautog and other bay fish are in rapid decline which is hurting the fisheries. Heavy rains flooded the Bay with sewage which closed most beaches in June 1998. Bay activities generate over $1.4 billion in revenues from tourism alone.
Megaport Project Proposal:
Quonset Point has been targeted by the State of Rhode Island to become a megaport center for commercial shipping. In 1995, the Rhode Island Economic Council first proposed to develop Quonset Bay into a megaport in order to serve Post Panamax container ships, the biggest cargo ships in the world. This project proposes the construction of the first post-panamax deep water ports on the East coast of North America. In order to accommodate the post panamax ships, the existing berths must expand from 4800 feet to 7000 feet. Four miles of the Narragansett Bay would be Dredged, which means a 50% increase in the current depth of the channel, meaning 16 million cubic yards of sediment from the Bay bottom would then have to be disposed of.Over $12 million will be spent on improving the port infrastructure and between $100 and $250 million will be spent on related projects. Such related expenses include the Freight Rail Improvement Project and the Quonset Access Freeway. The proposal requires major use of highways, railroads (17% of all incoming cargo), and the accommodation of enormous cranes and ships. Over the past three years this proposal has met much resistance on behalf of Bay life, tourism, recreational and commercial fishing, property owners, and environmental groups. The developers think that the megaport would be good for Rhode Island economy and the town of North Kingston, creating about 6,000 jobs. Along with the development of such a port comes the inevitable risk of wildlife loss. Permanent loss of 61 to 383 acres of Narragansett Bay and/or wetlands is a major environmental risk. Development would also introduce air, light and noise pollution. It is projected that over 2,000 trucks would occupy local roads which would be a 20% increase. These are the observable effects of the megaport development which concern many community members. The environmental implications of invasive species is not a well known topic.
The Implications of Invasive Species in Narragansett Bay
The reason for creating this site is to inform people of the hidden dangers involved in developing a megaport of this magnitude. Water, air, noise, and light pollution are the observable offenses to the community as well as to the environment. Invasive species are the unknown cause of food source depletion and bay life reduction. Like any port which receives ships from all over the world there is a great element of environmental and economic risk involved. The major ports in San Francisco Bay and Chesapeake Bay have witnessed a number of accounts concerning invasive species from ballast water discharge. Because Narragansett Bay is not yet as developed or polluted as the above mentioned bays, the risk of habitat loss is greater. After ecologically destructive development, the chances of bay habitat restoration become increasing minimal. Diseases have been known to affect human health via invasive species. Negative impacts on the environment such as the depletion of food sources and unsafe swimming water, will have direct consequences on those residents of North Kingston who depend on the bay for their livelihood.
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