STEVEN J. KING, managing director for Quonset Development Corp., recently received the New England Water Environment Association’s 2023 Elizabeth Cutone Executive Leadership Award for his commitment to the environment. NEWEA says the award, named after its former executive director, is given annually to an individual who has demonstrated key executive leadership of a water, wastewater or other environmentally focused organization and made significant advances in one or more elements of the award’s criteria.
What initiatives and methods has QDC implemented to help keep Quonset Business Park environmentally sound with the level of industry that exists there? We are constantly maintaining and improving all aspects of the park with a goal of lessening our footprint. We work with each new company … to identify and meet their wastewater treatment needs. Our wastewater treatment facility has been nationally recognized and awarded for our efforts and technology.
Quonset was the first organization in the state to adopt a municipal separate storm sewer system, which regulates stormwater runoff parkwide. The stormwater system intakes and treats the runoff from roadways, buildings and other impervious surfaces utilizing more than 64 miles of pipes. Recently, QDC worked with the Kent County Water Authority to build an interconnection to deliver potable water from the Scituate Reservoir, intended to alleviate stress on the Hunt River watershed, from which the majority of the park’s potable water is obtained, during dry summer months. We have also implemented water conservation strategies and planted thousands of trees.
How has work on Pier 1 progressed and what building strategies are being used to make the pier environmentally friendly? Construction on Pier 1 is about 75% complete. Originally built in 1941, Pier 1 is supported by several thousands of creosote-treated wooden pilings that have been in Narragansett Bay for over 80 years. Replacing the existing wood with steel and concrete pilings will significantly improve the environmental impact of the pier.
What is the Quonset Business Park doing to encourage the use of renewable energy and support the state’s goal of zero emissions by 2030? Quonset Business Park is the landing point for the cable bringing Revolution Wind’s 704 megawatts of clean, affordable offshore wind energy onshore. The Port of Davisville is ramping up to serve as a major offshore wind hub for the projects slated to begin construction over the next decade.
Also, we partner with Rhode Island Energy to provide Quonset companies with enhanced incentives for energy efficiency. Within the first two years of the program, businesses at Quonset conserved over 14.5 million kilowatts per hour – enough energy to power 2,416 homes. Approximately 75% of the Quonset Development Corp.’s electricity needs are powered by renewable energy and [we] are working to reach 100%. The business park currently generates 7.5 megawatts of rooftop solar energy.
