WARREN, R.I. — Environmental advocates are at odds with Rhode Island Energy over a proposed 2-mile rebuild of transmission lines spanning the Palmer River that they say could degrade nearby wetlands.

They may have to find a way to compromise, however; regulators at the Coastal Resources Management Council recently tabled their own approval of the project proposal by a month so the utility company could come to an agreement with Save The Bay and the Warren Land Trust, which are objecting to the project.

Rhode Island Energy’s proposal is part of a larger transmission line project that is seeking permit approvals from both CRMC and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. As proposed, the project will replace the transmission line infrastructure running through the heart of Warren, across the Palmer River and up to the state line.

The key section under CRMC jurisdiction — the lines stretching across the river — are currently built on wetland, and the rebuild will result in the permanent alteration of 1,607 square feet of coastal wetlands by new concrete foundations for steel poles.

Rhode Island Energy has pledged to create 5,460 square feet of mitigation wetland to replace what will be lost in the construction, and CRMC staff indicated they had no professional objection to the project.

But Save The Bay and the Warren Land Trust told the members of CRMC’s governing council that previous attempts by the utility company to restore marshes were unsuccessful.

“Mitigation has failed to reestablish the healthy marsh vegetation or restore that tidal flow, and the matting has resulted in salt marsh areas that remain visibly degraded today,” Warren Land Trust president Kate Pisano said.

Both organizations have been involved in wetlands restoration projects along the Palmer River, but especially in Sowam’s Meadow Preserve, 24 acres of previously degraded wetlands now restored and owned by the Warren Land Trust.

Protecting the wetlands along the Palmer River is a high priority for Warren. The town’s northern end already sees frequent flooding, and the Market to Main Street project is a planned retreat project to guard town residents against further sea level rise.

Marshes, like the ones at Sowam’s Meadow Preserve, filter pollutants from stormwater, improve water quality for the river and Narragansett Bay, and, importantly for the town, serve as a living buffer against coastal flooding.

It’s also a key habitat. Saltmarsh sparrows, a species of bird predicted to go extinct in the next few decades, are the only species native to the salt marshes of New England. They have been spotted in Sowam’s Meadow Preserve, Jacob’s Point, and other wetlands in Warren. Since 2020, Save The Bay, the Warren Land Trust, and a constellation of other government entities and groups have worked to restore their habitat in the Meadow Preserve and protect the species.

“As trusted stewards of this marsh, we want to take every step possible to limit the degradation caused by the upgrade of the power lines and will continue to collaborate with Rhode Island energy and their consultant on identifying on site mitigation activities,” said Wenley Ferguson, director of habitat restoration for Save The Bay.

At heart, both groups said they had concerns about the construction matting, temporary materials used by vehicles to access the site, that could further compact the soil located within the wetlands. Agency staff were satisfied by Rhode Island Energy’s proposal to create more than double the amount of replacement wetlands to offset the damage and fill.

George Watson, an attorney representing Rhode Island Energy, noted the utility recognizes the concerns about the restoration methods for the transmission line project. “The company notes to the extent the restoration method is not effective, it will have to pivot with the coordination of CRMC, Save The Bay, and the Warren Land Trust to make sure the restoration occurs as it should,” he said.

Neither side was able to make an effective case to convince CRMC to take decisive action. Council members instead expressed a preference the two parties be given enough time to work out an agreement.

“I think there’s a lot of unknowns here,” CRMC council member Kevin Flynn said. “I’m going to suggest we let the matter be stable until we can solve some of these unknowns, hopefully before the next meeting, and have a more firm way of moving forward.”

CRMC is expected to take up the matter again at its next October meeting, and Rhode Island Energy is expected to commence the rebuild of the Palmer River transmission lines starting in January.