While everyone's attention is focused on the national race coming up next Tuesday, let's not forget there is also an important local issue on the ballot. If you want to see our state continue to be green, with woods and fields and open space for wildlife, clean rivers, and local farms, then VOTE YES ON QUESTION 2. This modest bond issue, just $2.5 million, will help to provide permanent protection for the open spaces that we treasure.

Vote to APPROVE QUESTION 2:  OPEN SPACE AND RECREATIONAL DEVELOPMENT BOND! Click on "More..." for much more detail about the issues and the bond, from the RI Land Trust Council and the Environment Council of RI.

For more info about why you should vote YES, check out this Peter Lord story from the Oct. 31 projo, and this recent post on Chip Young's blog.

For more info about our local races, check out these recent NNN posts:

RI Senators Get "A" Grade on the Environment

ECRI Gives General Assembly a "B"

Clean Water Action Endorses Local Candidates

 From the RI Land Trust Council:

Your Help Is Needed to Ensure Voter Support for:  
 
QUESTION 2 - OPEN SPACE CONSERVATION BOND $2.5 million
 
On Tuesday, November 4:  VOTE to APPROVE   
       
 
Rhode Island voters are being asked to approve Question 2:
OPEN SPACE AND RECREATIONAL DEVELOPMENT BOND to provide
$2.5 million in funding for Rhode Island's land conservation programs.
 
Bond funds will be used to permanently protect
farmland and the other special open space lands in our communities!
This Bond will protect places that we treasure!
This Bond will benefit our state and communities FOREVER!  
The Bond will enable future generations - children, parents and grandparents -
to have the same opportunities to share and enjoy locally grown foods and the
sights, sounds, smells and feelings that make these places so special to us.
 
Can we afford this Bond?
The cost to Rhode Island's budget for this bond is less than $250,000 a year.
This is a cost of only 25 cents per year for each Rhode Island resident.
And this is a permanent investment!
It does NOT GO AWAY OR NEED TO BE REPLACED in 20 Years
like most other state and municipal capital investments.
 
In tough economic times, it is critical to make sound investments.
Every one dollar ($1) in state bond funding for land conservation will attract
three to four dollars ($3 - $4) in additional funding from
federal programs, foundations, private contributions and municipalities.
 
Results: $2.5 million in state bond funding will generate at least $10 million
for protecting the farmland and places we love in communities across the state.
This is an unbeatable investment:  Rhode Island only pays 20% - 25% of the costs
for the state's land conservation programs.
Without the state bond funding, Rhode Island will lose much of these matching funds.
 
We can NOT afford to lose our remaining farmland, its contribution to
the state's economy, jobs and our food supply and quality of life.  And we can not afford to lose
$3-5 million each year in federal funding for our land conservation programs.
 
Studies document that investing money in land conservation
saves municipalities and the state much more money in infrastructure costs
and service costs that are incurred if land is unprotected and gets developed.
 
Why do we need this Bond?
1.  Without this bond, the state will lose $3- 5 million per year in federal funding
for our state's farmland protection program.
 
2.  Without this Bond, Rhode Island's land conservation
programs will run out of funds and essentially shut down for
the first time since 1985 when they were started.
 
3. Rhode Island has already lost 80% of our working farmland since 1945.
Only 1/4 of the state's remaining farmland is currently protected.
There are over 20 additional farmers who have applied to protect their
working farmland and been approved by the state program.  The state
farmland protection program is out of funds and needs this bond to continue
the program and provide some of the match to get millions of $ each year
from the federal farmland protection program.
 
Saving working farmland is an investment in Rhode Island's economy and
quality of life.  It helps us to keep local produce, farmer's markets, pick your own
pumpkin patches, apple orchards, berry patches and corn mazes.
Agriculture contributes $100 million and many jobs to Rhode Island's economy.
 
4. Bond funds also give the state the flexibility to jump at opportunities that
arise like a new park at Rocky Point.  Places like the shoreline
at Rocky Point are an important part of our history, culture and stories.
It is important that we can act quickly when the opportunities appear
to save these special places as part of our heritage.
 
Bond funding for land conservation is a sound fiscal investment for Rhode Island and  
will save some of our special places forever - let's leave these places as a legacy for
future generations to grow food, enjoy and treasure.
 
Vote to APPROVE QUESTION 2:  OPEN SPACE AND RECREATIONAL DEVELOPMENT BOND!

 From ECRI (Environment Council of RI):

Question 2:

Open Space & Recreation Development Bond

$2.5 million

 

What is the 2008 Open Space Conservation Bond?

This Bond on the November 4 ballot will provide a $2.5 million state investment to match federal funding, foundation grants and donations to provide a total of over $10 million for the state’s land conservation programs that:

    * Save Rhode Island’s vanishing farmland – and with them, locally grown foods
    * Protect our communities’ special open spaces and natural areas
    * Create and expand parks when opportunities arise such as Rocky Point and private in-holdings in state parks
    * Protect our drinking water and watersheds from pollution

 

Can we afford a Land Conservation Bond in 2008?

    * In tough economic times, it is critical to make sound investments.  This is a permanent investment in Rhode Island and a capital investment that does not depreciate in value over time.  In fact, the value of this investment to the state and our communities increases over time.   This capital investment does not need to be replaced in 20 years like most other state and municipal capital investments.

 

    * The cost to Rhode Island’s state budget for this $2.5 million bond (principal and interest payments) is less than $250,000 a year and decreases every year.  This is a cost of only 25 cents per year for each Rhode Island resident.

 

    * Every one dollar ($1) in state bond funding for land conservation will attract three to four dollars ($3 - $4) in additional funding from federal programs, foundations, private contributions and municipalities.  Thus, the $2.5 million state bond will result in a total investment of at least $10 million for the state’s land conservation programs.    Rhode Island only pays ¼ of the cost (20-25%) for the state’s land conservation programs.  Without the state bond as “seed funding,” the state would lose much of the matching funding.  We CANNOT afford to lose $3-5 million each year in federal farmland protection funding and we need the state bond funding to provide some of the match required to obtain these federal funds.

 

    * If we fail to protect farmland and it is developed, we will not only reduce agriculture’s $100 million a year contribution to the state economy and our quality of life, but also incur increased costs for infrastructure and services (i.e. roads, streetlights, schools, police, fire, etc.) for new development that is built on that land.

 

    * Many studies document that investing money in land conservation saves the state and municipalities much more money in infrastructure and government service costs than the initial cost of an investment in land conservation.

 

Why is the Bond Needed?

Open Space Conservation Funding from the 2004 Bond has almost run out.  Without this bond, the State’s successful land conservation programs - operating since 1985 - will essentially shut down next year.  Without state funding, Rhode Island will lose $3 million to $5 million per year in federal funding for farmland protection and other programs.  In turn, we will lose more of our productive farmland and our communities’ special open spaces to sprawling development.  Once these farms and open spaces are lost, they are gone forever.

 

Saving vanishing farmland.  Rhode Island has lost 80% of our farmland since 1945.  Today, only 45,800 acres remain in production – less than 7% of the land in the state.  Our remaining farmland is the basis for $100 million in Rhode Island’s economy each year.  It is also essential to defining the character of our communities and our quality of life.  Rhode Island has the highest farmland prices in the nation and there is strong pressure to develop this land into new subdivisions.   Thus, farmland protection is essential if we are going to keep:  local produce for our homes, restaurants, schools and grocery stores; farmer’s markets; pick your own orchards, berry and pumpkin patches; and corn mazes.  

 

Today, less than ¼ (25%) of our remaining farmland is protected.  In 1985, the state began a visionary Farmland Protection Program to reign in the loss of farmland, save our agricultural heritage, and keep our agricultural economy viable.  Since 1985, the state’s farmland protection program has protected 81 farms and 6232 acres of productive farmland.  Over 25 more farmers (nearly 2000 acres) have applied to protect their farms, been approved by the state program and are awaiting funding.  The new Federal Farm Bill is providing $3-5 million each year to Rhode Island for farmland protection.  The 2008 Open Space Bond is essential to provide some of the necessary matching funds.

 

Protecting special open spaces and natural areas.  Rhode Island’s land conservation program provides grants to communities and land trusts to protect our communities’ most valued open spaces, natural areas, shorelines, watersheds and scenic vistas.  When opportunities surface to protect areas like Rocky Point, we need to be able to act quickly.  Without this bond, the state will not have any funds available for future opportunities.

 

Protecting State Parks and Management Areas.  Over 6 million people visit the state parks each year and demand is growing.  Private lands are no longer available to the general public for hiking or other recreation, so more people are going to parks, beaches and recreation areas.  When opportunities arise, the state’s land conservation program purchases in-holdings - private property that is surrounded by state park land.  The 2008 bond is needed so the state has funds available when these important parcels come up for sale.

 

What Happened to Land Conservation Funds from the 2004 Bond?

The 2004 bond provided $25 million in bond funding for the state’s land conservation programs.  Since that bond was passed:

Farmland Protection –  In the past four years, the state’s farmland protection program has protected 19 additional farms with 1678 acres of productive farmland.  The farms are located across the state in 16 municipalities.  The farms were protected with a state bond investment of $8.5 million that was matched by over $25 million from other sources including $10.8 million in federal farmland protection funding.

 

Local Open Space Grants – In 2004, 21 grants totaling $4.8 million were awarded to communities and land trusts to protect 2067 acres of land.  In 2006, 17 grants totaling $5.4 million were awarded to protect 1598 acres.    Currently the state is reviewing 23 proposals to protect 1531 acres and will award $2.5 million in bond funds for the 2008 grants.

 

State Land Acquisition – Since November 2004, the state has used $7.8 million in state open space bond funding to protect 2309 additional acres (through purchase and conservation easements) in state parks and management areas.