Rhode Island Victories for the Environment

So far this year Clean Water Action and environmental organizations throughout Rhode Island have won a variety of campaigns that will help protect our air, water, natural resources and public health.

Victories Led by Clean Water Action

Clean Energy

• After three years of hard work, the Clean Energy Act (S2082 and H7375) was passed unanimously by both houses of the General Assembly. Sponsored by Sen. Bates (R-Barrington) and Rep. Moura (D-Providence), the bill requires 16% of Rhode Island's electricity to come from clean, renewable sources like wind and solar power by 2020. This law will benefit our health, environment and economy. The bill was supported by the Clean Energy Coalition bringing together over 90 businesses and health and environmental groups including RIPIRG, People's Power & Light, AFL-CIO, TPI Composites, Ocean State Action, Save the Bay, the Environment Council of Rhode Island, Sierra Club, Solar Wrights and the American Lung Association of Rhode Island.

Preventing Toxic Threats

• House and Senate resolutions (H 8639 and S 3209) by Rep. Ginaitt and Sen. Ruggerio) passed urging the Governor's Mercury Reduction Oversight Commission to develop plans to develop a plan to prevent mercury pollution from auto parts. 890 pounds of mercury has been released from Rhode Island autos over the past 30 years. An equal amount could be released over the next two decades if action is not taken soon to recover the mercury from vehicles before they are scrapped. Each year 630,000 children in the United States are born at risk for learning problems from exposure to mercury. Even very small amounts of mercury are linked to learning disabilities in children.
• House Resolution (H7527A) by Rep. Handy urges the Governor's Mercury Reduction Oversight Commission to develop a plan involving producer responsibility for the collection and disposal of toxic electronic waste. Computers and other electronic equipment contain lead, mercury, and other toxics which can damage kidneys, nervous and reproductive systems in addition to disrupting hormones and potentially harming developing fetuses. In Rhode Island alone over 4 million computers, televisions and monitors will become trash by 2011. Recycling 95% of this e-waste will cost Rhode Islanders $42 million.

Victories Led by Clean Water Action Allies

Transportation

• In May, Governor Donald Carcieri announced the adoption of the California emissions standards for cars, known as LEV II. This will require all vehicles sold in Rhode Island to meet the strict California emission standards to ensure that we have cars on the road that are better for our lungs and our environment by 2007.
• The Parking Cash Out bill (S 2273 and H 7538, which has been advocated for 6 years), sponsored by Sen. Tassoni and Rep. Ajello, will provide an alternative to employees who receive free parking spaces -- employers of 50 or more will now have to offer a monthly transit pass as an alternative to the parking space. 
• A bill sponsored by Sen. Goodwin and Rep. McNamara, (S 3008 and H 7887), mandates that the transit commission will create a study commission (with an environmental representative) to study transit in Rhode Island as a whole and make recommendations on future service.

Public Health

• Rhode Island became the sixth state to go smokefree this year when the Workers' Safety Act of 2004 (S 2029 and H 8392), was passed by the General Assembly and signed by the Governor. The legislation was sponsored by Sen. Sosnowski and Rep. Fox and mandates all workplaces to go smokefree on March 1, 2005. Small bars that do not serve food and employ less than 10 employees, as well as nonprofit facilities that have a bar and employ less than 10 employees, will be provided a temporary exemption to expire October 1, 2006. Gambling and video lottery terminal facilities will be permanently exempted, but must have separately enclosed and ventilated smoking and nonsmoking sections and allow employees to choose which section to work in without penalty.

Habitat Restoration Funded in Perpetuity

• The Assembly passed a budget article providing $250,000 for the RI Coastal and Estuary Habitat Restoration Trust Fund "on July 1, 2004 and each July 1 thereafter". Led by Senate Majority Leader Teresa Paiva-Weed, Rep. Jan Malik and Lt. Governor Charles Fogarty, the General Assembly has now made Rhode Island eligible for significant federal aid for restoration projects, aid that requires state and local matching dollars.

Nutrients Reduction Goals, Funding Needs Addressed

• Sen. Elizabeth Roberts won passage of a bill requiring the RI Department of Environmental Management to achieve 50% reduction of nutrients from sewage treatment plants in the Upper Bay by Dec. 31, 2008; The bill also requires RIDEM to submit (by Feb.2005) to the General Assembly a plan for long-range nutrient reductions for the Bay. In addition, Rhode Islanders in November can vote to invest in the upgrade of sewage treatment plants. $10.5M of the $70M environmental bond question will be dedicated to those projects, while another $8.5M will be dedicated to projects that address stormwater and other pollution problems.

Bay Planning, Management and Governance Realigned

• Senate oversight hearings on Narragansett Bay, co-chaired by Sen. Michael Lenihan and Sen. Susan Sosnowski yielded significant changes in law aimed at improving Bay monitoring, planning, and management. Out of these hearings came a report adopted by the Senate: "Habitat Based Management of RI's Marine Environment" and a package of bills that improve:
  • Bay and Watershed Monitoring
    "RI Environmental Monitoring Collaborative" established to coordinate the collection and dissemination of monitoring data to serve the state's marine management programs. State agencies, The Coastal Institute, and URI-Graduate School of Oceanography will participate, as will Save The Bay, the RI Rivers Council, and other environmental groups. Bills: S 3027 Sub A (Lenihan) and H 8641 (Naughton).
  • Watershed Management
    RI DEM and the RI Rivers Council are empowered to develop watershed-based management approaches to the state's river systems. The bills also transfer the Rivers Council out of the Dept. of Administration and into Water Resources Board. This is an attempt to force more integration of water resource planning and management (primarily freshwater), which has never been approached holistically. Historically, issues of stream flow, drinking water, and agricultural uses have been treated as separate and conflicting uses. Bill #: S 2026 Sub A (Sosnowski) and H 8642 (Naughton).
  • Coastal, Marine, and Watershed Resource Planning
    Under a new law CRMC is charged with developing of a "Marine Resources Development Plan" which "a) provides and integrated strategy improving the health and functionality of RI's marine ecosystem; b) provides for appropriate marine-related economic development; c) promotes the use and enjoyment of RI's marine resources by the people of the state." The bill amplifies CRMC's role as the lead agency in coastal resource planning. Bills: S 3028 Sub A (Sosnowski) & H 8640 (Ginaitt).
  • Improving Coordination of Bay and Watershed Planning and Management
    The House's Bay Trust Commission, led by Rep. Eileen Naughton, won passage of legislation aimed at integrating the CRMC, DEM, and other state environmental agencies and institutions' planning and management functions. A newly created Coordinating Team will be required to submit annual reports to the Assembly and Governor on the state of the Bay and its watersheds, the effectiveness of management systems and investments. The Governor will appoint the Chair. Bills: H 8358 Sub A (Naugton) and S 3113 (McCaffery).
  • Wetlands Law Strengthened
    Civil fines for violations of the state's Freshwater Wetlands Act for increased for the first time since the law's enactment in 1971. Currently, the Department of Environmental Management can issue fines for egregious violations, but only up to $1,000. Under legislation sponsored by Rep. Peter Ginaitt and Sen. Susan Sosnowski the maximum civil penalty increases to $10,000. This will help protect the state's freshwater wetlands by providing real deterrence - a marked improvement under current system, in which low fines were often considered "the cost of doing business by some developers.

Waterfront power lines to be buried

• The Senate and House unanimously approved the power lines bill. The Governor has indicated his support for the bill, which paves the way for raising nearly $9 million toward burial. With the addition of the nearly $3 million committed by DOT and state bond funds, the money raised covers the estimated cost of burial: somewhere between $10 and $12 million, depending on which technology Narragansett Electric uses. Among officials, Rep. Moura, Sen. DaPonte, Councilman Segal, Sen, Perry, and Rep. Ajello have played crucial roles.

Open Space, Recreation, Bay and Watershed Protection Bond

• With support from a broad coalition of organizations the General Assembly enhanced and then approved Governor Carcieri's proposal for a $70 million "Open Space, Recreation, Bay and Watershed Protection Bond" for the November Ballot

  The $70 million Bond will provide $25 million for RIDEM Open Space Programs including $15 million for state land acquisition and farmland protection and $10 million for the Local Open Space Grants Program.

  In addition $8 million will be allocated for acquisition of land for groundwater protection and protection of public drinking water supplies by the Water Resources Board.

  Even further, $18 million will set aside for RIDEM Recreation Programs for design, development expansion and renovation of new or existing public recreation facilities and parks including $8 million for development or renovation of state public recreation facilities (including $3 million for restoration of Fort Adams), $4 million for Local Recreation Grants for municipal parks, $2 million for Local Recreation Grants for recreation development and $4 million for Roger Williams Park and Zoo.

  And $19 million is earmarked for Narragansett Bay and watershed restoration

Creation of House Commission to study LNG Transportation

• House Resolution H 8287a, sponsored by Rep. Gallision, calls for the creation of a 13-member commission to study the transportation of liquefied natural gas (LNG) on the Sakonnet River and under the Mt. Hope Bridge. The Commission will report its findings to the Speaker of the House by March 15, 2005.

Motor Fuel Tax Exemption

• House Bill 8085, sponsored by Rep. McCauley, exempts organically produced biodiesel fuel from the motor fuel tax. The bill passed in both the House and Senate and was sent to the Governor.

Airport Air Quality Assessment

• House Bill 8197, sponsored by Rep. Flaherty, authorizes and directs the Rhode Island Airport Corporation to install permanent air quality monitoring equipment in the vicinity of TF Green to monitor emissions of particulate matter, SOx, NOx, CO2 and VOCs.

  In addition, the Economic Development Corporation will fund an independent air toxins study with the Department of Environmental Management and the Department of Health to determine whether air pollution from the airport affects the health of area residents.

  
  

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