As the 2005 legislative session drew to a close, Clean Water Action praised the General Assembly for passing several strong pieces of legislation to protect Rhode Island's environment.

"This year the Assembly passed measures to stop mercury pollution, prevent future MTBE contamination of our water supply, prevent out-of-state waste in the landfill, and promote renewable energy and energy efficiency," said Sheila Dormody, Rhode Island director of Clean Water Action. "Future generations of Rhode Islanders will be grateful to the 2005 Assembly for the health, environmental and economic benefits of all of these accomplishments."

However, not all of the issues on the group's agenda were completed in 2005. The group had been advocating for legislation to prevent toxic electronic waste from being disposed in the landfill. Legislation to prevent pollution from the state's 60,000 cesspools which release sewage into the state's waterways also did not pass.

A detailed list of the legislative accomplishments follows:

Accomplished!

• Passed the Mercury-Free Vehicle Act (S 611a Ruggerio / H 5911a Ginaitt)
  CWA supports this law to require auto manufacturers to finance the collection and disposal of mercury from auto parts. It is estimated that 602 pounds of mercury is contained in cars registered in Rhode Island. Three other states have passed similar legislation.
• Passed the Energy and Consumer Savings Act (H 5307 Handy / S 540 Roberts)
  CWA supports this law to set minimum energy efficiency standards for 14 products, including cell phones chargers, other electronics, and exit signs. This law will reduce global warming pollutants by 20,000 tons while saving Rhode Island's consumers $225 million over the next 25 years.
• Ban MTBE in Gasoline (H 6117a Ginaitt / S 770 Felag-Senate version still pending in House)
  MTBE can contaminate water when underground storage tanks leak. MTBE has been detected in public drinking water supplies in 23 Rhode Island cities and towns. Rhode Island is the 21st state to ban MTBE.
• Defended the Clean Energy Act (Oppose H 6090 Schadone)
  CWA opposes H6090, which would have weakened Rhode Island's clean energy law by allowing polluting energy sources to be included in the definition of renewable energy. The Clean Energy Act passed last year requires 16% of the state's energy to come from clean, renewable sources by 2020.
• Passed a Resolution on Reducing Global Warming Pollution (H 5308 Ginaitt, S 299 Sosnowski)
  In 2001 the New England Governor's set a regional goal of reducing the amount of global warming pollution emitted in each state to 1990 levels by 2010 and 10% below 1990 levels by 2020. Recognizing the role of the General Assembly in achieving these goals, the resolution expresses the legislature's support of the emission reduction targets and the state climate change plan to meet them.
• Passed Renewable Energy Projects for Low Income Housing (S550 Perry, H5877 Moura)
  CWA supports this law to allow the Rhode Island Renewable Energy Fund to support installations of solar technologies that provide heat or hot water in low-income housing units.
• Passed Renewable Energy Tax Credits (S 37 Bates, H 5786 Ginaitt)
  CWA supports this law to provide a 25% tax credit to purchasers of certain types of renewable energy technologies, including solar, wind and photovoltaic energy systems.
• Prevented Out-of-State Medical Waste Disposal at the Central Landfill (H 5768Corvese)
  CWA opposes this bill, which would have allowed out-of-state medical waste treated in Rhode Island to be disposed of at the Central landfill.