2015 -- H 6141

========

LC002576

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

____________

J O I N T   R E S O L U T I O N

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION OF $75,000 TO THE RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Diaz, Slater, Carnevale, and Almeida

     Date Introduced: April 30, 2015

     Referred To: House Finance

1

     WHEREAS, As part of a coordinated effort to spur economic growth, the General

2

Assembly and the Governor seek to enact several economic stimulus laws to assist Rhode Island

3

businesses and municipalities, including legislation providing incentives to encourage economic

4

development and to create jobs throughout this state; and

5

     WHEREAS, For over two decades, WaterFire, a nonprofit arts organization, has been

6

praised by Rhode Island residents and international visitors alike as a powerful work of art and a

7

moving symbol of Providence's renaissance; and

8

     WHEREAS, WaterFire has proven to be a valuable driver of economic development,

9

generating $114 million of spending in local businesses, creating $9.3 million in tax revenue for

10

the State of Rhode Island and the City of Providence, and supporting 1,294 jobs for residents in

11

the community; and

12

     WHEREAS, Every year, build-up of sediment in the Providence River basin, the cause of

13

which is unknown, renders it more difficult for WaterFire to continue without expensive dredging

14

of the WaterPlace park basin, providing, at best, a temporary solution; and

15

     WHEREAS, An appropriation of $75,000 will help enable WaterFire to continue to boost

16

Rhode Island's economy by funding an engineering study to help manage and prevent the

17

ongoing sand and silt accumulation; now, therefore be it

18

     RESOLVED, That there is hereby appropriated, out of any money in the treasury not

19

otherwise appropriated for the fiscal year 2015-2016, the sum of seventy-five thousand dollars

 

1

($75,000) to the Department of Environmental Management to fund a study on the cause and

2

proposed solutions for the build-up of sediment in the Providence River Basin; and the state

3

controller is hereby authorized and directed to draw his orders upon the general treasurer for the

4

payment of said sum, upon receipt of properly authenticated vouchers.

========

LC002576

========

 

LC002576 - Page 2 of 2