2016 -- S 2008

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LC003826

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2016

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

CONGRATULATING THE RHODE ISLAND RIVERS COUNCIL ON THE OCCASION OF

ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY

     Introduced By: Senators Sosnowski, McCaffrey, Lynch Prata, Paiva Weed, and Walaska

     Date Introduced: January 13, 2016

     Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration

     WHEREAS, Water is beneficial and vital to all life and in the immortal words of Henry

David Thoreau, "Who hears the rippling of rivers will not utterly despair of anything"; and

     WHEREAS, The Rhode Island Rivers Council was established by the Rhode Island

General Assembly in 1991. Over the ensuing twenty-five years this fine organization has been

managing efforts to improve the quality of our state's rivers and their watersheds, and developing

and strengthening the unity of all local watershed councils; and

     WHEREAS, Through state-wide coordination, diligent oversight, and strenuous review

efforts, the Rhode Island Rivers Council has produced vast improvements and formed beneficial

partnerships for preserving the quality of our rivers and other water bodies. The council sets

policy, goals and guidance for ten "local watershed councils" within the state; and

     WHEREAS, One such example of the Council's coordinated efforts is with the Buckeye

Brook Coalition, a nonprofit corporation which was founded in 2002, and their application was

accepted in 2004 to become a local watershed council. The Coalition works to protect, preserve,

and restore Buckeye Brook, its watershed, and its self-sustaining herring run; and

     WHEREAS, In addition to the Buckeye Brook Coalition, the Rivers Council supports and

strengthens the efforts of nine additional state designated local watershed councils including, the

Blackstone River Watershed Council/Friends of the Blackstone, the Friends of the Moshassuck,

Kickemuit River Council, the Narrow River Preservation Association, the Pawtuxet River

Authority & Watershed Council, the Salt Ponds Coalition, the Ten Mile River Watershed

Council, Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association, and the Woonasquatucket River Watershed

Council; and

     WHEREAS, Through public awareness and education programs and initiatives, the

Rhode Island Rivers Council has been brightening and preserving our rivers for future

generations of Rhode Islanders to enjoy; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

hereby commends and honors the Rhode Island Rivers Council for its devotion to improving

Rhode Island's most treasured asset. We furthermore congratulate its membership, both past and

present, on the occasion of their 25th Anniversary and know that they will continue to work to

ensure a sparkling tomorrow for all Rhode Islanders; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Chair of the Rhode Island Rivers Council.

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LC003826

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