2022 -- H 7622

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LC005139

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- THE GREEN JUSTICE ZONE

ACT

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Morales, and Henries

     Date Introduced: March 02, 2022

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Title 42 of the General Laws entitled "STATE AFFAIRS AND

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GOVERNMENT" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter:

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CHAPTER 17.11

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THE GREEN JUSTICE ZONE ACT

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     42-17.11-1. Short title.

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     This act may be known and shall be cited as the "Green Justice Zone Act."

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     42-17.11-2. Legislative findings.

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     (a) The government of Rhode Island has an affirmative duty to ensure that Rhode Islanders

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have clean air and clean water.

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     (b) Many communities in the state do not have clean air and clean water, creating a

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widespread and severe public health crisis. This act will establish the first green justice zone, a

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model which may be replicated in future years to ensure that all communities throughout the state

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have clean air and clean water.

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     42-17.11-3. Definitions.

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     As used in this chapter:

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     (1) "Additional environmental remediation project" means the item in the list of available

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environmental remediation projects which received fewer votes than the selected environmental

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remediation project, but more votes than every other item in the list of available environmental

 

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remediation projects, during the most recent environmental justice referendum.

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     (2) "Available environmental remediation projects" means the list of environmental

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remediation projects enumerated in § 42-17.11-17.

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     (3) "Board" means the board of the green justice zone.

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     (4) "Census block group" means a geographic region identified as and referred to as a

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"census block group" by the United States Census Bureau in the 2010 census.

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     (5) "Census tract" means a geographic region identified as and referred to as a "census

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tract" by the United States Census Bureau in the 2010 census.

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     (6) "Chemical manufacturing plant" means a facility that produces or processes chemicals

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for wholesale or retail distribution.

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     (7) "Chemical storage facility" means a facility that stores chemicals which are intended

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for wholesale or retail distribution.

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     (8) "Community meetings" means the series of community meetings described in § 42-

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17.11-18.

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     (9) "Employment administrator" means the employment administrator appointed by the

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board, as provided in § 42-17.11-6.

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     (10) "Environmental justice referendum" means the referendum described in § 42-17.11-

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19.

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     (11) "Environmental remediation workers" means workers who work on the selected

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environmental remediation project or the additional environmental remediation project within the

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green justice zone, including employees, contractors, and subcontractors.

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     (12) "Fossil fuel" means fuel composed of or derived from coal, petroleum, oil, natural gas,

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oil shales, bitumens, or tar sands.

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     (13) "Fossil fuel storage facility" means a facility that stores fossil fuel for wholesale

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distribution.

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     (14) "Green justice zone" means the special district encompassing the geographic area

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specified in § 42-17.11-4.

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     (15) "Green justice zone permit" means the permit created in § 42-17.11-12.

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     (16) "Green justice zone permit applicant" means any corporation, business, firm,

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partnership, or individual who has submitted a green justice zone permit application.

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     (17) "Green justice zone permit application" means the application to receive a green

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justice zone permit, as described in § 42-17.11-13.

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     (18) "Green justice zone program" means the cumulative entirety of all the laws, rules,

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regulations, prohibitions, duties, and obligations prescribed in this chapter, including, but not

 

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limited to, the requirement that industrial facilities receive an operating permit to operate within a

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green justice zone, the requirement that the board organize a series of community meetings, and

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the requirement that the Rhode Island secretary of state organize the environmental justice

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referendum.

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     (19) "Industrial facility" means any land, any building or other improvement, and all real

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and personal property which is designed to be used or routinely is used for industrial,

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manufacturing, wholesale commercial product distribution, wholesale commercial product

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transportation, wholesale commercial product storage, or wholesale commercial product

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warehousing purposes. Any residential building including, but not limited to, a condominium, a

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single-family housing unit, a multifamily housing unit, an apartment complex, a public housing

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project, and a residential shelter shall not be considered to be an industrial facility for the purposes

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of this chapter. Any building with the primary purpose or use of providing medical treatment, health

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care, medicine, pharmaceutical drugs, physical therapy, massage therapy, psychiatry, or

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psychotherapy to patients shall not be considered to be an industrial facility for the purposes of this

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chapter. Any educational facility, including a school, university, tutoring center, or continuing

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education center shall not be considered to be an industrial facility for the purposes of this chapter.

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Any gym, recreational center, park, museum, gallery, or library shall not be considered to be an

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industrial facility for the purposes of this chapter. Any retail store shall not be considered to be an

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industrial facility for the purposes of this chapter. Any restaurant, grocery store, convenience store,

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food pantry, or gas station shall not be considered to be an industrial facility for the purpose of this

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chapter. Any place of religious worship or observance including, but not limited to, a mosque,

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synagogue, temple, or church shall not be considered to be an industrial facility for the purpose of

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this chapter. Any building designed for the purpose of transporting, shipping, or receiving solar

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panels, solar panel components, wind turbines, wind turbine components, electric rechargeable

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batteries, electric rechargeable battery components, or any other item or product related to

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renewable energy production or storage shall not be considered to be an industrial facility for the

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purpose of this chapter. Any land, any building or other improvement, and all real and personal

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property shall be considered to be an industrial facility if it is used as:

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     (i) An electric power plant that produces electricity by combusting any fossil fuel;

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     (ii) A waste storage facility;

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     (iii) A toxic material storage facility;

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     (iv) A fossil fuel storage facility, excluding gas stations which sell gas only at the retail

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level for use in automobiles, and excluding facilities that store fossil fuels that are used exclusively

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for transporting wholesale goods, including, but not limited to, into the port of Providence and out

 

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of the port of Providence;

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     (v) A fossil fuel production facility;

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     (vi) A fossil fuel refinery;

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     (vii) A chemical manufacturing plant;

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     (viii) A chemical storage facility;

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     (ix) A commercial manufacturing facility;

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     (x) A scrap metal storage facility;

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     (xi) A scrap metal processing facility;

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     (xii) A cement, concrete, or asphalt storage facility;

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     (xiii) A cement, concrete, or asphalt processing facility;

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     (xiv) A cement, concrete, or asphalt production facility;

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     (xv) An incinerator including, but not limited to, a medical waste incinerator;

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     (xvi) A resource recovery facility;

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     (xvii) A combustor;

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     (xviii) A transfer station or other solid waste facility;

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     (xix) A landfill, including, but not limited to, a landfill that accepts ash, construction debris,

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demolition debris, or solid waste; or

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     (xx) A recycling facility capable of receiving twenty (20) tons or more of recyclable

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material per day.

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     (20) "Office of employee benefits" means the office of employee benefits of the State of

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Rhode Island.

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     (21) "Renewable energy" means energy produced by wind turbines, solar panels, tidal

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power plants, hydroelectric installations, and geothermal heat.

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     (22) "Selected environmental remediation project" means the item in the list of available

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environmental remediation projects which received the most votes during the most recent

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environmental justice referendum.

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     (23) "Treasurer" means the treasurer appointed by the board, as provided in § 42-17.11-6.

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     (24) "Zone resident" means any registered voter living within the green justice zone.

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     42-17.11-4. Establishment of the green justice zone.

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     (a) It is hereby created a special district to be known as the "green justice zone."

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     (b) The area encompassed by the following census block groups from the 2010 census, and

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no others, shall collectively constitute the green justice zone:

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     (1) Census Tract 1.01, Block Group 1, Providence County, Rhode Island;

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     (2) Census Tract 1.01, Block Group 2, Providence County, Rhode Island;

 

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     (3) Census Tract 1.01, Block Group 3, Providence County, Rhode Island;

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     (4) Census Tract 1.01, Block Group 4, Providence County, Rhode Island;

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     (5) Census Tract 1.02, Block Group 1, Providence County, Rhode Island;

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     (6) Census Tract 1.02, Block Group 2, Providence County, Rhode Island;

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     (7) Census Tract 1.02, Block Group 3, Providence County, Rhode Island;

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     (8) Census Tract 4, Block Group 1, Providence County, Rhode Island;

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     (9) Census Tract 4, Block Group 2, Providence County, Rhode Island;

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     (10) Census Tract 4, Block Group 3, Providence County, Rhode Island;

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     (11) Census Tract 4, Block Group 4, Providence County, Rhode Island;

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     (12) Census Tract 5, Block Group 1, Providence County, Rhode Island;

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     (13) Census Tract 5, Block Group 2, Providence County, Rhode Island;

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     (14) Census Tract 5, Block Group 3, Providence County, Rhode Island;

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     (15) Census Tract 6, Block Group 1, Providence County, Rhode Island;

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     (16) Census Tract 6, Block Group 2, Providence County, Rhode Island;

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     (17) Census Tract 7, Block Group 1, Providence County, Rhode Island;

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     (18) Census Tract 7, Block Group 2, Providence County, Rhode Island; and

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     (19) Census Tract 7, Block Group 3, Providence County, Rhode Island.

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     42-17.11-5. Green justice zone board.

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     (a) The board of the green justice zone shall consist of five (5) board members.

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     (b) All functions, services, and duties of the green justice zone shall be carried out by the

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board, including:

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     (1) With regard to the operations, maintenance, and management of the green justice zone

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program; and

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     (2) With regard to the employees employed to complete work related to the green justice

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zone program.

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     (c) Three (3) members of the board shall constitute a quorum and a vote of three (3)

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members shall be necessary for any action taken by the board.

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     (d) All meetings of the board shall be subject to chapter 46 of title 42 ("open meetings

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act").

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     42-17.11-6. Election of the green justice zone board.

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     (a) Five (5) months after the enactment of this chapter, and every two (2) years thereafter,

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there shall be an election by ballot, organized by the Rhode Island secretary of state, to elect the

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board of the green justice zone. The five (5) candidates who receive the highest number of votes in

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the election shall be elected to the board.

 

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     (b) All registered voters who reside within the green justice zone shall be eligible to vote

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in an election to elect the board of the green justice zone.

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     (c) Zone residents shall be permitted to cast an in-person ballot, cast an absentee ballot, or

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cast a mail-in ballot, in the election of the board of the green justice zone, and shall not be required

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to provide a reason for casting an in-person ballot, casting an absentee ballot, or casting a mail-in

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ballot.

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     (d) Only registered voters who reside within the green justice zone shall be eligible to vote,

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in an election to elect the board of the green justice zone.

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     (e) No individual shall be eligible to be a board member of the green justice zone unless

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they have been continuously a resident of the green justice zone for the past five (5) years,

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     (f) A board member of the green justice zone shall, at all times, be a resident of the green

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justice zone for the entirety of the time that they serve as a board member.

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     (g) Board members shall receive an annual salary equivalent to one hundred forty percent

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(140%) of the statewide per capita income as determined by the United States Census Bureau.

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     (h) The board shall ensure that each board member receives health insurance and dental

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insurance.

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     (i) The board shall elect a treasurer to perform the dates specified in this chapter.

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     42-17.11-7. Appointment of employees.

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     (a) The board shall appoint an employment administrator, who shall be the appointing

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authority for all employees of the board.

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     (b) The employment administrator may hire employees and contractors to carry out tasks

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pertaining to the mission, purpose, and duties of the green justice zone or to perform administrative

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or custodial tasks for the green justice zone. The employment administrator may dismiss employees

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and contractors.

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     (c) The board may dismiss an employment administrator at any time and for any lawful

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reason.

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     (d) The employment administrator shall make all feasible, appropriate, and lawful efforts

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to ensure diversity among the employees of the board, including with regard to race, color, national

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origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, military status

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as a veteran with an honorable discharge or an honorable or general administrative discharge,

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servicemember in the armed forces, country of ancestral origin, disability, age, housing status,

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familial status, or immigration status.

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     42-17.11-8. Compensation of employees.

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     The employment administrator shall determine annual compensation and benefits for all

 

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employees, contractors, and subcontractors of the board; provided that, no employee, contractor,

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or subcontractor earns less than one hundred forty percent (140%) of the statewide per capita

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income as determined by the United States Census Bureau; and provided that, every employee shall

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also receive health insurance, dental insurance, at least two (2) weeks of paid vacation time, and at

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least one paid sick day off of work, for every twenty (20) days in which they work more than six

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(6) hours.

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     42-17.11-9. Powers of the board.

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     The board shall have the authority to promulgate rules and regulations, levy fines,

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adjudicate administrative cases, or take any other lawful action in order to achieve any purpose of

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the green justice zone program. The board may delegate these powers.

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     42-17.11-10. Offices of department.

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     The department of administration shall furnish the board with offices in which to transact

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its business and keep its records. The offices shall be open for business each day of the year, except

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Sundays and legal holidays, during such hours as may be prescribed by the board. The department

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of administration shall make all feasible and appropriate efforts to ensure that the offices furnished

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to the board are within the green justice zone, as defined by § 42-17.11-3.

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     42-17.11-11. Receipt and use of funds.

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     (a) The board shall have the authority to receive and expend monies from any sources,

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public or private, including, but not limited to, legislative enactments, bond issues, devises, grants,

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or bequests. The board is authorized to enter into any contracts necessary to obtain and expend

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those funds.

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     (b) The board shall appoint a treasurer to receive and expend monies, and to enter into any

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contracts necessary to obtain and expend funds. The treasurer shall be a full-time employee.

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     (c) The board may dismiss a treasurer at any time and for any lawful reason.

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     42-17.11-12. Creation of green justice zone permits.

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     (a) There is hereby created a new license called a green justice zone permit.

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     (b) Only the board shall have the power to issue a green justice zone permit. The board

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may not delegate the power to issue a green justice zone permit.

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     42-17.11-13. Creation of green justice zone permit application.

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     (a) The board shall create an application, called a green justice zone permit application,

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with which corporations, businesses, firms, partnerships, or individuals, may apply for a green

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justice zone permit.

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     (b) The green justice zone permit application shall require green justice zone permit

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applicants to:

 

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     (1) Provide the name of the corporation, business, firm, partnership, or individual,

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submitting the green justice zone permit application;

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     (2) Specify the industrial facility for which the green justice zone permit applicant seeks a

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green justice zone permit;

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     (3) Specify the commercial purpose of the industrial facility; and

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     (4) Provide the full address of the industrial facility.

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     (c) The green justice zone permit application shall be easily and conveniently accessible to

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corporations, businesses, firms, partnerships, or individuals who own industrial facilities within the

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green justice zone.

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     (d) The board shall create a system through which a green justice zone permit application

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can be submitted.

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     (e) A green justice zone permit application which has been returned to the board shall be

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made publicly accessible on the website of the board, no later than fourteen (14) calendar days after

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the board receives the green justice zone permit application.

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     42-17.11-14. Requirement to possess a green justice zone permit.

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     December 1, 2023, it shall be illegal to operate any industrial facility within the green

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justice zone, unless that industrial facility has been granted a green justice zone permit.

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     42-17.11-15. Approval and denial of green justice zone permits.

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     (a) The board shall not grant a green justice zone permit for any industrial facility that is

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used as:

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     (1) An electric power plant that produces electricity by combusting any fossil fuel;

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     (2) A waste storage facility;

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     (3) A toxic material storage facility;

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     (4) A fossil fuel storage facility, excluding gas stations which sell gas only at the retail

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level for use in automobiles and excluding sites that store fossil fuels that are used exclusively for

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transporting goods or other items into the port of Providence or out of the port of Providence;

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     (5) A fossil fuel production facility;

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     (6) A fossil fuel refinery;

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     (7) A chemical manufacturing plant;

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     (8) A chemical storage facility;

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     (9) A commercial manufacturing facility;

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     (10) A scrap metal storage facility;

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     (11) A scrap metal processing facility;

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     (12) A cement, concrete, or asphalt storage facility;

 

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     (13) A cement, concrete, or asphalt processing facility;

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     (14) A cement, concrete, or asphalt production facility;

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     (15) An incinerator including, but not limited to, a medical waste incinerator;

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     (16) A resource recovery facility;

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     (17) A combustor;

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     (18) A transfer station or other solid waste facility;

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     (19) A landfill including, but not limited to, a landfill that accepts ash, construction debris,

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demolition debris, or solid waste;

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     (20) A scrap metal recycling facility capable of receiving five (5) tons or more of recyclable

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material per day; or

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     (21) A wood recycling facility capable of receiving five (5) tons or more of recyclable

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material per day.

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     (b) The board shall issue a green justice zone permit for any industrial facility with a

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purpose or type not enumerated in § 42-17.11-15(a), within forty-five (45) days of receiving the

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green justice zone permit application.

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     42-17.11-16. Fines and penalties.

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     (a) Every individual day in which any corporation, business, firm, partnership, or

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individual operates an industrial facility, which has not received a green justice zone permit in the

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green justice zone, in violation of § 42-17.11-14, shall count as an environmental justice violation.

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     (b) The board shall fine any corporation, business, firm, partnership, or individual one

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million dollars ($1,000,000) for each environmental justice violation, no later than ten (10) days

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from the day on which the environmental justice violation occurred. The entirety of the money

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collected from these fines shall be held in a restricted funds account, to be used exclusively by the

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treasurer for the selected environmental remediation project or the additional environmental

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remediation project.

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     42-17.11-17. Available environmental remediation projects within the green justice

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zone.

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     The following items constitute the full and complete list of available environmental

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remediation projects:

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     (1) Improving ventilation and air filtration in residential homes and residential buildings

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within the green justice zone;

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     (2) Installing photovoltaic solar panels on residential homes and residential buildings

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within the green justice zone;

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     (3) Retrofitting residential homes and residential buildings within the green justice zone to

 

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improve their energy efficiency;

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     (4) Replacing lead service pipes connected to residential homes and residential buildings

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within the green justice zone;

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     (5) Lead abatement in soil or paint, within the green justice zone;

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     (6) Cleaning up pollution, within the green justice zone; and

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     (7) Cultivating public green spaces, within the green justice zone.

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     42-17.11-18. Community meetings and discussion.

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     (a) Between the enactment of this chapter and the zone referendum, the board shall

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organize no fewer than six (6) community meetings, in which zone residents shall have the

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opportunity to discuss the zone referendum and the relative merits of different options within the

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available environmental remediation projects. The final community meeting must take place within

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eight (8) months of the enactment of this chapter.

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     (b) The board shall provide a clean, well-lit venue easily accessible to zone residents for

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the community meetings. The treasurer shall pay the full and complete cost of securing the venue,

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as well as any reasonable transportation expenses incurred by zone residents traveling to the venue.

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     (c) The board shall ensure that each community meeting, has at least one translator capable

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of translating between English and any other language spoken by at least ten percent (10%) of the

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Rhode Island population, as determined by the United States Census Bureau. The translator shall

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receive an hourly wage that is not less than the quotient of one divided by one thousand nine

20

hundred and twenty (1/1,920), multiplied by one hundred forty percent (140%) of the statewide per

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capita income, as calculated by the United States Census Bureau, and not more than the quotient

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of one divided by one thousand nine hundred and twenty (1/1,920), multiplied by one hundred and

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eighty percent (180%) of the statewide per capita income, as calculated by the United States Census

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Bureau. The treasurer shall pay the full and complete cost of the translator's fee.

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     (d) Zone residents shall not be charged for any costs related to organizing a community

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meeting.

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     (e) Zone residents shall receive no less than twenty dollars ($20.00) and no more than

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twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for each hour that they spend attending a community meeting.

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     (f) The board shall ensure that each community meeting includes nutritious food and clean

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drinking water, freely available to all zone residents, in attendance at the community meeting.

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     42-17.11-19. Environmental justice referendum.

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     (a) The Rhode Island secretary of state of shall organize and conduct a referendum by

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ballot, which shall be known as the environmental justice referendum, to take place fourteen (14)

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days after the final community meeting.

 

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     (b) Zone residents shall be permitted to cast an in-person ballot, cast an absentee ballot, or

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cast a mail-in ballot in the environmental justice referendum, and shall not be required to provide

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a reason for casting an in-person ballot, casting an absentee ballot, or casting a mail-in ballot.

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     (c) Only zone residents shall be eligible to vote in the environmental justice referendum.

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     (d) The environmental justice referendum ballot shall present the full list of available

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environmental remediation projects, from which each voter shall select exactly one.

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     (e) The total number of votes received by each item on the list of available environmental

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remediation projects during the referendum shall be made publicly available within ten (10) days

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of the environmental justice referendum.

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     42-17.11-20. Implementation of environmental remediation projects.

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     (a) The selected environmental remediation project shall be implemented by the board, as

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promptly as possible after the environmental justice referendum.

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     (b) The treasurer shall pay the complete costs of completing the selected environmental

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remediation project and, if applicable, any additional environmental remediation project.

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     (c) If, after fully completing the selected environmental remediation project, the treasurer

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has remaining funds earmarked for the green justice zone program, the treasurer shall use the

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remaining funds to implement or partially implement an additional environmental remediation

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project. None of the environmental remediation projects enumerated in §§ 42-17.11-17(1) through

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42-17.11-17(4), inclusive, shall be considered complete, unless they have been offered to every

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residential homeowner and every residential building owner within the green justice zone.

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     (d) In order to implement the selected environmental remediation project or any additional

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environmental remediation projects, the employment administrator may hire environmental

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remediation workers.

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     42-17.11-21. Labor standards.

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     (a) The employment administrator shall ensure that all environmental remediation workers,

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including contractors, subcontractors, and employees of the board, receive an hourly wage that is

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not less than the equivalent of one divided by one thousand nine hundred and twenty (1/1,920),

28

multiplied by one hundred forty percent (140%) of the statewide per capita income, as calculated

29

by the United States Census Bureau, and not more than the equivalent of one divided by one

30

thousand nine hundred and twenty (1/1,920), multiplied by one hundred eighty percent (180%) of

31

the statewide per capita income, as calculated by the United States Census Bureau.

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     (b) The employment administrator shall ensure that all environmental remediation workers

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receive health insurance, dental insurance, and at least one paid sick day off of work for every

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twenty (20) days in which they work more than four (4) hours.

 

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     (c) The board must provide all environmental remediation workers, with at least one total

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hour of paid time off each day; provided that, the environmental remediation worker is working

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more than five (5) hours in that day. The one hour may be divided into separate segments.

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     (d) The employment administrator shall establish a detailed and generous worker injury

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compensation plan, to fairly compensate all environmental remediation workers who are injured

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while working; provided that, they were injured while engaging in activities that they could be

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reasonably expected to engage in, in furtherance of the work that they were hired by the

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employment administrator to complete. The worker injury compensation plan shall apply

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identically to employees of the board, contractors, and subcontractors.

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     42-17.11-22. Employment prioritization.

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     (a) When hiring employees, hiring contractors, awarding contracts, designing project labor

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agreements, promulgating rules and regulations, and enforcing rules and regulations, the board

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shall:

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     (1) Prioritize, to the greatest extent feasible, lawful, and appropriate, in the judgment of the

15

board, providing employment to workers who are enrolled in or who were enrolled in the just

16

transition program administered by the department of labor and training, pursuant to § 42-16.1-21;

17

     (2) Prioritize, to the greatest extent feasible, lawful, and appropriate, in the judgment of the

18

board, hiring individuals who are zone residents; and

19

     (3) Maximize, to the greatest extent feasible, lawful, and appropriate, racial and gender

20

equity within the hiring processes for projects involving the green justice zone program.

21

     (b) Contractors, subcontractors, firms, corporations, partnerships, and all other entities

22

working under contract with the board shall, at all times, make good faith efforts to promote

23

workforce diversity for projects involving the green justice zone program, including with regard to

24

race and gender. If the board determines that a contractor, subcontractor, firm, corporation,

25

partnership, or other entity is not making good faith efforts to achieve workforce diversity, the

26

director may prohibit that entity from bidding on contracts or being awarded contracts involving

27

the green justice zone program, for two (2) years.

28

     42-17.11-23. Consent required.

29

     The board shall not perform any environmental remediation project on a residential home,

30

without that homeowner's informed consent, nor shall the board change or modify a residential

31

home, install anything on a residential home, or remove anything from a residential home as part

32

of an environmental remediation project without obtaining the homeowner's informed consent.

33

     42-17.11-24. Severability.

34

     (a) If any provision of this chapter is held invalid, the remainder of this chapter shall not

 

LC005139 - Page 12 of 42

1

be affected thereby.

2

     (b) If the application of any provision of this chapter to any person or circumstance is held

3

invalid, the application of such provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected

4

thereby.

5

     SECTION 2. Title 42 of the General Laws entitled "STATE AFFAIRS AND

6

GOVERNMENT" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter:

7

CHAPTER 17.12

8

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ACT

9

     42-17.12-1. Short title.

10

     This act may be known and shall be cited as the "Environmental Justice Act."

11

     42-17.12-2. Legislative findings.

12

     (a) The government of Rhode Island has an affirmative duty to ensure that every resident

13

of the state has clean air and clean water.

14

     (b) Any communities in the state do not have clean air and clean water, creating a

15

widespread and severe public health crisis.

16

     42-17.12-3. Definitions.

17

     As used in this chapter:

18

     (1) "Administrator" means the administrator of the department of environmental

19

management.

20

     (2) "Air pollutant" means:

21

     (i) Anything that is considered an "air contaminant" under § 23-23-3; or

22

     (ii) Anything that is considered an "air pollutant" under the federal clean air act, pursuant

23

to 42 U.S. Code § 7602 et seq.

24

     (3) "Census tract" means a geographic region identified and referred to as a "census tract"

25

by the United States Census Bureau in the 2010 census.

26

     (4) "Chemical manufacturing plant" means a facility that produces or processes chemicals

27

for wholesale or retail distribution.

28

     (5) "Chemical storage facility" means a facility that stores chemicals which are intended

29

for wholesale or retail distribution.

30

     (6) "Cumulative impact permit" means the permit described in § 42-17.12-5.

31

     (7) "Cumulative impact permit applicant" means any corporation, business, firm,

32

partnership, or individual who has submitted a cumulative impact permit application

33

     (8) "Overburdened community" means any census tract in Rhode Island that:

34

     (i) Is at or above the seventy-fifth statewide percentile for at least three (3) of the following

 

LC005139 - Page 13 of 42

1

environmental indicators on the most recent available United States Environmental Protection

2

Agency's assessment:

3

     (A) PM 2.5;

4

     (B) Ozone;

5

     (C) NATA Diesel PM;

6

     (D) NATA Cancer Risk;

7

     (E) NATA respiratory hazard index;

8

     (F) Traffic proximity;

9

     (G) Lead paint indicator;

10

     (H) Superfund proximity;

11

     (I) Risk management plan facilities proximity;

12

     (H) Hazardous waste proximity; and

13

     (K) Wastewater discharge indicator.

14

     (9) "Polluting facility" means any:

15

     (i) Major stationary source of air pollution, as defined by the federal clean air act, 42 U.S.

16

Code § 7401 et seq.;

17

     (ii) Resource recovery facility;

18

     (iii) Incinerator;

19

     (iv) Sludge processing facility;

20

     (v) Combustor;

21

     (vi) Incinerator;

22

     (vii) Sewage treatment plant with a capacity of more than one million (1,000,000) gallons

23

per day;

24

     (viii) Transfer station or other solid waste facility;

25

     (ix) Recycling facility capable of receiving one hundred (100) tons or more of recyclable

26

material per day;

27

     (x) Scrap metal facility;

28

     (xi) Landfill; including a landfill that accepts ash, construction debris, demolition debris,

29

or solid waste;

30

     (xii) Medical waste incinerator;

31

     (xiii) Concentrated animal feeding operation; or

32

     (ix) Chemical manufacturing plant.

33

     (10) Has a median household income, as calculated by the United States Census Bureau,

34

that is no greater than eighty percent (80%) of the statewide median household income, as

 

LC005139 - Page 14 of 42

1

calculated by the United States Census Bureau.

2

     42-17.12-4. Environmental burden list.

3

     (a) On or before January 31, 2023, the department of environmental management shall

4

develop, post, and maintain a complete and comprehensive list, known as the environmental burden

5

list, on its website of all census tracts that are overburdened communities.

6

     (b) The department of environmental management shall update the environmental burden

7

list on its website at least once every year.

8

     42-17.12-5. Creation of the cumulative impact permit.

9

     The department of environmental management shall create a new permit called a

10

"cumulative impact permit."

11

     42-17.12-6. Requirement for a cumulative impact permit.

12

     Any corporation, business, firm, partnership or individual must receive a cumulative

13

impact permit from the department of environmental management for:

14

     (1) The construction of any polluting facility; or

15

     (2) The expansion of any existing polluting facility.

16

     42-17.12-7. Cumulative impact permit denial.

17

     The department of environmental management shall deny a cumulative impact permit for

18

the construction of a new polluting facility or the expansion of an existing polluting facility if that

19

polluting facility is located within an overburdened community or within one mile of an

20

overburdened community.

21

     42-17.12-8. Cumulative impact permit denial override.

22

     (a) If no fewer than twenty-five percent (25%) of the registered voters of an overburdened

23

community, sign a petition to the Rhode Island secretary of state asking them to organize a local

24

referendum on whether to grant a cumulative impact permit to a proposed polluting facility within

25

that overburdened community, the secretary of state shall organize such a referendum. Only

26

registered voters of any overburdened community, which is located within one mile of the polluting

27

facility, shall be permitted to vote in the local referendum. All registered voters of any

28

overburdened community, which is within one mile of the polluting facility, shall be permitted to

29

vote in the referendum. Before the referendum, the department of environmental management shall

30

prepare and issue a public report on the environmental effects and public health effects of the

31

proposed polluting facility.

32

     (b) Notwithstanding the requirement of § 42-17.12-7, the department of environmental

33

management may issue a cumulative impact permit for the construction of a new polluting facility

34

or the expansion of an existing polluting facility, that would be located within an overburdened

 

LC005139 - Page 15 of 42

1

community or within one mile of an overburdened community, if no fewer than sixty-six percent

2

(66%) of votes cast in a referendum support granting a cumulative impact permit to the polluting

3

facility.

4

     42-17.12-9. Additional conditions.

5

     As part of issuing a cumulative impact permit, the department of environmental

6

management may impose conditions on the construction and operation of a polluting facility, if the

7

administrator determines that those conditions will protect public health.

8

     42-17.12-10. Cumulative impact permit fee.

9

     The department of environmental management shall charge each cumulative impact permit

10

applicant, a fee to cover the entirety of the costs associated with the implementation of this section.

11

     42-17.12-11. Technical guidance and regulations.

12

     (a) The department of environmental management may issue and post on its website,

13

technical guidance for compliance with this chapter.

14

     (b) The department of environmental management shall adopt regulations to carry out this

15

chapter.

16

     42-17.12-12. Severability.

17

     (a) If any provision of this chapter is held invalid, the remainder of this chapter shall not

18

be affected thereby.

19

     (2) If the application of any provision of this chapter to any person or circumstance is held

20

invalid, the application of such provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected

21

thereby.

22

     SECTION 3. Sections 23-23-2, 23-23-3, 23-23-5, 23-23-5.2, 23-23-14 and 23-23-15 of the

23

General Laws in Chapter 23-23 entitled "Air Pollution" are hereby amended to read as follows:

24

     23-23-2. Declaration of policy.

25

     It is declared to be the public policy in the state of Rhode Island to preserve, protect, and

26

improve the air resources of the state to promote the public health, welfare, and safety, to prevent

27

injury or detriment to human, plant, and animal life, physical property and other resources, and to

28

improve the air quality and reduce airborne pollution, including to foster the comfort and

29

convenience of the state's inhabitants. The director is authorized to exercise all powers, direct or

30

incidental, necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter to assure that the state of Rhode Island

31

complies with and exceeds the requirements of the federal Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. § 7401 et seq.,

32

and retains maximum control under this chapter, and receives all desired federal grants, aid, and

33

other benefits.

34

     23-23-3. Definitions.

 

LC005139 - Page 16 of 42

1

     As used in this chapter, the following terms shall, where the context permits, be construed

2

as follows:

3

     (1) "Air contaminant" means soot, cinders, ashes, any dust, fumes, gas, mist, smoke, vapor,

4

odor, toxic or radioactive material, particulate matter, or any combination of these.

5

     (2) "Air pollution" means presence in the outdoor atmosphere of one or more air

6

contaminants in sufficient quantities that either alone or in connection with other emissions by

7

reason of their concentration and duration, may be injurious to human, plant, or animal life or cause

8

damage to property or unreasonably interfere with the enjoyment of life and property.

9

     (3) "Chemical manufacturing plant" means a facility that produces or processes chemicals

10

for wholesale or retail distribution.

11

     (4) "Chemical storage facility" means a facility that stores chemicals which are intended

12

for wholesale or retail distribution.

13

     (3)(5) "Director" means the director of environmental management or any subordinate or

14

subordinates to whom he or she has delegated the powers and duties vested in him or her by this

15

chapter.

16

     (4)(6) "Extremely toxic air contaminant" means any air contaminant that has been

17

classified as a potential carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC),

18

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration

19

(OSHA), National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), American Conference of

20

Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), or the National Toxicology Program (NTP); or any

21

air contaminant that induces mutagenic or teratogenic effects; or any air contaminant that, when

22

inhaled, has caused significant chronic adverse effects in test animals; or any air contaminant

23

having an acute toxicity of:

24

     (i) LD50 (oral) less than 500mg/kg;

25

     (ii) LD50 (inhalation) less than 2000ppm; or

26

     (iii) LD50 (dermal) less than 1000mg/kg;

27

     and/or has been adopted by the director pursuant to the provisions of chapter 35 of title 42.

28

In addition to the above, it may also include any hazardous air pollutant as defined in § 112(b) of

29

the federal Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. § 7412(b).

30

     (7) "Fossil fuel" means fuel composed of or derived from coal, petroleum, oil, natural gas,

31

oil shales, bitumens, or tar sands.

32

     (8) "Fossil fuel storage facility" means a facility that stores fossil fuel for wholesale

33

distribution.

34

     (5)(9) "Motor vehicle" means every vehicle that is self-propelled and every vehicle that is

 

LC005139 - Page 17 of 42

1

propelled by electric power obtained from overhead trolley wires, but not operated upon rails,

2

except vehicles moved exclusively by human power and motorized wheelchairs.

3

     (6)(10) "Open fire" means any fire from which the products of combustion are emitted

4

directly into the open air without passing through a stack or chimney.

5

     (7)(11) "Person" means an individual, trust, firm, joint stock company, corporation

6

(including a quasi-governmental corporation), partnership, association, syndicate, municipality,

7

municipal or state agency, fire district, club, non-profit agency or any subdivision, commission,

8

department, bureau, agency, or department of state or federal government (including quasi-

9

government corporation), or of any interstate body.

10

     (8)(12) "Manufactured, unwashed sand" means product resulting from the mechanical

11

crushing of rock, boulders, or large cobblestones that has a gradation of fifty percent (50%) or more

12

of coarse fraction passing the No. 4 sieve as referenced in the Standard Practice for Classification

13

of Soils for Engineering Purposes (Unified Soil Classification System) and American Society of

14

Testing and Materials Designations D-2487-06 which has not been subject to a mechanical process

15

(using water) that is designed to substantially remove fine fractions passing the No. 200 sieve.

16

     (13) "Polluting facility" means:

17

     (i) An electric power plant that produces electricity by combusting any fossil fuel;

18

     (ii) A waste storage facility;

19

     (iii) A toxic material storage facility;

20

     (iv) A fossil fuel storage facility, excluding gas stations which sell gas only at the retail

21

level for use in automobiles and excluding sites that store fossil fuels that are used exclusively for

22

transporting goods or other items into the port of Providence or out of the port of Providence;

23

     (v) A fossil fuel production facility;

24

     (vi) A fossil fuel refinery;

25

     (vii) A chemical manufacturing plant;

26

     (viii) A chemical storage facility;

27

     (ix) A commercial manufacturing facility;

28

     (x) A scrap metal storage facility;

29

     (xi) A scrap metal processing facility;

30

     (xii) A cement, concrete, or asphalt storage facility;

31

     (xiii) A cement, concrete, or asphalt processing facility;

32

     (ix) A cement, concrete, or asphalt production facility;

33

     (x) An incinerator, including, but not limited to, a medical waste incinerator;

34

     (xi) A resource recovery facility;

 

LC005139 - Page 18 of 42

1

     (xii) A combustor;

2

     (xiii) A transfer station or other solid waste facility;

3

     (xiv) A landfill, including, but not limited to, a landfill that accepts ash, construction debris,

4

demolition debris, or solid waste;

5

     (xv) A scrap metal recycling facility capable of receiving five (5) tons or more of recyclable

6

material per day; or

7

     (xvi) A wood recycling facility capable of receiving five (5) tons or more of recyclable

8

material per day.

9

     23-23-5. Powers and duties of the director.

10

     In addition to the other powers and duties granted in this chapter, the director shall have

11

and may exercise the following powers and duties:

12

     (1) To exercise general supervision of the administration and enforcement of this chapter

13

and all rules and regulations and orders promulgated under this chapter;

14

     (2) To develop comprehensive programs, for the prevention, control, and abatement of new

15

or existing pollution of the air resources of this state on the basis of air quality standards adopted

16

by the environmental standards board;

17

     (3) To advise, consult, and cooperate with the cities and towns and other agencies of the

18

state, federal government, and other states and interstate agencies, and with effective groups in

19

industries in furthering the purposes of this chapter;

20

     (4) To promulgate standards of air quality adopted by the environmental standards board;

21

     (5) To hold hearings, to issue notices of hearings and subpoenas requiring the attendance

22

of witnesses and the production of evidence, and to administer oaths and to take testimony as he or

23

she may deem necessary;

24

     (6) To encourage and conduct studies and research on air pollution and to collect and

25

disseminate this information;

26

     (7) To enter at all reasonable times in or upon any private or public property, except private

27

residences, and to detain and inspect any motor vehicle for the purpose of inspecting or

28

investigating any condition which the director shall believe to be either an air pollution source or

29

in violation of any of the rules or regulations or orders promulgated under this chapter;

30

     (8) To issue, modify, amend, or revoke any orders prohibiting or abating air pollution in

31

accordance with the purposes of this chapter and the rules and regulations promulgated under this

32

chapter. In making the orders authorized by this chapter, the director shall consider all relevant

33

factors including, but not limited to, population density, air pollution levels, and the character and

34

degree of injury to health or physical property;

 

LC005139 - Page 19 of 42

1

     (9) To accept, receive, and administer grants or other funds or gifts for the purpose of

2

carrying out any of the functions of this chapter including any moneys given under any federal law

3

to the state for air pollution control activities, surveys, or programs;

4

     (10) To require the prior submission and approval of plans, specifications, and other data

5

relative to the construction, installation, maintenance, and modification of air pollution control

6

systems, devices, or any of its parts, and to inspect the installations and modifications to insure

7

ensure compliance with the approved plans and to require approval to operate the system;

8

     (11) To require the prior submission and approval of plans, specifications, and other data

9

relative to the construction, installation, maintenance, or modification of any machine, equipment,

10

device, article, or facility capable of becoming a source of air pollution, subject to the promulgation

11

of rules and regulations under this chapter defining the classes and types of machines, equipment,

12

devices, articles, or facilities subject to this approval;

13

     (12) To make, issue, and amend rules and regulations consistent with this chapter for the

14

prevention, control, abatement, and limitation of air pollution, and the enforcement of orders issued

15

under this chapter. Those rules and regulations for the control of pollution need not be uniform

16

throughout the state. The director may prohibit emissions, discharges and/or releases from specific

17

persons, machines, facilities, devices, or any other sources of air contaminants and may also require

18

specific control technology. In addition, the director may regulate the emission characteristics of

19

all fuels used by stationary and mobile sources of air contaminants, provided, the specific control

20

technology and emission characteristics of fuels shall not be more less stringent than the mandatory

21

standards established by federal law or regulation, unless it can be shown that the control

22

technology and emission characteristics of fuels are needed for the attainment or maintenance of

23

air quality standards. Variations of the standards may be based on considerations of population

24

density, meteorological conditions, contaminant emissions, air quality, land development plans,

25

and any other factors that may be relevant to the protection of the air resources of the state;

26

     (13) To consult the board on the policies and plans for the control and prevention of air

27

pollution; The director may regulate the emission characteristics of all fuels used by mobile sources

28

of air contaminants; provided that, those regulations are consistent with the federal law and federal

29

regulation. Variations of the standards may be based on considerations of population density,

30

meteorological conditions, contaminant emissions, air quality, land development plans, and any

31

other factors that may be relevant to the protection of the air resources of the state;

32

     (14) To exercise all incidental powers necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter;

33

     (15) To require that an approval to operate be obtained for any machine, equipment, device,

34

article, or facility, or any source which is emitting any extremely toxic air contaminant of any air

 

LC005139 - Page 20 of 42

1

contaminant, subject to the promulgation of rules and regulations under this chapter defining the

2

categories and capacities of machines, equipment, devices, articles, or facilities subject to this

3

permission. Such regulations need not be uniform across the state. Any approval issued may set

4

forth inspection, monitoring, compliance certification and reporting requirements to assure

5

compliance with approval terms and conditions;

6

     (16) To require any person who owns or operates any machine, equipment, device, article,

7

or facility which has the potential to emit any air contaminant, or which is emitting any extremely

8

toxic air contaminant, to install, maintain, and use air pollution emission monitoring devices and to

9

submit periodic reports on the nature and amounts of air contaminant emission from the machine,

10

equipment, device, article, or facility;

11

     (17) To require, as a condition, to the grant of any approval, license, or permit required by

12

this chapter, that the person applying for an approval, license, or permit, first pay to the director a

13

reasonable fee based on the costs of reviewing and acting upon the application and based on the

14

costs of implementing and enforcing the terms of the approval, license, or permit;

15

     (18) In addition, the director shall collect an annual operating fee from sources subject to

16

the requirements of an approval to operate under this chapter and subject to the requirements of

17

title V of the Clean Air Amendments of 1990, 42 U.S.C. § 7661 et seq. The fee shall be calculated

18

by the director on a weight basis for pollutants actually emitted, after controls. This operating fee

19

shall be determined by regulation and shall be consistent with the fee required under 42 U.S.C. §

20

7661a(b)(3)(B). The operating fees collected shall not be in excess of the amount needed to cover

21

all reasonable (direct and indirect) costs required to develop and administer an operating permit

22

program pursuant to the requirements of title V, of the Clean Air Act amendments of 1990;

23

     (19) No person shall operate any machine, facility, or device which is subject to approval

24

or permit by the department without an approval or permit of the department. No source may

25

operate after an approval or permit has been denied. Any approval or permit issued under this

26

section may be suspended, revoked or amended by the director at any time upon a showing, after

27

notice and hearing, that the permittee has failed to comply with the provisions of this chapter, rules

28

and regulations promulgated by the director pursuant to this chapter, or the terms and conditions of

29

the approval or permit, or upon a showing, after notice and hearing, that the continued operation of

30

the approved or permitted source constitutes a threat to the health and safety of the public or to the

31

environment. In any proceeding for revocation, suspension, or amendment of an approval or permit

32

pursuant to this subsection, the director will provide the affected party with the opportunity for an

33

adequate hearing. No revocation, annulment, or withdrawal of any approval or permit is lawful

34

unless, the agency sent notice by mail to the permittee or possessor of an approval of the facts or

 

LC005139 - Page 21 of 42

1

conduct or violation which warrant the action, and the permittee or possessor of an approval is

2

given an opportunity at hearing to show compliance with all lawful requirements for the retention

3

of the license. If the agency finds that public health, safety, or welfare imperatively requires

4

emergency action, and incorporates a finding to that effect in its order, summary suspension of

5

approval or permit may be ordered pending proceedings for revocation or other action. These

6

proceedings shall be promptly instituted and determined;

7

     (20) No approval or permit required under this chapter shall be issued by the director if the

8

approval or permit contains provisions that are determined by the administrator of the

9

Environmental Protection Agency not to be in compliance with the requirements of the federal

10

Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C § 7401 et seq.). The administrator of the EPA shall provide a statement

11

of the reasons for the objection to the director. A copy of the objection and statement shall be

12

provided to the applicant. The director shall withhold the issuance of the approval or permit until

13

the applicant has successfully satisfied the concerns of the administrator of EPA or his or her

14

designee;

15

     (21) The department may establish a small business stationary source technical and

16

environmental compliance assistance program. The department may use general revenue funding

17

to cover the cost of administering this program. The department shall have the power to give grants,

18

and conduct educational and/or outreach programs;

19

     (22) To promulgate regulations to apply at the earliest to the 1993 model year and beyond,

20

relating to emission standards for new motor vehicles and new motor vehicle engines, warranties

21

for motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts, recall of motor vehicles, accreditation of motor vehicle

22

parts, and any other matters relating to the enforcement of these regulations, provided, the

23

regulations so promulgated shall not be more stringent than the mandatory standards established

24

by federal law or regulation, unless the regulations are needed for the attainment or maintenance

25

of air quality standards;

26

     (23) Nothing in this section shall allow the department to administer an inspection and

27

maintenance program for automobiles without approval of the general assembly;

28

     (24) In addition to the powers and duties enumerated in this section, the director shall have

29

all appropriate power to adopt rules, regulations, procedures, programs, and standards as mandated

30

by the authorization of the federal Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. § 7401 et seq.

31

     23-23-5.2. Mandamus.

32

     In the event that the director shall fail to issue the permit or deny the license then the

33

applicant or other interested person may petition the superior court to issue its writ of mandamus

34

ordering the director or some suitable person to immediately issue the license or denial. In the event

 

LC005139 - Page 22 of 42

1

that the director shall fail to revoke a license or permit, then any interested person may petition the

2

superior court to issue a writ of mandamus, ordering the director or some other appropriate person

3

to immediately revoke the license.

4

     23-23-14. Penalties.

5

     (a) Except as provided in subsection (f) of this section, any Any person who shall violate

6

an order of the director or any rule, regulation, or other program requirement, or permit, or approval,

7

or any of the prohibitions of this chapter shall be punished by an administrative or civil penalty of

8

not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000) and every person shall be deemed guilty of a separate

9

and distinct offense for each day during which the violation shall be repeated or continued.

10

     (b) The director or any agent or employee of the director or any person or his or her agent

11

who shall, except in the enforcement of this chapter or in the performance of official duties under

12

this chapter, disclose any information relating to secret processes or methods of manufacture or

13

production obtained in the course of inspecting or investigating any source or alleged source of air

14

pollution, or who shall violate § 23-23-13 shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished

15

by a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500).

16

     (c) Any person obstructing, hindering, or in any way causing to be obstructed or hindered,

17

the director or any agent or employee of the director in the performance of their duties or who shall

18

refuse to permit the director or any of his or her agents entrance into any premises, buildings, or

19

other places belonging to or controlled by that person in the performance of his or her duties, or

20

who shall refuse to furnish the information requested or to make a test provided for in this chapter

21

shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars ($500).

22

     (d) Any person convicted under the provisions of § 23-23-11 shall be punished by a fine

23

of not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or by imprisonment of one year, or both fine and

24

imprisonment, and every person shall be deemed guilty of a separate and distinct offense for each

25

day during which the violation shall be repeated or continued.

26

     (e) Any person who knowingly makes a false statement, representation, or certification in

27

any application, record, report, plan, permit, or document filed, maintained and used for purposes

28

under this chapter shall be guilty of a felony, and shall be punished by a fine of not more than ten

29

thousand dollars ($10,000) or by imprisonment of one year or both fine and imprisonment, and

30

every person shall be guilty of a separate and distinct offense for each day during which the

31

violation shall be repeated or continued.

32

     (f) Any person who violates an order, rule, or regulation, promulgated by the director

33

pursuant to § 23-23-32, shall be punished by an administrative or civil penalty of not less than

34

ninety thousand dollars ($90,000) and not more than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), and

 

LC005139 - Page 23 of 42

1

every person shall be deemed guilty of a separate and distinct offense for each day during which

2

the violation shall be repeated or continued. This civil penalty must be paid not more than fifteen

3

(15) days from the day on which the violation occurred.

4

     23-23-15. Variances.

5

     (a) Upon application and after a hearing, the director may suspend the enforcement of the

6

whole or any part of this chapter or of any rule or regulation promulgated under this chapter in the

7

case of any person who shall show that the enforcement of this chapter would constitute undue

8

hardship on that person without a corresponding benefit or advantage obtained by it; provided, that

9

no suspension shall be entered deferring compliance with a requirement of this chapter or the rules

10

and regulations promulgated under this chapter, unless that deferral is consistent with the provisions

11

and procedures of the federal Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. § 7401 et seq. No suspension shall be

12

entered deferring compliance with a requirement of this chapter created by regulations pursuant to

13

§ 23-23-32. No suspension shall be entered deferring compliance for any rule or regulation for an

14

industrial facility located within the area specified in § 23-23-32(a).

15

     (b) In determining under what conditions and to what extent the variance may be granted,

16

the director shall give due recognition to the progress which the person requesting the variance

17

shall have made in eliminating or preventing air pollution. In this case, the director shall consider

18

the reasonableness of granting a variance conditioned on the person's effecting a partial abatement

19

of the pollution or a progressive abatement of the pollution or any other circumstances that the

20

director may deem reasonable. No variance shall be granted to any person applying for it who is

21

causing air pollution which creates a danger to public health or safety.

22

     (c) Any variance granted under this chapter shall be granted for any period of time, not

23

exceeding one year, as the director shall specify, but any variance may be continued from year to

24

year. No variance shall be construed as to relieve the person receiving it from any liability imposed

25

by law for the commission or maintenance of a nuisance nor shall there be any appeal from a denial

26

of a variance.

27

     (d) Notwithstanding the limitations of this section, the director may, upon application, defer

28

compliance with the whole or any part of this chapter or of any rule or regulation promulgated

29

under this chapter where compliance is not possible because of breakdowns or malfunctions of

30

equipment, acts of God, or other unavoidable casualties; provided, that this order shall not defer

31

compliance for more than three (3) months.

32

     SECTION 4. Sections 46-12-1 and 46-12-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 46-12 entitled

33

"Water Pollution" are hereby amended to read as follows:

34

     46-12-1. Definitions.

 

LC005139 - Page 24 of 42

1

     As used in this chapter the following terms shall, where the context permits, be construed

2

as follows:

3

     (1) "Boat" means any vessel or water craft whether moved by oars, paddles, sails, or other

4

power mechanism, inboard or outboard, or any other vessel or structure floating upon the water

5

whether or not capable of self locomotion, including house boats, barges, and similar floating

6

objects.

7

     (2) "Chemical manufacturing plant" means a facility that produces or processes chemicals

8

for wholesale or retail distribution.

9

     (3) "Chemical storage facility" means a facility that stores chemicals which are intended

10

for wholesale or retail distribution.

11

     (2)(4) "Clean Water Act" refers to the federal law enacted under 33 U.S.C. § 1251 et seq.,

12

and all amendments thereto.

13

     (3)(5)(i) "Director" means the director of the department of environmental management or

14

any subordinate or subordinates to whom the director has delegated the powers and duties vested

15

in him or her by this chapter.

16

     (ii) Wherever reference is made in this chapter to any order of the director and the order

17

shall have been modified by the court, the order referred to shall be taken to be the order of the

18

director as so modified.

19

     (4)(6) "Discharge" means the addition of any pollutant to the waters from any point source.

20

     (5)(7) "Effluent limitation" means any restriction or prohibitions, established in accord

21

with the provisions of this chapter or under the federal Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. § 1251 et seq.,

22

on quantities, rates, and concentrations of chemical, physical, biological, radiological, and other

23

constituents which are discharged into the waters.

24

     (24)(8) "Eutrophication" means a reduction of dissolved oxygen from excessive plant

25

growth, chiefly algae, typically as an effect of increased nutrient loadings, to levels that impair the

26

viability of other aquatic life.

27

     (6)(9) "Fecal coliform bacteria" means organisms within the intestines of warm blooded

28

animals that indicate the presence of fecal material, and the potential presence of organisms capable

29

of causing disease in humans.

30

     (10) "Fossil fuel" means fuel composed of or derived from coal, petroleum, oil, natural gas,

31

oil shales, bitumens, or tar sands.

32

     (11) "Fossil fuel storage facility" means a facility that stores fossil fuel for wholesale

33

distribution.

34

     (7)(12) "Groundwaters" includes all underground waters of whatever nature.

 

LC005139 - Page 25 of 42

1

     (8)(13) "Marine Sanitation Device-Type I" means a marine toilet which, under prescribed

2

test conditions, will produce an effluent that will not exceed a fecal coliform bacteria count of one

3

thousand (1,000) parts per one hundred (100) milliliters and have no visible solids.

4

     (9)(14) "Marine Sanitation Device-Type II" means a marine toilet which, under prescribed

5

test conditions will produce an effluent that does not exceed a fecal coliform bacteria count of two

6

hundred (200) parts per one hundred (100) milliliters, and have suspended solids not greater than

7

one hundred and fifty (150) milligrams per liter.

8

     (10)(15) "Marine Sanitation Device-Type III" means a marine toilet which is designed to

9

prevent the discharge from the boat of any treated or untreated sewage, or any waste derived from

10

sewage.

11

     (11)(16) "Marine toilet" means any toilet on or within any boat as that term is defined

12

herein.

13

     (12)(17) "No discharge zone" means an environmentally sensitive area of the waters of the

14

state which has been declared by the department of environmental management pursuant to the

15

Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. § 1251 et seq., to be an area in which any discharge of sewage is

16

prohibited.

17

     (25)(18) "Nutrient" means organic materials and chemicals, including especially nitrogen

18

and phosphorous and their compounds, that are biologically reactive and necessary for life.

19

     (13)(19) "Person" includes an individual, trust, firm, joint stock company, corporation

20

(including a quasi government corporation) partnership, association, syndicate, municipality,

21

municipal or state agency, fire district, club, nonprofit agency, or any subdivision, commission,

22

department, bureau, agency, or department of state or federal government (including any quasi

23

government corporation) or of any interstate body.

24

     (14)(20) "Point source" means any discernible, confined, and discrete conveyance,

25

including, but not limited to, any pipe, ditch, channel, tunnel, conduit, well, discrete fissure,

26

container, rolling stock, concentrated animal feeding operation, or vessel or other floating craft

27

from which pollutants are or may be discharged. This term does not include return flows from

28

irrigated agriculture.

29

     (15)(21) "Pollutant" means any material or effluent which may alter the chemical, physical,

30

biological, or radiological characteristics and/or integrity of water, including, but not limited to,

31

dredged spoil, solid waste, incinerator residue, sewage, garbage, sewage sludge, munitions,

32

chemical wastes, biological materials, radioactive materials, heat, wrecked or discarded equipment,

33

cellar dirt or industrial, municipal, agricultural, or other waste petroleum or petroleum products,

34

including but not limited to oil.

 

LC005139 - Page 26 of 42

1

     (16) (22)"Polluting" means the causing of pollution.

2

     (17)(23) "Pollution" means the man made or man induced alteration of the chemical,

3

physical, biological, and radiological integrity of water.

4

     (18)(24) "Publicly owned treatment works" means any facility for the treatment of

5

pollutants owned by the state or any political subdivision thereof, municipality, or other public

6

entity, including any quasi government corporation.

7

     (19)(25) "Release" means any spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying,

8

injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping, or disposing of any pollutant into a surface water or

9

wetland, or onto or below the land surface.

10

     (20)(26) "Schedule of compliance" means a schedule of remedial measures including an

11

enforceable sequence of actions, or operations, leading to compliance with an effluent limitation or

12

any other limitation, prohibition, or standard.

13

     (21)(27) "Sewage" means fecal material and human waste, or wastes from toilets and other

14

receptacles intended to receive or retain body waste, and any wastes, including wastes from human

15

households, commercial establishments, and industries, and storm water runoff, that are discharged

16

to or otherwise enter a publicly owned treatment works.

17

     (22)(28) "Underground storage tank" means any one or combination of tanks (including

18

underground pipes connected thereto) which is used to contain an accumulation of petroleum

19

product or hazardous materials, and the volume of which (including the volume of the underground

20

pipes connected thereto) is ten percent (10%) or more beneath the surface of the ground.

21

     (23)(29) "Waters" includes all surface waters including all waters of the territorial sea,

22

tidewaters, all inland waters of any river, stream, brook, pond, or lake, and wetlands, as well as all

23

groundwaters.

24

     (27) "Polluting facility" means:

25

     (i) An electric power plant that produces electricity by combusting any fossil fuel;

26

     (ii) A waste storage facility;

27

     (iii) A toxic material storage facility;

28

     (iv) A fossil fuel storage facility, excluding gas stations which sell gas only at the retail

29

level for use in automobiles and excluding sites that store fossil fuels that are used exclusively for

30

transporting goods or other items into the port of Providence or out of the port of Providence;

31

     (v) A fossil fuel production facility;

32

     (vi) A fossil fuel refinery;

33

     (vii) A chemical manufacturing plant;

34

     (viii) A chemical storage facility;

 

LC005139 - Page 27 of 42

1

     (ix) A commercial manufacturing facility;

2

     (x) A scrap metal storage facility;

3

     (xi) A scrap metal processing facility;

4

     (xii) A cement, concrete, or asphalt storage facility;

5

     (xiii) A cement, concrete, or asphalt processing facility;

6

     (xiv) A cement, concrete, or asphalt production facility;

7

     (xv) An incinerator, including, but not limited to, a medical waste incinerator;

8

     (xvi) A resource recovery facility;

9

     (xvii) A combustor;

10

     (xviii) A transfer station or other solid waste facility;

11

     (xix) A landfill, including, but not limited to, a landfill that accepts ash, construction debris,

12

demolition debris, or solid waste;

13

     (xx) A scrap metal recycling facility capable of receiving five (5) tons or more of recyclable

14

material per day; or

15

     (xxi) A wood recycling facility capable of receiving five (5) tons or more of recyclable

16

material per day.

17

     46-12-3. Powers and duties of the director.

18

     In addition to the other powers granted the director of the department of environmental

19

management herein, the director shall have and may exercise the following powers and duties:

20

     (1) To exercise general supervision of the administration and enforcement of this chapter,

21

and all rules and regulations and orders promulgated hereunder;

22

     (2) To develop comprehensive programs for the prevention, control, and abatement of new

23

or existing pollution of the waters of this state;

24

     (3) To advise, consult, and cooperate with other agencies of the state, the federal

25

government, other states, and interstate agencies and with affected groups, political subdivisions,

26

and industries in the furtherance of the purposes of this chapter;

27

     (4) To accept and administer loans and grants from the federal government and from other

28

sources, public or private, for the carrying out of any of its functions, which loans and grants shall

29

not be expended for other than the purposes for which provided;

30

     (5) To encourage, participate in, or conduct studies, investigations, research, and

31

demonstrations relating to water pollution and its causes, prevention, control, and abatement

32

thereof, as he or she may deem advisable and necessary for the discharge of his or her duties under

33

this chapter;

34

     (6) To collect and disseminate information relating to water pollution and the prevention,

 

LC005139 - Page 28 of 42

1

control, and abatement thereof;

2

     (7) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (24) below, to promulgate standards of

3

water quality and to classify the waters of the state accordingly;

4

     (8) To administer state grants to municipalities and political subdivisions for the

5

construction of sewage treatment works;

6

     (9) To hold hearings, to issue notices of hearings and subpoenas requiring the attendance

7

of witnesses and the production of evidence, and to administer oaths and to take testimony, that he

8

or she may deem necessary;

9

     (10) To approve, pursuant to standards adopted by the environmental standards board, the

10

construction, modification, and operation of discharge systems or any parts thereof, and to require

11

the prior submission of plans, specifications, and other data relative to discharge systems and to

12

require that the plans, specifications, or other data be certified by a professional engineer registered

13

in Rhode Island, and to inspect the systems either under construction or in operation;

14

     (11) To issue a permit for the discharge of any pollutant or combination of pollutants or to

15

issue a general permit authorizing a category of discharges within a geographical area upon

16

conditions as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter and of the Clean Water

17

Act, 33 U.S.C. § 1251 et seq., which may include, but not be limited to, providing for specific

18

effluent limitations and levels of treatment technology, monitoring, recording, and reporting

19

standards, or to deny a permit or general permit;

20

     (12) To renew, revoke, modify, or suspend in whole or in part any permit, order, or

21

schedule of compliance pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, and any rules and regulations

22

promulgated thereunder;

23

     (13) To approve the discharge of pollutants into the waters of this state pursuant to all

24

applicable standards;

25

     (14) To require publicly owned treatment works to adopt and implement requirements

26

regarding the pretreatment of pollutants consistent with existing federal requirements, and to

27

require compliance by all persons with pretreatment requirements;

28

     (15) To issue such orders as may be necessary to prevent the unauthorized construction,

29

modification, or operation of discharge systems and the discharge of pollutants into the waters of

30

this state;

31

     (16) To require proper maintenance and operation of discharge systems;

32

     (17) To consult the advisory council on environmental affairs on the policies and plans for

33

the control and abatement of pollution;

34

     (18) To make, issue, amend, and revoke reasonable rules and regulations for the prevention,

 

LC005139 - Page 29 of 42

1

control, and abatement of pollution and the enforcement of orders issued hereunder, including

2

public notice and comment requirements. Such rules and regulations need not be uniform

3

throughout the state;

4

     (19) To exercise all incidental powers necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter;

5

     (20) To approve the operation of treatment facilities, pursuant to the provisions of chapters

6

3, 11, and 18 of title 44;

7

     (21) To promulgate and enforce rules and regulations to govern the location, design,

8

construction, maintenance, and operation of underground storage facilities used for storing

9

petroleum products or hazardous materials to prevent, abate, and remedy the discharge of petroleum

10

products and hazardous materials into the waters of the state; provided that all underground storage

11

tanks and associated piping installed after September 1, 1991, shall provide for secondary

12

containment in a manner approved by the director; and provided, that single-walled tanks and/or

13

piping installed prior to May 8, 1985, shall be permitted to remain in use until December 22, 2017,

14

and single-walled tanks and/or piping installed between May 8, 1985, and July 20, 1992, shall be

15

permitted to remain in use for thirty-two (32) years from the date of installation if the

16

owner/operator of the single-walled tank or piping performs an annual facility compliance

17

inspection to ensure structural integrity; and provided, further, that the installation of underground

18

storage tanks is prohibited at sites located within wellhead protection areas for community water

19

supply wells as designated by the director and consistent with chapter 13.1 of this title. This

20

prohibition shall not apply to the replacement or upgrading of existing underground storage tanks

21

installed prior to July 1, 1991, provided that such activity take place in accordance with all

22

applicable state and federal regulations. The department of environmental management shall by

23

January 1, 2011, develop recommendations for phasing out the stage II vapor recovery program

24

with the required removal of single-walled underground storage tanks in order to achieve the

25

objectives of both program efforts in a cost effective and efficient manner. The department of

26

environmental management shall report its findings to the chair of the house committee on

27

environment and natural resources and to the chair of the senate committee on environment and

28

agriculture on or before January 1, 2011;

29

     (22) To promulgate and enforce rules and regulations to govern the installation,

30

construction, operation, and abandonment of monitoring wells;

31

     (23) To promulgate and enforce rules and regulations to govern the location, design,

32

installation, operation and maintenance of subsurface disposal systems which receive the discharge

33

of pollutants and of subsurface containment systems, including underground storage tanks, used to

34

contain or control the discharge of pollutants below the ground surface.

 

LC005139 - Page 30 of 42

1

     (24) In connection with the dredging and transportation and disposal of dredge material, to

2

promulgate and adopt water quality standards that conform with the federal Environmental

3

Protection Agency's applicable water quality rules and regulations and guidelines, including, but

4

not limited to, the federal Environmental Protection Agency's rules and regulations and guidelines

5

for deviating from said standards. The department of environmental management shall also apply

6

the applicable standards and guidelines and adopt the procedures as set forth in the manual

7

identified as "Evaluation of Dredge Material for Purpose of Ocean Disposal. Testing Manual Put

8

Together by EPA and Army Corps of Engineers in February, 1991" and any amendments or

9

supplements or successor manuals thereto to the extent that the same are relevant to dredging,

10

transportation and/or disposal of dredge materials in tidal waters or any documents or manuals

11

approved by the federal Environmental Protection Agency relating to dredging, transportation

12

and/or disposal of dredge materials; and

13

     (25) To prepare and to submit to the governor, the speaker of the house, the president of

14

the senate, the chairperson of the house committee on environment and natural resources and the

15

chairperson of the senate committee on environment and agriculture, not later than February 1,

16

2005, a plan, including an implementation program with cost estimates, recommended sources of

17

funding, measurable goals, objectives, and targets and limitations for nutrient introduction into the

18

waters of the state, for the purposes of: (i) managing nutrient loadings and the effects of nutrients

19

in the waters of the state; and (ii) preventing and eliminating conditions of eutrophication.

20

     SECTION 5. Section 42-16.1-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-16.1 entitled

21

"Department of Labor and Training" is hereby amended to read as follows:

22

     42-16.1-2. Functions of director.

23

     The director of labor and training shall:

24

     (1) Have all the powers and duties formerly vested by law in the director of labor with

25

regard to factory inspectors and steam boiler inspectors, and such other duties as may be by law

26

conferred upon the department;

27

     (2) Administer the labor laws of this state concerning women and children and be

28

responsible for satisfactory working conditions of women and children employed in industry in this

29

state by a division in the department which shall be known as the division of labor standards;

30

     (3) Administer the act relating to state wage payment and wage collection;

31

     (4) Have all of the powers and duties formerly vested in the director of the department of

32

labor and administer those responsibilities set forth in chapters 29 -- 38, inclusive, of title 28;

33

     (5) Have all the powers and duties formerly vested by law in the director of employment

34

and training and administer those responsibilities set forth in chapters 39 -- 44, inclusive, of title

 

LC005139 - Page 31 of 42

1

28 and chapter 102 of title 42.

2

     (6) Provide to the department of administration any information, records or documents they

3

certify as necessary to investigate suspected misclassification of employee status, wage and hour

4

violations, or prevailing wage violations subject to their jurisdiction, even if deemed confidential

5

under applicable law, provided that the confidentiality of such materials shall be maintained, to the

6

extent required of the releasing department by any federal or state law or regulation, by all state

7

departments to which the materials are released and no such information shall be publicly disclosed,

8

except to the extent necessary for the requesting department or agency to adjudicate a violation of

9

applicable law. The certification must include a representation that there is probable cause to

10

believe that a violation has occurred. State departments sharing this information or materials may

11

enter into written agreements via memorandums of understanding to ensure the safeguarding of

12

such released information or materials.

13

     (7) Have the power to enter contracts, hire employees, hire contractors, promulgate rules

14

and regulations, levy fines, adjudicate administrative cases, or take any other lawful action in order

15

to administer the just transition program, pursuant to § 42-16.1-21.

16

     SECTION 6. Chapter 23-23 of the General Laws entitled "Air Pollution" is hereby

17

amended by adding thereto the following sections:

18

     23-23-32. Specific air contaminant regulations.

19

     (a) No later than the first day of November in the calendar year of 2023, the director shall

20

adopt regulations that shall apply only to polluting facilities in the area composed of the following

21

census block groups from the 2010 census:

22

     (1) Census Tract 1.01, Block Group 1, Providence County, Rhode Island;

23

     (2) Census Tract 1.01, Block Group 2, Providence County, Rhode Island;

24

     (3) Census Tract 1.01, Block Group 3, Providence County, Rhode Island;

25

     (4) Census Tract 1.01, Block Group 4, Providence County, Rhode Island;

26

     (5) Census Tract 1.02, Block Group 1, Providence County, Rhode Island;

27

     (6) Census Tract 1.02, Block Group 2, Providence County, Rhode Island;

28

     (7) Census Tract 1.02, Block Group 3, Providence County, Rhode Island;

29

     (8) Census Tract 4, Block Group 1, Providence County, Rhode Island;

30

     (9) Census Tract 4, Block Group 2, Providence County, Rhode Island;

31

     (10) Census Tract 4, Block Group 3, Providence County, Rhode Island;

32

     (11) Census Tract 4, Block Group 4, Providence County, Rhode Island;

33

     (12) Census Tract 5, Block Group 1, Providence County, Rhode Island;

34

     (13) Census Tract 5, Block Group 2, Providence County, Rhode Island;

 

LC005139 - Page 32 of 42

1

     (14) Census Tract 5, Block Group 3, Providence County, Rhode Island;

2

     (15) Census Tract 6, Block Group 1, Providence County, Rhode Island;

3

     (16) Census Tract 6, Block Group 2, Providence County, Rhode Island;

4

     (17) Census Tract 7, Block Group 1, Providence County, Rhode Island;

5

     (18) Census Tract 7, Block Group 2, Providence County, Rhode Island; and

6

     (19) Census Tract 7, Block Group 3, Providence County, Rhode Island.

7

     (b) The regulations created by the director under § 23-23-32(a), shall prohibit all industrial

8

facilities within the area specified in § 23-23-32(a) from emitting more than one pound (1 lb.) per

9

year of any of the following air pollutants:

10

     (1) Carbon monoxide;

11

     (2) Nitrogen dioxide;

12

     (3) Sulfur dioxide;

13

     (4) Lead;

14

     (5) Particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to a nominal ten

15

(10) micrometers, as measured by a method used by the administrator of the U.S. environmental

16

protection agency, to measure the size of particulate matter, pursuant to 42 U.S. Code § 7602;

17

     (6) Any air pollutant defined by the administrator of the U.S. environmental protection

18

agency as a "volatile organic compound" pursuant to 42. U.S. Code § 7412; and

19

     (7) Any air pollutant categorized by the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection

20

Agency as a "hazardous air pollutant" pursuant to 42. U.S. Code § 7412.

21

     (c) The director shall, as appropriate, amend or revoke any licenses or permits previously

22

provided to any industrial facilities to ensure that such facilities are in compliance with the emission

23

limits specified in this section and any regulations promulgated thereunder.

24

     (d) The director shall, as appropriate, amend Rhode Island's state implementation plan,

25

under the federal Clean Air Act, 42 U.S. Code § 7401 et seq., to reflect and incorporate the emission

26

limits specified in this section and any regulations promulgated thereunder.

27

     23-23-33. Severability.

28

     (a) If any provision of this chapter is held invalid, the remainder of this chapter shall not

29

be affected thereby.

30

     (b) If the application of any provision of this chapter to any person or circumstance is held

31

invalid, the application of such provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected

32

thereby.

33

     SECTION 7. Chapter 42-16.1 of the General Laws entitled "Department of Labor and

34

Training" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following sections:

 

LC005139 - Page 33 of 42

1

     42-16.1-20. Definitions.

2

     (a) For the purposes of § 42-16.1-21, "chemical manufacturing plant" means a facility that

3

produces or processes chemicals for wholesale or retail distribution.

4

     (b) For the purposes of § 42-16.1-21, "chemical storage facility" means a facility that stores

5

chemicals which are intended for wholesale or retail distribution.

6

     (c) For the purposes of § 42-16.1-21, "enrollee" means a just transition worker who is

7

enrolled in the just transition program.

8

     (d) For the purposes of § 42-16.1-21, "fossil fuel" means fuel composed of or derived from

9

coal, petroleum, oil, natural gas, oil shales, bitumens, or tar sands.

10

     (e) For the purposes of § 42-16.1-21, "fossil fuel storage facility" means a facility that

11

stores fossil fuel for wholesale distribution.

12

     (f) For the purposes of § 42-16.1-21, "just transition salary" means the just transition salary

13

received by enrollees, pursuant to § 42-16.1-21(i).

14

     (g) For the purposes of § 42-16.1-21, "just transition worker" means:

15

     (1) Any worker who is employed to work at, in, or with an industrial facility within the just

16

transition program zone for at least eight (8) hours per week, as determined by the director; and

17

     (2) Any worker who was formerly employed to work at, in, or with an industrial facility,

18

within the just transition program zone, for at least eight (8) hours per week, as determined by the

19

director, and who lost their job after the enactment of this section.

20

     (h) For the purposes of § 42-16.1-21, "Just Transition Program Zone" means the geographic

21

area composed of the following census block groups from the 2010 census:

22

     (1) Census Tract 1.01, Block Group 1, Providence County, Rhode Island;

23

     (2) Census Tract 1.01, Block Group 2, Providence County, Rhode Island;

24

     (3) Census Tract 1.01, Block Group 3, Providence County, Rhode Island;

25

     (4) Census Tract 1.01, Block Group 4, Providence County, Rhode Island;

26

     (5) Census Tract 1.02, Block Group 1, Providence County, Rhode Island;

27

     (6) Census Tract 1.02, Block Group 2, Providence County, Rhode Island;

28

     (7) Census Tract 1.02, Block Group 3, Providence County, Rhode Island;

29

     (8) Census Tract 4, Block Group 1, Providence County, Rhode Island;

30

     (9) Census Tract 4, Block Group 2, Providence County, Rhode Island;

31

     (10) Census Tract 4, Block Group 3, Providence County, Rhode Island;

32

     (11) Census Tract 4, Block Group 4, Providence County, Rhode Island;

33

     (12) Census Tract 5, Block Group 1, Providence County, Rhode Island;

34

     (13) Census Tract 5, Block Group 2, Providence County, Rhode Island;

 

LC005139 - Page 34 of 42

1

     (14) Census Tract 5, Block Group 3, Providence County, Rhode Island;

2

     (15) Census Tract 6, Block Group 1, Providence County, Rhode Island;

3

     (16) Census Tract 6, Block Group 2, Providence County, Rhode Island;

4

     (17) Census Tract 7, Block Group 1, Providence County, Rhode Island;

5

     (18) Census Tract 7, Block Group 2, Providence County, Rhode Island; and

6

     (19) Census Tract 7, Block Group 3, Providence County, Rhode Island.

7

     (i) For the purposes of § 42-16.1-21, "polluting facilities" means:

8

     (1) An electric power plant that produces electricity by combusting any fossil fuel;

9

     (2) A waste storage facility;

10

     (3) A toxic material storage facility;

11

     (4) A fossil fuel storage facility, excluding gas stations which sell gas only at the retail

12

level for use in automobiles and excluding sites that store fossil fuels that are used exclusively for

13

transporting goods or other items into the port of Providence or out of the port of Providence;

14

     (5) A fossil fuel production facility;

15

     (6) A fossil fuel refinery;

16

     (7) A chemical manufacturing plant;

17

     (8) A chemical storage facility;

18

     (9) A commercial manufacturing facility;

19

     (10) A scrap metal storage facility;

20

     (11) A scrap metal processing facility;

21

     (12) A cement, concrete, or asphalt storage facility;

22

     (13) A cement, concrete, or asphalt processing facility;

23

     (14) A cement, concrete, or asphalt production facility;

24

     (15) An incinerator, including, but not limited to, a medical waste incinerator;

25

     (16) A resource recovery facility;

26

     (17) A combustor;

27

     (18) A transfer station or other solid waste facility;

28

     (19) A landfill including, but not limited to, a landfill that accepts ash, construction debris,

29

demolition debris, or solid waste;

30

     (20) A scrap metal recycling facility capable of receiving five (5) tons or more of recyclable

31

material per day; or

32

     (21) A wood recycling facility capable of receiving five (5) tons or more of recyclable

33

material per day.

34

     42-16.1-21. Just transition unit established.

 

LC005139 - Page 35 of 42

1

     (a) There shall be within the department of labor and training a "just transition unit."

2

     (b) The just transition unit shall establish the just transition program.

3

     (c) The purposes of the just transition program shall be to:

4

     (1) Organize, coordinate, and finance job retraining for just transition workers, in order to

5

equip them with the skills necessary to obtain high-paying jobs in environmentally sustainable

6

industries; and

7

     (2) Compensate just transition workers for participating in job retraining programs and

8

provide them with a just transition salary while they search for a new job.

9

     (d) All just transition workers shall be eligible to enroll in the just transition program.

10

     (e) All enrollees shall be offered job training. The department of labor and training shall

11

pay for the full and complete cost of the job training they receive under the just transition program,

12

and enrollees shall not be charged for any portion of the training.

13

     (f) All job training offered to a just transition worker under the just transition program shall

14

be designed to:

15

     (1) Qualify a just transition worker for a job that provides, at least, a comparable salary and

16

comparable benefits to the job they previously held working at, in, or with an industrial facility

17

within the just transition program zone, as determined by the director;

18

     (2) Qualify a just transition worker for employment in an environmentally sustainable

19

industry, as determined by the director; and

20

     (3) Accommodate, to the greatest extent practical, the preferences of each just transition

21

worker with regard to the types of jobs for which they would like to be trained.

22

     (g) All enrollees shall be enrolled in the just transition program from the date on which

23

they enroll in the program until exactly two (2) years from the date on which their employment at,

24

in, or with an industrial facility in the just transition program zone terminates.

25

     (h) The just transition unit shall provide a just transition salary to all enrollees from the

26

date on which their employment at, in, or with an industrial facility in the just transition program

27

zone terminates until exactly two (2) years from that date, or until the date on which they begin

28

receiving another full-time salary from a job that is not at, in, or with an industrial facility in the

29

just transition program zone, whichever is earlier. The just transition salary shall consist of a

30

monthly payment equal to one twelfth (1/12) of the highest annual salary that the worker received

31

from any job working at, in, or with an industrial facility in the just transition program zone within

32

the period between the enactment of this chapter and when they lost that job, as determined by the

33

director. Job apprenticeships shall not be considered "employment" under the terms of this

34

subsection, nor shall a worker be unenrolled from the program because they are participating in a

 

LC005139 - Page 36 of 42

1

job apprenticeship program.

2

     42-16.1-22. Severability.

3

     (a) If any provision of this chapter is held invalid, the remainder of this chapter shall not

4

be affected thereby.

5

     (b) If the application of any provision of this chapter to any person or circumstance is held

6

invalid, the application of such provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected

7

thereby.

8

     SECTION 8. Chapter 46-12 of the General Laws entitled "Water Pollution" is hereby

9

amended by adding thereto the following sections:

10

     46-12-42. Specific water pollution regulations.

11

     (a) No later than the first day of November in the calendar year of 2023, the director shall

12

adopt regulations that shall apply only to polluting facilities in the area composed of the following

13

census block groups from the 2010 census:

14

     (1) Census Tract 1.01, Block Group 1, Providence County, Rhode Island;

15

     (2) Census Tract 1.01, Block Group 2, Providence County, Rhode Island;

16

     (3) Census Tract 1.01, Block Group 3, Providence County, Rhode Island;

17

     (4) Census Tract 1.01, Block Group 4, Providence County, Rhode Island;

18

     (5) Census Tract 1.02, Block Group 1, Providence County, Rhode Island;

19

     (6) Census Tract 1.02, Block Group 2, Providence County, Rhode Island;

20

     (7) Census Tract 1.02, Block Group 3, Providence County, Rhode Island;

21

     (8) Census Tract 4, Block Group 1, Providence County, Rhode Island;

22

     (9) Census Tract 4, Block Group 2, Providence County, Rhode Island;

23

     (10) Census Tract 4, Block Group 3, Providence County, Rhode Island;

24

     (11) Census Tract 4, Block Group 4, Providence County, Rhode Island;

25

     (12) Census Tract 5, Block Group 1, Providence County, Rhode Island;

26

     (13) Census Tract 5, Block Group 2, Providence County, Rhode Island;

27

     (14) Census Tract 5, Block Group 3, Providence County, Rhode Island;

28

     (15) Census Tract 6, Block Group 1, Providence County, Rhode Island;

29

     (16) Census Tract 6, Block Group 2, Providence County, Rhode Island;

30

     (17) Census Tract 7, Block Group 1, Providence County, Rhode Island;

31

     (18) Census Tract 7, Block Group 2, Providence County, Rhode Island; and

32

     (19) Census Tract 7, Block Group 3, Providence County, Rhode Island.

33

     (b) The regulations promulgated by the director under § 26-12-42(a), shall prohibit all

34

industrial facilities, within the area specified in § 26-12-42(a), from discharging more than one

 

LC005139 - Page 37 of 42

1

microgram per year of any of the following pollutants into the waters of the State of Rhode Island:

2

     (1) Acenaphthene;

3

     (2) Acetone;

4

     (3) Acrolein;

5

     (4) Acrylonitrile;

6

     (5) Aldrin;

7

     (6) Aluminum;

8

     (7) Ammonia;

9

     (8) Antimony;

10

     (9) Arsenic;

11

     (10) Asbestos;

12

     (11) Benzene;

13

     (12) Benzidine;

14

     (13) Beryllium;

15

     (14) Butanone;

16

     (15) Cadmium;

17

     (16) Carbon disulfide;

18

     (17) Carbon tetrachloride;

19

     (18) Chlordane;

20

     (19) Chlorine;

21

     (20) Chloroform;

22

     (21) Chloromethane;

23

     (22) Chromium

24

     (23) Copper;

25

     (24) Cyanide;

26

     (25) Dichloroethane;

27

     (26) Dieldrin;

28

     (27) Endosulfan;

29

     (28) Endrin;

30

     (29) Enterococcus Bacteria;

31

     (30) Escherichia Coli;

32

     (31) Ethanol;

33

     (32) Ethylbenzene;

34

     (33) Fluoranthene;

 

LC005139 - Page 38 of 42

1

     (34) Hexachlorobutadiene;

2

     (35) Hexachlorocyclopentadiene;

3

     (36) Iron;

4

     (37) Isophorone;

5

     (38) Isopropyltoluene;

6

     (39) Lead;

7

     (40) Mercury;

8

     (41) Methyl tert-butyl ether;

9

     (42) Nickel;

10

     (43) Nitrobenzene;

11

     (44) Pentachlorophenol;

12

     (45) Phenol;

13

     (46) Phosphorous;

14

     (47) Polychlorinated biphenyls;

15

     (48) Selenium;

16

     (49) Silver;

17

     (50) Tetrachloroethylene;

18

     (51) Thallium;

19

     (52) Toluene;

20

     (53) Toxaphene;

21

     (54) Trichlorobenzene;

22

     (55) Trichloroethane;

23

     (56) Trichloroethylene;

24

     (57) Trimethylbenzene;

25

     (58) Vinyl chloride;

26

     (59) Zinc;

27

     (60) Any compound that is a type of petroleum hydrocarbon;

28

     (61) Any compound that is a type of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon;

29

     (62) Any compound that is a type of chloroalkyl ether;

30

     (63) Any compound that is a type of nitrophenols;

31

     (64) Any compound that is a type of nitrosamines;

32

     (65) Any compound that is a type of hexachlorocyclohexane;

33

     (66) Any compound that is a type of phthalate or phthalate ester;

34

     (67) Any compound that is a type of xylene; and

 

LC005139 - Page 39 of 42

1

     (68) Any other compound classified by the administrator of the U.S. Environmental

2

Protection Agency as a "toxic pollutant" under 33 U.S. Code § 1317.

3

     (c) The regulations promulgated by the director, under subsection (a) of this section, shall

4

prohibit all industrial facilities, within the area specified in subsection (a) of this section, from

5

discharging more than one milligram per year of any of the following pollutants into the waters of

6

the State of Rhode Island:

7

     (1) Oil and grease, which shall have the same meaning as the meaning assigned them by

8

the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to the term "oil and grease" in

9

regulations promulgated under the federal water pollution control act, 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.;

10

     (2) Total suspended solids, which shall have the same meaning as the meaning assigned

11

them by the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to the term "total

12

suspended solids" in regulations promulgated under the federal water pollution control act, 33

13

U.S.C. 1251 et seq.; and

14

     (3) Biochemical oxygen demand, which shall have the same meaning as the meaning

15

assigned them by the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to the term

16

"biochemical oxygen demand" in regulations promulgated under the federal water pollution control

17

act, 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.

18

     (d) The regulations promulgated by the director under subsection (a) of this section, shall

19

prohibit all industrial facilities within the area specified in subsection (a) of this section, from

20

discharging more than one hundred (100) colony-forming units of fecal coliform per year into the

21

waters of the State of Rhode Island.

22

     (e) The regulations promulgated by the director under subsection (a) of this section shall

23

prohibit all industrial facilities within the area specified in subsection (a) of this section from

24

discharging more than one hundred (100) colony-forming units of enterococci per year into the

25

waters of the State of Rhode Island.

26

     (f) The director shall, as appropriate, amend or revoke any licenses or permits previously

27

provided to any industrial facilities, to ensure that such facilities are in compliance with the

28

pollution discharge limits specified in this section and any regulations promulgated thereunder.

29

     (g) The director shall, as appropriate, amend Rhode Island's state implementation plan,

30

under the federal Water Pollution Control Act, 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq., to reflect and incorporate

31

the pollution discharge limits, specified in this section and any regulations promulgated thereunder.

32

     46-12-43. Severability.

33

     (a) If any provision of this chapter is held invalid, the remainder of this chapter shall not

34

be affected thereby.

 

LC005139 - Page 40 of 42

1

     (b) If the application of any provision of this chapter to any person or circumstance is held

2

invalid, the application of such provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected

3

thereby.

4

     SECTION 9. This act shall take effect upon passage.

5

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LC005139

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LC005139 - Page 41 of 42

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- THE GREEN JUSTICE ZONE

ACT

***

1

     This act would create the "green justice zone act" and the "environmental justice act" and

2

would make amendments to several other areas of the general laws designed to create a system to

3

provide clean water and air to the state.

4

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC005139

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LC005139 - Page 42 of 42