13-R279

2013 -- S 0899

Enacted 05/14/13

 

S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N

RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL

MANAGEMENT TO AMEND ITS ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS FOR

ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS

     

          Introduced By: Senators Miller, Jabour, Ciccone, Metts, and Ruggerio

     Date Introduced: May 02, 2013

 

 

     WHEREAS,  Rhode Island’s bays, rivers, and watersheds are desirable, attractive places

to live, work, and play, with clean water, exceptional beaches, abundant public access, thriving

living resources, and vital harbors and waterfronts; and

     WHEREAS, Through our support of our ports and bays, Rhode Island businesses that

rely upon aquatic resources and/or waterfronts will thrive and have the opportunity to grow

sustainably; and

     WHEREAS, The Rhode Island Port Marketing Collaborative Act of 2012 gathered state

agencies and maritime stakeholders to develop and maintain a strategic plan for the state’s vital

ports, facilities, and maritime trades, with a special focus on job creation; and

     WHEREAS, It is the policy of the state to promote a growing maritime economy, to

prevent economic stagnation, and to encourage the creation of new job opportunities, while

preserving and maintaining our valuable natural resources; and

     WHEREAS, As we continue to assess and protect the environmental assets of our state,

we simultaneously protect and enhance all Rhode Islanders’ quality of life and environmental

health for our great state; and

     WHEREAS, In 2007, the General Assembly recognized the need to preserve and protect

the state’s waters and passed the Smart Development for a Cleaner Bay Act of 2007; and

     WHEREAS, As a result of the Act, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental

Management and Coastal Resources Management Council became nationally recognized leaders

in the development of the Rhode Island Storm Water Design and Installation Manual of 2010;

now, therefore be it

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

hereby respectfully requests that the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management

review its current practices and policy of issuing an automatic stay of a Notice of Violation

(NOV), while an individual or business pursues administrative remedies following an

environmental pollutant matter; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That this Senate respectfully requests that the Rhode Island Department of

Environmental Management amend its administrative regulations pertaining to Administrative

Rules of Practice and Procedures for the Administrative Adjudication Division for Environmental

Matters to include specific language related to issuance of automatic stays, including, but not

limited to: 1) Issuing specific timelines; and 2) Establishing practices consistent with protecting

the environmental interests of the Ocean State; and be it further

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

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Governor of the State of Rhode Island, the

Director of the Department of Environmental Management, and the Executive Director of the

Coastal Resources Management Council.

     

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LC02240

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