14-R252
2014 – H 7726
Enacted 05/08/14
H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N
Introduced By: Representatives Azzinaro, Corvese, Malik, McNamara, and Edwards
Date Introduced: May 22, 2014
WHEREAS, The Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources provides an oversight role with the state's electrical, gas and distillate fuel infrastructures in Rhode Island; and
WHEREAS, The Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources also works with and coordinates energy security matters and responses with both the Rhode Island Division of Public Utilities and Carriers and the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency; and
WHEREAS, Rhode Island has experienced a significant number of weather related events over the past four years, which have caused disruptions to the state's electrical, gas and distillate fuel infrastructures; and
WHEREAS, The Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources provides staffing resources and technical assistance to the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency during severe storm or heat wave related events; and
WHEREAS, Recent events such as Hurricane Sandy and Blizzard Nemo have significantly tested the state's electrical and distillate fuel terminal infrastructures. These impacts are likely to continue into the future due, in part, to the impacts from climate change; and
WHEREAS, The Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources is well suited to consider and make recommendations regarding energy security matters, including policy recommendations, from the State Energy Assurance Plan and the State Energy Plan; now, therefore be it
RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations hereby respectfully requests the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources to address the following matters:
1. Identify, in coordination with the Rhode Island Division of Public Utilities and Carriers and other state agencies, the state's electrical, gas and distillate fuel vulnerabilities;
2. Highlight anything occurring over the next twelve (12) months involving heat waves, tropical storms, hurricanes, and significant winter storms;
3. Highlight opportunities for funding that the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources, in coordination with the Rhode Island Division of Public Utilities and Carriers and the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency, can potentially pursue with the federal government on energy security, including micro-grids;
4. Provide policy recommendations from the State Energy Assurance Plan and State Energy Plan on system reliability, grid modernization, and opportunities in diversifying and enhancing the state's fuel diversity through both natural gas and local and regional distributed generation renewable energy resources; and be it further
RESOLVED, That this House hereby respectfully requests the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources to issue a report that highlights its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly on or before May 26, 2015; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Commissioner of the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources.
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LC004889
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