R 021
2015 -- S 0072
Enacted 01/14/2015

S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N
PROCLAIMING JULY 25TH THROUGH JULY 31ST, 2015, TO BE "WATERWAY AWARENESS WEEK" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

Introduced By: Senators Ciccone, Satchell, Felag, Walaska, and Pichardo
Date Introduced: January 13, 2015

     WHEREAS, The stewardship and conservation of Rhode Island's rivers, lakes, and
coastal waters is of vital importance and is the responsibility of all our state's citizenry; and
     WHEREAS, According to a 2012 study by the Environment Rhode Island Research &
Policy Center and co-authored by the Frontier Group, 226 million pounds of toxic chemicals were
discharged into 1,400 waterways across the United States in 2010; and
     WHEREAS, Rhode Island ranked second best only to Arizona with less than 1000 total
pounds of toxins released, making our state's waterways second cleanest in the nation when
measured by the total volume of discharged toxic chemicals; and
     WHEREAS, Continuing our efforts to clean and protect the Ocean State's waterways is
essential and an increase in public awareness about the importance and beauty of our waterways
will better serve and motivate the citizens of our state to protect the future of these precious
natural resources; now, therefore be it
     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
hereby proclaims the week of July 25th through the 31st, 2015, to be "Waterway Awareness
Week." We furthermore call upon all the people of the state to observe this week with appropriate
programs, activities, and ceremonies; and be it further
     RESOLVED, That this Senate hereby recognizes and supports the noble efforts of
students from Birchwood Middle School in helping to bring awareness to the importance of
maintaining the purity of our state's waterways; and be it further
     RESOLVED, That Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to transmit
duly certified copies of this resolution to the Director of the Department of Environmental
Management, and Mr. Steven P. Clarke, Principal of Birchwood Middle School.
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