R 425

2019 -- S 1041 Enacted 06/28/2019

S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY THE MERITS AND FEASIBILITY OF A PYROLYSIS OR GASIFICATION FACILITY IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

Introduced By: Senators Lombardo, Sosnowski, Archambault, Ciccone, and Conley

Date Introduced: June 28, 2019

WHEREAS, Rhode Island is actively striving toward the ambitious greenhouse gas

reductions goals set by the Climate Change Coordinating Council; and

WHEREAS, Pyrolysis refers to heating of biomass to a high temperature, but with no

supply of air and is an effective way to convert biomass, especially waste, agricultural waste and

such, into useful fuels and products. It can also be used to convert plastic to oil; and

WHEREAS, Gasification plants produce significantly lower quantities of air pollutants;

now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission be and the same is hereby created

consisting of seven (7) members: two (2) of whom shall be members of the Senate, to be

appointed by the Senate President; one of whom shall be the Director of the Rhode Island

Department of Environmental Management (DEM), or designee; one of whom shall be the

Director of the Rhode Island Department of Administration (DOA), or designee; one of whom

shall be the Rhode Island Secretary of Commerce, or designee; one of whom shall be the

Executive Director of the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation (RIRRC), or designee;

and one of whom shall be the Commissioner of the Office of Energy Resources (OER), or

designee.

In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a permanent advisory

commission, a legislative study commission, or any commission created by a General Assembly

resolution, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in place

of a legislator.

The purpose of said commission shall be to study the merits and feasibility of developing

a pyrolysis or gasification facility in the state.

Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at

the call of the President of the Senate and organize, and shall select a chairperson from among the

legislators.

Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment.

The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services.

All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information,

documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or

desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution.

The Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to provide

suitable quarters for said commission; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the commission shall issue a report on its findings and

recommendations to the Senate no later than March 7, 2020, and said commission shall expire on

May 7, 2020.

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LC002945

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