Title 23
Health and Safety

Chapter 23
Air Pollution

R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-23-3

§ 23-23-3. Definitions.

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

(1) “Air contaminant” means soot, cinders, ashes, any dust, fumes, gas, mist, smoke, vapor, odor, toxic or radioactive material, particulate matter, or any combination of these.

(2) “Air pollution” means presence in the outdoor atmosphere of one or more air contaminants in sufficient quantities that either alone or in connection with other emissions by reason of their concentration and duration, may be injurious to human, plant, or animal life or cause damage to property or unreasonably interfere with the enjoyment of life and property.

(3) “Director” means the director of environmental management or any subordinate or subordinates to whom he or she has delegated the powers and duties vested in him or her by this chapter.

(4) “Extremely toxic air contaminant” means any air contaminant that has been classified as a potential carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), or the National Toxicology Program (NTP); or any air contaminant that induces mutagenic or teratogenic effects; or any air contaminant that, when inhaled, has caused significant chronic adverse effects in test animals; or any air contaminant having an acute toxicity of:

(i) LD50 (oral) less than 500mg/kg;

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

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

and/or has been adopted by the director pursuant to the provisions of chapter 35 of title 42. In addition to the above, it may also include any hazardous air pollutant as defined in § 112(b) of the federal Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. § 7412(b).

(5) “Motor vehicle” means every vehicle that is self-propelled and every vehicle that is propelled by electric power obtained from overhead trolley wires, but not operated upon rails, except vehicles moved exclusively by human power and motorized wheelchairs.

(6) “Open fire” means any fire from which the products of combustion are emitted directly into the open air without passing through a stack or chimney.

(7) “Person” means an individual, trust, firm, joint stock company, corporation (including a quasi-governmental corporation), partnership, association, syndicate, municipality, municipal or state agency, fire district, club, non-profit agency or any subdivision, commission, department, bureau, agency, or department of state or federal government (including quasi-government corporation), or of any interstate body.

(8) “Manufactured, unwashed sand” means product resulting from the mechanical crushing of rock, boulders, or large cobblestones that has a gradation of fifty percent (50%) or more of coarse fraction passing the No. 4 sieve as referenced in the Standard Practice for Classification of Soils for Engineering Purposes (Unified Soil Classification System) and American Society of Testing and Materials Designations D-2487-06 which has not been subject to a mechanical process (using water) that is designed to substantially remove fine fractions passing the No. 200 sieve.

History of Section.
P.L. 1966, ch. 256, § 1; P.L. 1977, ch. 24, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 23-25-3; P.L. 1979, ch. 39, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 23-23-3; P.L. 1980, ch. 24, § 1; P.L. 1985, ch. 502, § 1; P.L. 1992, ch. 361, § 1; P.L. 2015, ch. 272, § 1.