Environment Council of Rhode Island

...building an ecologically healthy future in a sustainable economy

2015 Legislative Agenda

ECRI has considered these bills and has decided to support or oppose them at hearings. People interested in tracking legislation during the session are encouraged to sign up for an account in the General Assembly's Bill Tracker system.

Legislative Priority
Legislative Topicsort descending Title and Description House Bill# Senate Bill # Link(s) to Bill text pdfs ECRI's Position
Budget Infrastructure Bank.

Expand the Rhode Island Clean Water Finance Agency – an existing quasi-public agency with a AAA credit rating that already loans money for infrastructure work. This is budget article 24 of H5900.

5900 Budget Article 24, Budget Art 14 SubA, Art 14 SubA amended Support Legislative Priority
Conservation Encroachment.

Regarding encroachment on state, municipal or nonprofit land, conservation organization open space land...

5787 0263 S0263, H5787 Support Legislative Priority
Energy Renewable Energy Standard.

This act would extend the 2004 Renewable Energy Standard Schedule Program, which required the suppliers of retail electricity to obtain minimum increasing amounts of renewable energy resources, beyond 2019 to 2035

5079 0089 H5079, S0089 Support Legislative Priority
Energy Energy Efficiency and Conservation.

Extends the least cost procurement and system reliability programs reporting requirements, regarding utility base rates and adds a charge per kilowatt to be charged to customers to fund demand like management programs.

5904 0733 H5904, S0733, S0733subA Support Legislative Priority
Waste Incineration.

This act would allow the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation to consider the use of incineration as a method to dispose of solid waste.

5273 H5273 Oppose Legislative Priority
Water RI Cesspool Act Of 2007.

Amend the Rhode Island cesspool act of 2007 by phasing out cesspools.

5668 0369 H5668, S0369, S0369subA, H5668subA Support Legislative Priority
Legislative Agenda
Legislative Topicsort descending Title and Description House Bill# Senate Bill # Link(s) to Bill text pdfs ECRI's Position
Climate House Resolution Creating A RI House Commission On Economic Risk Due To Flooding & Sea Rise.

Create an 11 member commission to study economic risks relating to and resulting from sea rise and flooding, and who would report back no later than January 6, 2016, and expire on February 6, 2016.

5478 H5478 Support Legislative Agenda
Energy Carbon Pricing Bill.

This bill imposes a $15 per ton of carbon dioxide fee on all fossil fuels at their point of entry into Rhode Island. The fee would then increase by $5 per year. This fee will generate approximately 150 million dollars in revenue in the first year (2016) and will increase by approximately 50 million dollars in each succeeding year. The revenues can be used to generate direct rebates to individuals and business, to capitalize the anticipated green bank, or to fund renewable energy, energy efficiency, and other carbon reducing strategies.

0417 S0417 Support Legislative Agenda
Waste Plastic Bag Ban.

This act would establish a plan for the gradual ban on the use of disposable plastic checkout bags by retail establishments.

5151 H5151 Support Legislative Agenda
Waste Mercury Reduction & Education Act.

Requires manufacturers of mercury containing lamps to establish and implement a statewide collection for the recycling of mercury containing lamps. Required DEM to develop thermostat recycling goals by regulation and to conduct a study to evaluate the number of thermostats in use that will need to be recycled.

5671 0608 H5671, S0608, H5671subA Support Legislative Agenda
Waste Task force to review EPR programs (RI Regulatory Reform Act).

This act would require the division of planning to submit a report in consultation with a task force to the governor, the house speaker and the senate president by December 31, 2016, to eliminate regulatory conflicts among the department of environmental management, the resource recovery corporation and municipalities and establish a uniform process in the areas of protection of natural resources, recycling and product stewardship programs. 

5673 H5673 Support Legislative Agenda
Water Wetlands and Buffers.

Legislation implementing recommendations of the 2014 Wetlands Taskforce

5962 0737 H5962, H5962subA, S0737, S0737subA, S0737subAaa, S0737subB Support Legislative Agenda
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