2022 -- H 8181

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LC005857

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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J O I N T   R E S O L U T I O N

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION OF $250,000 TO THE RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT

OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

     Introduced By: Representative Lauren H. Carson

     Date Introduced: April 28, 2022

     Referred To: House Finance

     WHEREAS, On April 14, 2021, the 2021 Act on Climate was signed into law,

establishing a statewide greenhouse gas emission reduction mandate and setting mandatory,

enforceable climate emissions reduction goals; and

     WHEREAS, The Act on Climate requires the creation of a Climate Dashboard to foster

public transparency on the implementation of the Act by developing public metrics and an online

public dashboard that tracks both emissions reductions and sources of energy consumed by the

state; and

     WHEREAS, The Dashboard is an essential planning tool for ongoing work to build a

climate-resilient Rhode Island and fulfills its mission in the face of impacts of climate change

mandated in the Act on Climate. Under the direction of the EC4, the dashboard would be built

with the participation and input and direction of the Council members; and

     WHEREAS, The Climate Dashboard is a tool for use by government, business and

communities that enables Rhode Island to understand projected potential risks from flooding and

heat under both today's climate and a future changed climate. The Dashboard would compile

climate, physical, and socioeconomic data and create map visualizations in a public online

searchable website; and

     WHEREAS, The metrics and the Dashboard would need to be updated at least annually

and in order to maximize transparency and consider the effects of climate change, the Dashboard

needs to include additional metrics to meet the mandates of the Act and be built on best practices

and be available for all Rhode Islanders; and

     WHEREAS, In addition, the Climate Dashboard needs to identify vulnerabilities

including heat islands, regions prone to flooding, erosion, droughts and storms in Rhode Island

and develop a baseline for measuring plans for meeting mandates in the Act; and

     WHEREAS, The Dashboard would include:

The purpose of the impact report be stated clearly;

The mandated targets clearly defined (level and timescale);

Sector by sector greenhouse gas emissions data, tracking increases or reductions by

sector over time;

Sector-by-sector actions taken to achieve the targets should be documented along

with progress towards taking supplemental actions that would also be effective in

reducing emissions;

The metrics/evidence reported should allow a simple assessment of progress, or

not, towards targets; and

A tool to collect ongoing public comment on strategies and proposed actions to

reduce greenhouse gas emissions; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That there is hereby appropriated, out of any money in the treasury not

otherwise appropriated for the fiscal year 2022-2023, the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand

dollars ($250,000) to the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management to lead the

effort of building the Dashboard; and the state controller is hereby authorized and directed to

draw his orders upon the general treasurer for the payment of said sum, or so much thereof as

may be from time to time required, upon receipt of properly authenticated vouchers.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

J O I N T   R E S O L U T I O N

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION OF $250,000 TO THE RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT

OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

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     This resolution would authorize the appropriation of the sum of $250,000 to the Rhode

Island Department of Environmental Management for the creation of a climate dashboard.

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LC005857

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