2022 -- S 3056

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LC006162

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY AND MAKE

RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING RHODE ISLAND’S OLD GROWTH FORESTS

     Introduced By: Senator Michael J. McCaffrey

     Date Introduced: June 21, 2022

     Referred To: Placed on the Senate Consent Calendar

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

consisting of eleven (11) members: two (2) of whom shall be members of the Senate, to be

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

Environmental Management, or designee; one of whom shall be from the Old Growth Tree

Society, to be appointed by the Senate President; one of whom shall be from the Rhode Island

Natural History Survey, to be appointed by the Senate President; one of whom shall be from The

Nature Conservancy in Rhode Island, to be appointed by the Senate President; one of whom shall

be from the Rhode Island Audubon Society, to be appointed by the Senate President; one of

whom shall be the Executive Director of the Rhode Island Land Trust Council, or designee; one

of whom shall be a certified arborist, to be appointed by the Senate President; and two (2) of

whom shall be members of a local land trust, to be appointed by the Senate President.

     In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to 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 lieu of a legislator.

     The purpose of said commission shall be to make a comprehensive study and review of

Rhode Island’s old growth forests and provide recommendations on preserving and protecting

these natural habitats. The study shall include, but not be limited to:

     • Identifying and mapping the locations of Rhode Island’s old growth forests, rare forest

ecosystems, and if possible, areas of most environmentally sensitive land and/or water worthy of

preservation in its natural condition;

     • Formulating advisory policies and plans to protect the state’s old growth forests, rare

forest ecosystems, and areas of most environmentally sensitive land;

     • Providing advisory policies, plans, and recommendations related to the preservation and

protection of the state’s old growth forest; and

     • Surveying forests scheduled for forestry operations on state and municipally owned

land that include timber harvesting, cutting, girdling, burning, or any alterations to the forest

before the forestry operation takes place to determine if there are any old growth forests in the

area that could be threatened by the forestry operation. If an old growth forest is found, the

commission may make advisory policies, plans, or recommendations for the old growth forest to

be protected and not disturbed by the forestry operation.

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

the call of the President of the Senate. They shall organize and select, from among the members, a

chairperson or co-chairpersons.

     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 report its findings and recommendations to the

Senate on or before August 18, 2023, and said commission shall expire on December 31, 2023.

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LC006162

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY AND MAKE

RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING RHODE ISLAND’S OLD GROWTH FORESTS

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     This resolution would create an eleven (11) member commission whose purpose would

be to study and make recommendations regarding Rhode Island's old growth forests, and which

would report back to the Senate by August 18, 2023, and expire on December 31, 2023.

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LC006162

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