2012 -- H 8109

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LC02502

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2012

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A N A C T

RELATING TO WATERS AND NAVIGATION - ESTABLISHING THE NARRAGANSETT

BAY COMMISSION TASK FORCE

     Introduced By: Representatives Petrarca, Ucci, Corvese, O`Neill, and Blazejewski

     Date Introduced: May 02, 2012

     Referred To: House Environment and Natural Resources

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Title 46 of the General Laws entitled "Waters and Navigation" is hereby

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amended by adding thereto the following chapter:

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     CHAPTER 25.3

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     NARRAGANSETT BAY COMMISSION TASK FORCE

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     46-25.3-1. Legislative findings. -- It is hereby found and declared that:

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     (1) Prior to the existence of the Narragansett Bay commission there existed water quality

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problems generated from within the district which resulted in the discharge of pollutants,

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conventional and unconventional, into Narragansett Bay.

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     (2) The Narragansett Bay commission was statutorily created by the Rhode Island general

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assembly in 1980 for the purposes of acquiring, planning, constructing, extending. improving,

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and operating and maintaining publicly owned sewage treatment facilities in the district.

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     (3) The district includes the city of Providence and the towns of Johnston, North

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Providence, and a portion of the town of Lincoln formerly served by the city of Providence’s

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sewage treatment system and now known as the Field’s Point Wastewater Treatment Facility.

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Also, the cities of Pawtucket, Central Falls, and that portion of the city of East Providence known

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as Rumford and the towns of Lincoln and Cumberland and that portion of the town of Smithfield

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lying northeast of the Douglas Pike, also called state route no. 7 formerly served by the

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Blackstone Valley District commission and now known as the Bucklin Point Wastewater

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Treatment Facility.

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     (4) Today the Narragansett Bay commission is a nationally recognized leader in

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wastewater treatment, specifically acknowledged for its operational excellence and fiscal

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prudence.

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     (5) There currently exists in Providence and the surrounding cities and towns within the

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district aging local lateral sewer systems in serious need of repair and maintenance. Limited

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resources, in both expertise and funding, have made it difficult for Providence and the

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surrounding cities and towns within the district to identify problems and effectuate repairs in

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these systems.

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     (6) The environmental protection agency and the Rhode Island department of

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environmental management have recently implemented programs and enforcement tools to ensure

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that sewer systems of all sizes, municipal and regional, are properly operated and maintained.

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Failure to properly operate and maintain local lateral sewer systems in Providence and the

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surrounding cities and towns within the district ultimately impacts the Narragansett Bay

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commission’s sewer interceptor systems and treatment facilities which in turn can have negative

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consequences for Narragansett Bay and may subject the Narragansett Bay commission and

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municipalities to fines and penalties.

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     (7) Economy and efficiency suggest an overall plan for dealing with the operation and

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maintenance of local lateral sewer systems in Providence and the surrounding cities and towns

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within the district.

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     46-25.3-2. - Establishment of Narragansett Bay Commission Task Force - The

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Narragansett Bay Commission Task Force is hereby established to study and analyze the

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feasibility of the Narragansett Bay Commission acquiring and accepting responsibility for the

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operation and maintenance of local lateral sewer systems within the district, specifically

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including, but not limited to, the city of Providence. Any municipality within the district shall,

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upon request, furnish such advice and information, documentary or otherwise, to said task force

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and its agents, as is deemed necessary or desirable by the task force to facilitate the purposes of

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this section. Said study to be undertaken, performed and paid for by the Narragansett Bay

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commission with a report and recommendation on the feasibility of such acquisitions to be

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submitted to due to the general assembly on or before June 1, 2013.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC02502

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO WATERS AND NAVIGATION - ESTABLISHING THE NARRAGANSETT

BAY COMMISSION TASK FORCE

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     This act would establish a task force to determine the feasibility of the Narragansett Bay

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Commission acquiring, operating and maintaining local lateral sewer systems in Providence and

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the surrounding cities and towns within its district.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC02502

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