2012 -- H 8205

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LC02706

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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 HEALTH AND SAFETY - RHODE ISLAND RESOURCE RECOVERY

CORPORATION

     Introduced By: Representatives Ucci, Fellela, Petrarca, Marcello, and Carnevale

     Date Introduced: May 24, 2012

     Referred To: House Environment and Natural Resources

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 23-19-23 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-19 entitled "Rhode

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Island Resource Recovery Corporation" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     23-19-23. Citizen advisory board. Citizens advisory board. -- The governor shall

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appoint from among interested citizens of the state eleven (11) members, and the mayor of

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Johnston shall appoint one member to a citizens solid waste management advisory board

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consisting of twelve (12) persons. In the month of June each year, the governor shall appoint a

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successor to the member of the board whose term shall expire in that year, to hold office

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commencing on the first day of July in the year of appointment and until the first day of July in

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the third year after their respective appointments and until their respective successors are

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appointed and qualified. In the month of June upon the expiration of the terms, the mayor of the

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town of Johnston shall appoint a successor to the member of the board whose term shall expire in

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that year, to hold office commencing on the first day of July in the year of appointment and until

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the first day of July in the third year after his or her appointment, and until his or her successor is

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appointed and qualified. Any vacancy which may occur in the board shall be filled by the

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governor or the mayor of Johnston in accordance with the original manner of appointment, for the

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duration of the unexpired term. It shall be the role of the citizens advisory board to give advice to

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the corporation concerning rules and regulations and legislation affecting solid waste

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management, resource recovery, and recycling; and to study the effects of existing recovery and

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recycling programs, and to annually report its findings to the corporation for inclusion in the

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annual report and to recommend to the corporation, special studies and projects which it feels are

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needed to further economic solid waste management, resource recovery, and recycling. At least

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two (2) members of the board shall be designated from time to time to attend all meetings of the

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solid waste management corporation. The members of the citizen advisory board shall serve

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without compensation. The board shall, at regular intervals, conduct business meetings for the

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purpose of carrying out its general business, and the meetings shall be open to the public and all

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records and minutes will be a matter of public record.

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     (a) There is hereby created a permanent board to be known as the "Citizens Advisory

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Board" to consist of twelve (12) members, six (6) to be appointed by the governor, two (2) of

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whom shall be from the city of Cranston, two (2) of whom shall be from the town of Scituate and

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two (2) from the town of Johnston; three (3) of whom shall be appointed by the mayor of

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Johnston and three (3) of whom shall be appointed by the town council of Johnston. The term of

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appointment shall be three (3) years.

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     (b) It shall be the role of the citizens advisory board to advise the Rhode Island resource

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recovery corporation concerning: rules and regulations and legislation affecting solid waste

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management, resource recovery and recycling; effects of existing recovery and recycling

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programs; all landfill expansion plans; all single expenditures which exceed five hundred

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thousand dollars ($500,000); all land clearing proposals of over one quarter (1/4) of an acre of

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land in the landfill; proposed construction of all new buildings of the landfill and additions to

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existing landfill buildings that exceed two hundred (200) square feet; annually reporting their

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findings to the governor and to recommend to the corporation, special studies and projects which

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it feels are needed to further economic solid waste management resource recovery and recycling.

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     (c) At least two (2) members of the board shall be designated from time to time to attend

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all meetings of the Rhode Island resource recovery corporation. The board shall, at regular

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monthly intervals, conduct business meetings for the purpose of carrying out its general business,

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and the meetings shall be open to the public and all records and minutes shall be a matter of

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public record.

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     (d) A board member shall not receive compensation for his or her service on the board

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but may receive reimbursement for travel and other necessary expenses, while engaged in the

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performance of official duties of the board.

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     (e) The board shall elect annually a chairperson and vice chairperson from among its

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membership.

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     (f) The Rhode Island resource recovery corporation shall furnish the advisory board a

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suitable location to hold its meetings.

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     (g) The board shall meet at least quarterly and at the call of the chairperson or four (4)

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board members. The executive director of the Rhode Island resource recovery corporation shall

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be present for all board meetings to inform the board of the actions of the corporation and to

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respond to the board's inquiries.

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     (h) The board shall review legislative proposals and comment on existing state laws

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relating to solid waste management, resource recovery and recycling.

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     (i) The board shall have free access to all public records and documents of the Rhode

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Island resource recovery corporation which may be of value to it in connection with the research

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and study of the board.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC02706

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY - RHODE ISLAND RESOURCE RECOVERY

CORPORATION

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     This act would set forth the composition, purpose and powers of the citizens advisory

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board to the Rhode Island resource recovery corporation.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC02706

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