2013 -- S 0054

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LC00176

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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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 THE DIVERSION OF

FOOD WASTE FROM THE CENTRAL LANDFILL

     Introduced By: Senators Sosnowski, Crowley, DiPalma, Felag, and Gallo

     Date Introduced: January 16, 2013

     Referred To: Senate Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs

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

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consisting of nine (9) members: three (3) of whom shall be representatives from the Senate, not

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more than two (2) of whom shall be from the same political party, to be appointed by the Senate

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President; one of whom shall be the Director of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental

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Management, or designee; one of whom shall be the Director of the Rhode Island Department of

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Health or designee; one of whom shall be the Director of the recycling program from the Rhode

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Island Resource Recovery Corporation, or designee; one of whom shall be a representative of

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environmental interests to be appointed by the Senate President; and two (2) of whom shall be

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representatives of businesses that generate food waste, to be appointed by the Senate President.

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     In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a permanent advisory

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commission, a legislative study commission, or any commission created by a General Assembly

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resolution, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu

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of a legislator, provided that the majority leader or the minority leader of the political party which

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is entitled to the appointment consents to the member of the general public.

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     According to the Federal Environmental Protection Agency 2010 Municipal Solid Waste

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Characterization Report, more food waste is sent to landfills and incinerators than any other

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single material in municipal solid waste. In 2010, in excess of 34 million tons of food waste was

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generated, with only three percent diverted from landfills and incinerators for composting.

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

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opportunity to preserve long-term landfill capacity for Rhode Island municipalities through the

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diversion of food waste from the Central landfill.

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

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the call of Senate President who shall select a chairperson from among the Senators.

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     Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment.

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     The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services.

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     All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information,

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documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or

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desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution.

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     The Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to provide

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suitable quarters for said commission; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the

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Senate President no later than March 7, 2013, and said commission shall expire on June 6, 2013.

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LC00176

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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 THE DIVERSION OF

FOOD WASTE FROM THE CENTRAL LANDFILL

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     This resolution would create a nine (9) member special legislative commission whose

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purpose would be to make a comprehensive study of the opportunity to preserve long-term

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landfill capacity for Rhode Island municipalities through the diversion of food waste from the

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Central landfill, and who would report back to the Senate President no later than March 7, 2013,

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and whose life would expire June 6, 2013.

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LC00176

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