2024 -- S 2544 SUBSTITUTE A

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LC005484/SUB A

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT

     Introduced By: Senator Louis P. DiPalma

     Date Introduced: March 01, 2024

     Referred To: Senate Environment & Agriculture

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 23-19.1-6 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-19.1 entitled

"Hazardous Waste Management" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     23-19.1-6. Powers and duties of the director.

     (a) The director shall adopt any plans, rules, regulations, procedures, and standards as may

be necessary to ensure proper, adequate, and sound hazardous waste management and to protect

the health and safety of the public, and the environment from the effects of improper hazardous

waste management. The plans, rules, regulations, procedures, and standards shall be developed by

the director with input and review by the affected persons and agencies including the statewide

planning program, the health department, and representative of the generator, transport, and

disposal industry as well as an environmental representative. The rules, regulations, procedures,

and standards as adopted by the director shall, to the maximum extent practical, be compatible with

the rules, regulations, procedures, and standards promulgated by the U.S. environmental protection

agency pursuant to §§ 3001-3006 of the Federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976,

42 U.S.C. § 6901 et seq. The Rhode Island department of environmental management (the

department) rules and regulations for the investigation and remediation of hazardous material

releases (250-RICR-140-30-1) shall not include any provision requiring the remediation of arsenic

which is naturally occurring at levels less than nineteen parts per million (19 ppm).

     (b) The director is authorized to exercise all powers, direct and incidental, necessary to

carry out the purposes of this chapter, assure that the state complies with any federal hazardous

waste management act and retains maximum control under it, and receives all desired federal

grants, aid, and other benefits.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on October 1, 2024.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT

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     This act would require that the DEM rules and regulations for remediation of hazardous

material releases not include any provision requiring the remediation of arsenic which is naturally

occurring at levels less than nineteen parts per million (19 ppm).

     This act would take effect on October 1, 2024.

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