2025 -- H 5844

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LC001674

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO WATERS AND NAVIGATION -- WATER POLLUTION

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Cortvriend, McGaw, Speakman, Fogarty, Kislak,
Carson, and Morales

     Date Introduced: February 28, 2025

     Referred To: House Environment and Natural Resources

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Chapter 46-12 of the General Laws entitled "Water Pollution" is hereby

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amended by adding thereto the following section:

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     46-12-42. Testing of biosolids.

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     (a) Any applicant seeking an order of approval from the department of environmental

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management for the distribution or land application of biosolids shall test its biosolids for PFAS

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contaminants, as that term is defined by § 46-32-2, and the results shall be submitted to the

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department with the application for the order of approval.

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     (b) Any operators with an existing order of approval for the distribution or land application

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of biosolids shall test its biosolids quarterly for PFAS contaminants, as that term is defined by §

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46-32-2, and submit the results to the department by the last day of each calendar quarter. Sampling

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shall commence during the October 2025 to December 2025 quarter, with the first round of results

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submitted to the department no later than December 31, 2025.

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     (c) The director is authorized to reject any application for an order of approval on the basis

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that approval of said application would pose an environmental threat or pose a risk to public health,

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safety, or welfare.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC001674

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO WATERS AND NAVIGATION -- WATER POLLUTION

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     This act would require persons seeking to apply biosolids to lands to test the biosolids for

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PFAS contaminants on a quarterly basis and report those findings to the department of

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environmental management. This act would authorize the director to reject applications seeking

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distribution of biosolids to lands for environmental threat or risk to public health, safety, or welfare.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC001674

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