2026 -- H 8151

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LC005824

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO THE BLUE WAVE BOND FOR COASTAL PREPAREDNESS -- 2026 BOND

REFERENDUM

     Introduced By: Representatives Spears, McEntee, Cortvriend, Boylan, Casimiro,
McGaw, Azzinaro, Potter, Kennedy, and Dawson

     Date Introduced: February 27, 2026

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Short title.

     This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Blue Wave Bond for Coastal Preparedness

Act."

     SECTION 2. Legislative findings and purpose. The general assembly finds that Rhode

Island faces increasing risks from sea level rise, coastal erosion, storm surge, extreme precipitation,

chronic flooding, and other climate-related hazards, which threaten public safety, public

infrastructure, housing, environmental resources, and the state’s economy.

     The purpose of this act is to authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds to fund

coastal preparedness and resilience projects that protect Rhode Island’s communities, critical

facilities, and natural systems, while also supporting workforce readiness to plan, design, construct,

and maintain climate-resilient infrastructure.

     SECTION 3. Authorization of general obligation bonds. For the purpose of financing

coastal preparedness, resilience infrastructure, and workforce development projects as set forth in

this act, the State of Rhode Island is authorized to issue general obligation bonds in a principal

amount not to exceed one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000). The bonds shall be issued in

such amounts and at such times as the governor and the general treasurer determine, and shall bear

interest and mature in accordance with applicable provisions of Rhode Island law.

     SECTION 4. Use of proceeds - Eligible project types. Bond proceeds shall be used only

for capital projects and related planning, design, engineering, permitting, acquisition, and

construction costs that directly increase resilience to climate hazards. In addition, all eligible

projects funded in whole or in part by funds from the Blue Wave Bond for Coastal Preparedness

shall adhere to the requirements and obligations of chapter 13 of title 37 ("labor and payment of

debts of contractors"), which require all relevant contractors and subcontractors performing work

on blue economy bond projects to pay their employees in compliance with the provisions of R.I.

Gen. Laws § 37-13-7.

     Eligible project types shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

     (a) Coastal and shoreline protection. Projects to reduce damage from coastal flooding,

storm surge, and erosion, including:

(1) Living shoreline installations and restoration;

(2) Dune construction, dune restoration, and beach nourishment;

(3) Salt marsh restoration and migration corridors;

(4) Coastal buffer acquisition and conservation easements;

(5) Nature-based wave attenuation systems; and

(6) Shoreline stabilization where nature-based methods are not feasible.

     (b) Stormwater and Flood Mitigation Infrastructure. Projects to manage extreme rainfall

and reduce inland flooding, including:

(1) Expansion or replacement of stormwater drainage systems;

(2) Culvert upsizing and replacement to meet future rainfall conditions;

(3) Flood storage systems, detention basins, and green bank retrofits;

(4) Permeable pavement and impervious surface removal projects;

(5) Municipal stormwater system mapping and hydraulic modeling; and

(6) Flood mitigation retrofits for high-risk neighborhoods and commercial districts.

     (c) Wastewater and drinking water system resilience. Projects to protect water quality and

essential services, including:

(1) Floodproofing wastewater treatment plants and pump stations;

(2) Relocation or elevation of critical equipment in wastewater facilities;

(3) Wet weather storage and overflow reduction systems;

(4) Drinking water infrastructure hardening, redundancy, and backup power;

(5) Protection of wellheads, reservoirs, and drinking water intakes; and

(6) Infrastructure improvements that prevent sewage releases during storms.

     (d) Transportation and evacuation route resilience. Projects to maintain emergency access

and mobility during flooding events, including:

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(1) Elevation of roads and bridges in flood-prone areas;

(2) Flood barrier systems protecting key transportation corridors;

(3) Roadway berm construction to reduce inundation;

(4) Engineering and planning for managed retreat or rerouting of roadways; and

(5) Resilient transit infrastructure improvements that support evacuation planning.

     (e) Energy and critical infrastructure hardening. Projects that protect essential lifeline

systems, including:

(1) Microgrids and backup power systems for critical facilities;

(2) Hardening of substations and power distribution equipment;

(3) Targeted undergrounding of vulnerable transmission and distribution lines;

(4) Infrastructure redundancy to reduce outage risk in coastal communities; and

(5) Protection of communications infrastructure and emergency systems.

     (f) Port, harbor, and working waterfront resilience. Projects to protect Rhode Island's

coastal economy and supply chains, including:

(1) Bulkhead elevation and reinforcement;

(2) Flood barrier systems for ports and waterfront industrial zones;

(3) Storm surge mitigation infrastructure at marinas and port facilities;

(4) Shoreline protection for shipyards, fisheries, and waterfront businesses; and

(5) Backup power and resilience upgrades to maintain port operations during outages.

     (g) Public facilities and community resilience hubs. Projects that protect public health and

safety, including:

(1) Floodproofing of public safety buildings, schools, shelters, and community centers;

(2) Creation and retrofitting of resilience hubs with emergency power and supplies;

(3) Protection of emergency medical services and hospital-adjacent infrastructure; and

(4) Relocation of critical community services out of flood hazard zones.

     (h) Workforce preparedness and training. Projects and programs that develop Rhode

Island's climate resilience workforce, including:

(1) Workforce training programs for construction, engineering, green infrastructure,

maritime, and coastal restoration;

(2) Credentialing and apprenticeship programs related to resilience construction trades;

(3) Partnerships with community colleges, technical schools, unions, and workforce

boards;

(4) Training for municipal and state staff in climate-resilient planning, design

standards, and project implementation; and

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(5) Development of a statewide resilience workforce pipeline, including recruitment

and career pathways.

Funds under this subsection may be used for training facilities, program development, equipment

purchases, and grants to qualified training providers; provided that, expenditures are directly related

to implementation of climate resilience and coastal preparedness projects.

     SECTION 5. Project eligibility - Priority areas - Ten (10) year implementation

requirement.

     (a) Legislative intent.

     It is the intent of the general assembly that bond proceeds authorized by this act shall be

used exclusively for projects that address the most urgent and high-risk climate resilience needs

identified by the State of Rhode Island for the upcoming decade.

     (b) Definitions.

     As used in this act, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

     (1) "Administering agency" means the governor's office or such state agency or agencies

designated by the governor or by law to implement the provisions of this act including, but not

limited to, the Rhode Island infrastructure bank, the department of environmental management ,

the coastal resources management council , the department of transportation, or any successor

agencies.

     (2) "Eligible project" means a capital improvement, natural infrastructure project,

resilience retrofit, acquisition, engineering design, permitting activity, or workforce preparedness

investment that is authorized under this act and meets the requirements of this section.

     (3) "High-risk area" means any geographic area within the State of Rhode Island that is

identified in the resilience report, or through mapping and analysis incorporated into the resilience

report, as subject to significant current or projected vulnerability to climate impacts including, but

not limited to, sea level rise, coastal flooding, storm surge, coastal erosion, riverine flooding,

extreme precipitation, heat impacts, repetitive loss flooding, or critical infrastructure exposure.

     (4) "Prioritized area" means any geographic area, municipality, neighborhood, watershed,

coastal zone, port district, transportation corridor, or critical infrastructure service area identified

in the resilience report as a focus area for near-term or medium-term resilience investment.

     (5) "Resilience Report" means the State of Rhode Island's most recently adopted statewide

climate resilience strategy or resilience planning document including, but not limited to, the

Resilient Rhody 2025 report, as published by the executive climate change coordinating council

(EC4), the Rhode Island department of environmental management , or any successor entity, and

any formal amendments or successor reports adopted by the state.

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     (6) "Ten-year implementation horizon" means the period of ten (10) years following voter

approval of this act, during which funded projects must be planned, designed, permitted, or

constructed in alignment with the resilience report's priority actions, timelines, and identified

implementation phases.

     (c) Mandatory alignment with the resilience report.

     All projects funded in whole or in part through the proceeds of the bonds authorized by

this act shall be:

     (1) Directly related to high-risk areas or prioritized areas as defined in this section; and

     (2) Consistent with and supportive of the resilience actions, priority solutions, hazard

mitigation objectives, or infrastructure protection strategies identified in the resilience report.

     (d) Ten-(10) year priority requirement.

     Bond proceeds shall be awarded to projects that are identified in the resilience report as

requiring action within the ten-(10) year implementation horizon, including projects categorized as

immediate, near-term, or medium-term priorities. Projects shall demonstrate that the funded

activities will result in measurable resilience benefits within the ten-(10) year implementation

horizon.

     (e) Prohibition on non-priority spending.

     No bond proceeds shall be obligated, expended, or awarded for any project that cannot

demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the administering agency, a direct and documented connection

to:

     (1) A high-risk area or prioritized area; and

     (2) A ten-(10) year priority action, resilience solution, or infrastructure need identified in

the resilience report.

     (f) Required documentation for each project.

     Each applicant seeking bond funding shall submit documentation including, at minimum:

     (1) The location of the project and the specific high-risk or prioritized area served;

     (2) Citation to the relevant section(s), map(s), or priority action(s) in the resilience report

demonstrating alignment;

     (3) A description of the climate hazards being addressed;

     (4) An estimate of the anticipated reduction in risk, damage, service disruption, or public

safety vulnerability; and

     (5) A schedule demonstrating that the project will be initiated or completed within the ten-

(10) year implementation horizon.

     (g) Public list of priority areas and eligible investments.

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     Within one hundred eighty (180) days of voter approval of this act, the administering

agency shall publish and maintain a publicly accessible list of:

     (1) High-risk and prioritized areas eligible for investment under this act; and

     (2) Project categories eligible for funding.

     Such list shall be based on the resilience report and updated as the State publishes revised

risk mapping, hazard projections, or subsequent statewide resilience reports.

     (h) Enforcement.

     Any expenditure made in violation of this section shall be deemed an unauthorized

expenditure of bond proceeds and shall be subject to corrective action, including reallocation of

funds to eligible projects.

     SECTION 6. Allocation and administration.

     (a) The proceeds of the bonds authorized by this act shall be deposited in a special fund to

be known as the Blue Wave Bond Fund.

     (b) The governor's office, in consultation with the Rhode Island infrastructure bank, the

department of environmental management, the coastal resources management council, the

department of transportation, the department of administration, and other relevant agencies, shall

establish a process to prioritize and approve eligible projects.

     (c) In awarding funds, priority shall be given to projects that:

     (1) Protect critical facilities and vulnerable populations;

     (2) Reduce repetitive flood losses;

     (3) Advance nature-based solutions where feasible;

     (4) Improve statewide emergency response capacity;

     (5) Leverage federal, municipal, and private matching funds;

     (6) Support economic resilience of ports and working waterfronts;

     (7) Provide measurable climate risk reduction benefits; and

     (8) Create or sustain a trained workforce to implement resilience investments.

     SECTION 7. Allocation of bond proceeds - Funding schedule.

     (a) Allocation schedule.

     Notwithstanding any other provision of law, proceeds of the bonds authorized by this act

shall be allocated for eligible project categories as follows:

     (1) Coastal and Shoreline Protection. Thirty Million Dollars ($30,000,000)

     (2) Stormwater and Flood Mitigation Infrastructure. Twenty Million Dollars ($20,000,000)

     (3) Wastewater and Drinking Water System Resilience. Fifteen Million Dollars

($15,000,000)

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     (4) Transportation and Evacuation Route Resilience. Ten Million Dollars ($10,000,000)

     (5) Energy and Critical Infrastructure Hardening. Ten Million Dollars ($10,000,000)

     (6) Port, Harbor, and Working Waterfront Resilience. Ten Million Dollars ($10,000,000)

     (7) Public Facilities and Community Resilience Hubs. Three Million Dollars ($3,000,000)

     (8) Workforce Preparedness and Training. Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000)

     (b) Administrative cost limitation.

     No more than two percent (2%) of the total bond proceeds may be used for administrative

purposes, including program management and grant administration.

     (c) Flexibility provision.

     The administering agency may transfer funds between categories listed in subsection (a)

by no more than ten percent (10%) of the total allocation for any category; provided that:

     (1) Such transfer is justified by project readiness, cost escalation, or federal match

opportunities;

     (2) The transfer remains consistent with section 5 of this act; and

     (3) notice of such transfer is provided in writing to the speaker of the house, the president

of the senate, and the chairs of the house and senate finance committees no fewer than thirty (30)

days prior to obligation of the transferred funds.

     (d) Minimum municipal grant set-aside.

     Not less than twenty-five percent (25%) of the proceeds authorized under this act shall be

made available through competitive grants or direct awards to municipalities, regional entities, or

quasi-public agencies for eligible projects, provided such projects meet the requirements of section

5.

     (e) Matching incentives.

     The administering agency shall prioritize funding for projects that leverage federal funding,

private investment, or municipal matching funds, including FEMA hazard mitigation programs,

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers programs, and other federal infrastructure resilience grants.

     SECTION 8. Regional equity and distribution requirement.

     (a) Intent.

     The general assembly finds that climate impacts threaten all regions of Rhode Island and

that equitable distribution of resilience investments is necessary to protect residents, economic

assets, and critical infrastructure statewide.

     (b) Regional distribution.

     In awarding funds, the administering agency shall ensure that investments are distributed

across coastal and inland regions of the state in a manner consistent with the high-risk and

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prioritized areas identified in the resilience report.

     (c) Minimum regional investment standard.

     To ensure statewide benefit, the administering agency shall allocate not less than:

     (1) Fifteen percent (15%) of total bond proceeds to projects located in or directly benefiting

Washington County,

     (2) Fifteen percent (15%) of total bond proceeds to projects located in or directly benefiting

Kent County,

     (3) Fifteen percent (15%) of total bond proceeds to projects located in or directly benefiting

Providence County, and

     (4) Fifteen percent (15%) of total bond proceeds to projects located in or directly benefiting

Bristol and Newport Counties, including communities in the East Bay and Aquidneck Island.

     (5) Fifteen percent (15%) of total bond proceeds to projects located in or directly benefiting

Blackstone Valley, including communities in the West Bay and Northern Rhode Island.

     The remaining portion of bond proceeds may be allocated statewide to priority projects

meeting the requirements of section 5 of this act.

     (d) Waiver authority.

     The administering agency may waive the minimum regional investment standards in

subsection (c) of this section only upon written determination that:

     (1) Insufficient eligible projects are ready for implementation in a region within the ten-

(10) year implementation horizon; or

     (2) A statewide critical infrastructure project provides substantial benefits across multiple

regions.

     Any waiver shall be reported in the annual report required under section 9 of this act and

shall include justification and alternative strategies to ensure equitable investment.

     SECTION 9. Accountability and reporting.

     (a) Within one hundred eighty (180) days of voter approval, the administering agency or

agencies shall publish a Blue Wave Bond Implementation Plan identifying:

     (1) A preliminary list of projects to be funded;

     (2) Estimated costs and timelines;

     (3) Geographic distribution of investments;

     (4) Anticipated resilience outcomes and performance measures; and

     (5) Workforce preparedness investments and expected workforce outcomes.

     (b) An annual report shall be submitted to the governor and the general assembly and

posted publicly, describing:

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     (1) Funds obligated and expended;

     (2) Status of funded projects;

     (3) Workforce training outcomes and participation metrics;

     (4) Resilience performance measures achieved; and

     (5) Progress toward protecting high-risk and prioritized areas under the resilience report.

     SECTION 10. Proposition to be submitted to the people.

     At the general election to be held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November 2026,

there shall be submitted to the people of the State of Rhode Island, for their approval or rejection,

the following proposition:

     The question submitted shall be substantially in the following form:

     BALLOT QUESTION.

     Shall the State of Rhode Island issue general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed

one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000) for the Blue Wave Bond for Coastal Preparedness to

fund coastal protection, stormwater and flood mitigation, wastewater and drinking water resilience,

transportation and evacuation route upgrades, energy and critical infrastructure hardening, port and

working waterfront resilience, resilience hubs, and workforce preparedness and training programs,

with investments limited to high-risk and prioritized areas identified in the state's resilience report

for implementation within the next ten (10) years?

      YES

      NO

     SECTION 11. EFFECTIVE DATE. Sections 1, 2, 10, and 11 of this act shall take effect

upon passage. The remaining sections of this act shall take effect when and if the state board of

elections shall certify to the secretary of state that a majority of the qualified electors voting on the

proposition contained in section 10 hereof have indicated their approval of the project thereunder.

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EXPLANATION

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO THE BLUE WAVE BOND FOR COASTAL PREPAREDNESS -- 2026 BOND

REFERENDUM

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     This act would be a proposed bond measure that would authorize the State of Rhode Island

to issue up to one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000) in general obligation bonds, subject to

voter approval, to fund coastal preparedness and resilience projects. Funds would be used for

shoreline protection, flood mitigation, stormwater and wastewater upgrades, protection of critical

facilities, port and working waterfront resilience, and workforce preparedness and training

programs to support resilience-related jobs and infrastructure investments. Bond proceeds may only

be used for projects in high-risk and prioritized areas identified in the state’s resilience report for

implementation within the next ten (10) years.

     Sections 1, 2, 10, and 11 of this act would take effect upon passage. The remaining sections

of this act would take effect when and if the state board of elections shall certify to the secretary of

state that a majority of the qualified electors voting on the proposition contained in section 10 of

this act hereof have indicated their approval of the project thereunder.

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