13-R279
2013 -- S 0899
Enacted 05/14/13
S E N A T E R E
S O L U T I O N
RESPECTFULLY
REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL
MANAGEMENT TO
AMEND ITS ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL
MATTERS
Introduced By: Senators Miller, Jabour, Ciccone, Metts, and Ruggerio
Date Introduced: May 02, 2013
WHEREAS,
to live, work, and play, with clean water, exceptional
beaches, abundant public access, thriving
living resources, and vital harbors and waterfronts; and
WHEREAS, Through our support of our ports and bays,
rely upon aquatic resources and/or waterfronts will thrive
and have the opportunity to grow
sustainably; and
WHEREAS, The Rhode
Island Port Marketing Collaborative Act of 2012 gathered state
agencies and maritime stakeholders to develop and maintain a
strategic plan for the state’s vital
ports, facilities, and maritime trades, with a special
focus on job creation; and
WHEREAS, It is the policy of the state to promote a growing maritime
economy, to
prevent economic stagnation, and to encourage the creation of
new job opportunities, while
preserving and maintaining our valuable natural resources; and
WHEREAS, As we continue to assess and protect the environmental
assets of our state,
we simultaneously protect and enhance all Rhode
Islanders’ quality of life and environmental
health for our great state; and
WHEREAS, In 2007, the General Assembly recognized the need to
preserve and protect
the state’s waters and passed the Smart Development for a
Cleaner Bay Act of 2007; and
WHEREAS, As a result of
the Act, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental
Management and Coastal Resources Management Council
became nationally recognized leaders
in the development of the Rhode Island Storm Water
Design and Installation Manual of 2010;
now, therefore be it
RESOLVED,
That this Senate of the State of
hereby respectfully requests that the Rhode Island
Department of Environmental Management
review its current practices and policy of issuing an
automatic stay of a Notice of Violation
(NOV), while an individual
or business pursues administrative remedies following an
environmental pollutant matter; and be it further
RESOLVED,
That this Senate respectfully requests that the Rhode
Island Department of
Environmental Management
amend its administrative regulations pertaining to Administrative
Rules of Practice and
Procedures for the Administrative Adjudication Division for Environmental
Matters to include specific
language related to issuance of automatic stays, including, but not
limited to: 1) Issuing specific timelines; and 2)
Establishing practices consistent with protecting
the environmental interests of the
RESOLVED,
That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized
and directed to
transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the
Governor of the State of
Director of the Department
of Environmental Management, and the Executive Director of the
Coastal
Resources Management Council.
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LC02240
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