| R 170 |
| 2015 -- H 5991 Enacted 03/26/2015 |
| H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N |
| RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THE RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT TO RESOLVE THE ALLEN’S AVENUE WATERFRONT POLLUTION COMPLAINT |
| Introduced By: Representatives Almeida, Carnevale, McKiernan, Williams, and |
| Date Introduced: March 26, 2015 |
| WHEREAS, In 2012, two recycling companies, Rhode Island Recycled Metals and Sims |
| Metal Management, were ordered to stop certain activities due to allegedly operating without |
| proper permits; and |
| WHEREAS, Rhode Island Recycled Metals stands accused of not having the proper |
| permits to salvage automobiles or dismantle marine vessels at its waterfront site on Allen's |
| Avenue. It has also been accused of failing to install the required storm runoff controls and |
| having oil leaks on their property grounds. The company was ordered to pay a $33,750 fine, to |
| stop all car crushing, to stop receiving new scrap metal, derelict vessels or automobiles, and to |
| install a pollution containment boom in the river around the property; and |
| WHEREAS, Sims Metal Management was fined $25,000 and ordered to stop receiving |
| any new scrap metal at the site, to stop accepting any new ship repair jobs, and to remove all |
| scrap metal from the facility within sixty days; and |
| WHEREAS, Tom Kutcher, Save the Bay's baykeeper, has expressed "dismay at the |
| blatant and continuing violations of regulations intended to protect Narragansett Bay" and Save |
| the Bay has repeatedly urged the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management to |
| take quicker and firmer action to stop these scrap metal companies from continuing these harmful |
| activities; and |
| WHEREAS, It has now been three years since the Rhode Island DEM charged the two |
| scrap metal companies with committing numerous violations of Rhode Island's environmental |
| regulations, and these two companies are still in business and they continue to break the law and |
| harm the environment. The Providence waterfront and Narragansett Bay, two of Rhode Island's |
| most precious natural resources, continue to suffer harm on a daily basis from the activities of |
| these two scrap metal companies; now, therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives hereby respectfully requests that the |
| Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management promptly adjudicates and resolves the |
| Allen's Avenue waterfront pollution complaint; and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
| transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to Ms. Janet Coit, Director, Rhode Island |
| Department of Environmental Management, Gina Raimondo, Governor of the State of Rhode |
| Island, and the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation. |
| ======== |
| LC002271 |
| ======== |