R 318 |
2025 -- H 5847 SUBSTITUTE A Enacted 05/20/2025 |
H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N |
CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY AND PROVIDE FINDINGS AND POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS THE FLOODING OF THE PAWTUXET RIVER |
Introduced By: Representatives Read, Noret, Nardone, Quattrocchi, Baginski, Serpa, Roberts, Bennett, Chippendale, and Santucci |
Date Introduced: February 28, 2025 |
WHEREAS, The Pawtuxet River watershed is the largest of Rhode Island's watersheds |
within the State's boundaries. With its headwaters in the hills of western Rhode Island, the river's |
North Branch flows generally west to east for 17 miles from the Gainer Dam in Scituate, and |
enters Narragansett Bay at Pawtuxet Cove; and |
WHEREAS, Pre-existing elevated river levels, river structures, and saturated soil |
conditions have resulted in serious and potentially life-threatening flood situations along the |
Pawtuxet River; and |
WHEREAS, On numerous occasions, the Pawtuxet River flooding has caused fowl- |
smelling river sediment to be washed downstream and deposited on abutting homes and |
businesses; and |
WHEREAS, In December of 2023, heavy rain led to historic water levels almost 6 feet |
over flood stage, resulting in flooding of Warwick neighborhoods by the Pawtuxet River; and |
WHEREAS, In January of 2024, the river once again inundated neighborhoods in |
Warwick and surrounding areas with the rising water levels and resultant damages; and |
WHEREAS, In the best interest of the general public and future generations, it is |
essential to find solutions to this ongoing and potentially hazardous issue; now therefore be it |
RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission be and the same is hereby created |
consisting of eleven (11) members: three (3) of whom shall be members of the House of |
Representatives from areas affected by Pawtuxet River flooding, to be appointed by the Speaker |
of the House; one of whom shall be the District Engineer Commander of the New England |
District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, or designee; one of whom shall be a home owner in a |
potential flood zone area, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; one of whom shall be a |
business owner in a potential flood zone area, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; one |
of whom shall be the Director of the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency (RIEMA), or |
designee; one of whom shall be the Acting Regional Administrator for FEMA Region 1, or |
designee; one of whom shall be the Director of the Warwick Sewer Authority, or designee; one of |
whom shall be the Director of the RI Department of Environmental Management, or designee; |
and one of whom shall be the Chairman of the Pawtuxet River Authority and Watershed |
Authority, or designee. |
In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a permanent advisory |
commission, a legislative study commission, or any commission created by a General Assembly |
resolution, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu |
of a legislator. |
The purpose of said commission shall be to study and provide findings and potential |
solutions to address the flooding of the Pawtuxet River including, but not limited to: |
Infrastructure improvements like dredging the riverbed; |
Constructing floodwalls or levees; |
Enhancing storm drains; |
Implementing green infrastructure like rain gardens; |
Revising land use planning to limit development in floodplains; and |
Community preparedness initiatives to minimize flood impacts and promote resilience. |
Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at |
the call of the Speaker of the House and organize and shall select, from among the legislators, a |
chairperson. |
Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment. |
The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services. All |
departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information, documentary and |
otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or desirable by the |
commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution. |
The Speaker of the House is hereby authorized and directed to provide suitable quarters |
for said commission; and be it further |
RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings to the House of |
Representatives no later than March 2, 2026, and said commission shall expire on June 2, 2026. |
======== |
LC001820/SUB A |
======== |