A statewide ban on plastic shopping bags and more
composting are among several key issues being advanced by Rhode Island
environmentalists this year.
Last week, the Environment Council
of Rhode Island (ECRI), an advocacy groups for 60-plus environmental
groups, announced its legislative priorities on issues of energy, land and
water, waste, transportation and the budget.
A bill requiring GMO labeling has already been
introduced in the House. The bill died in committee the past two years.
Connecticut and Maine have passed similar laws. Neither takes effect until
neighboring states enact their own GMO labeling regulations.
In Oregon, a state referendum for GMO labeling lost by fewer
than 900 votes last November. Massachusetts refiled its GMO labeling bill Jan.
13. The Sierra Club of Rhode Island is the lead organization in the Ocean State
effort to mandate GMO labeling.
Another ECRI supported priority bill introduced last week, H5079, extends the state's renewable-energy standard (RES),
which is the percentage of renewable electricity that comes through our
electric sockets. The RES currently mandates utilities to reach 16 percent by
2019. The new legislation would extend the 1.5 percent annual increase until
2035. The lead organizations on this effort are the Conservation
law Foundation and the Acadia Center.
Here is a look at other issues and bills ECRI supports in
2015:
Energy
Restore a state tax credit for installing renewable energy for homes. Lead
organization: Sierra Club.
Extend a mandate for energy efficiency relating to state
energy procurement. Lead organizations: Acadia Center and Conservation Law
Foundation.
Waste
A statewide ban on plastic shopping bags died in committee last year. Lead
organizations: Environment Rhode Island and Eco Youth United.
Expand the 2014 compost law to include small businesses and
residences. Lead organization: Sierra Club.
Enact a take-back program for compact florescent light
bulbs. Lead organization: Clean Water Action Rhode Island.
Producer responsibility encourages manufactures to reduce
packaging and increase the amount of recyclable and reusable content. Lead
organizations: Clean Water Action and Sierra Club.
Land and water
About 25,000 antiquated cesspools are still used in the state and are blamed
for beach closings and fish kills. Realtors helped kill the bill last year.
Lead organizations: Save The Bay, Aububon Society of Rhode Island and Clean
Water Action.
Enact regulations that set standards for wetland buffers and
setbacks, and allows state agencies to have greater oversight in enforcement.
Lead organizations: Audubon Society, Save The Bay and Rhode Island Land Trust
Council.
Increase penalties for cutting trees, stealing stone walls
and for intentional damage to protected open space. Lead organizations: Rhode
Island Land Trust Council and Audubon Scoiety.
The Community Preservation Act mimics a program in
Massachusetts that sets dedicated funding for land conservation, park
development and historic preservation. Lead organizations: Rhode Island Land
Trust Council and Save The Bay.
ECRI also supports legislation that promotes green
infrastructure and improvements to managing stormwater runoff.
Budget
Increase the Department of Environmental Management (DEM) budget so the state
agency can meet staffing and enforcement needs. No staff or new funds have been
provided to DEM in more than a decade.
Increase the Rhode Island Public Transportation Authority
(RIPTA) budget to meet additional service needs. Lead organizations: RIPTA
Riders Alliance and Sierra Club.
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