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| Rep. Donna Walsh fights for family farms, clean water and manufacturer responsibility |
By ecoRI.org News staff
EDITOR'S NOTE: Rep. Donna Walsh (Dist. 36) scored a solid A on the Council's scorecard for her consistent support of environmental legislation.
PROVIDENCE — The
recently released Environment Council of Rhode Island (ECRI) biennial Green
Report Card gave the General
Assembly a collective B- for its environmental work during the 2011 and 2012
sessions. Individually, the nonprofit coalition of 60 Rhode Island
organizations failed 10 senators and 14 representatives.
Those who earned an F
are Senators Frank Lombardo, D-Johnston, and Bethany Moura, R-Cumberland, and
Representatives John Carnevale, D-Providence; Doreen Costa, R-North Kingstown;
Robert Jacquard, D-Cranston; Karen MacBeth, D-Cumberland; Patricia Morgan,
R-Coventry; Brian Newberry, R-North Smithfield; Joseph Trillo, R-Warwick;
Robert Watson, who is not seeking re-election this fall; and Daniel Gordon, who
is no longer in office.
The headlines from the
past two years have been dominated by pension reform, questionable decisions by
the Economic Development Corporation and municipal bankruptcy. In fall 2011, a
special legislative session was called to handle a single issue — the
unfunded pension liability for state employees. In this context, attention to
environmental issues dropped throughout this two-year period. Although
significant pieces of legislation were passed early, opportunities for progress
on key environmental issues were missed, according to ECRI.
Here is ECRI’s take on
some of the key environmental issues and laws addressed by the General Assembly
during the past two years:
Renewable Energy
Legislative Package
The greatest victory in this two-year session was the 2011 passage of a nation-leading package of three renewable energy bills. Rhode Island now has one of the best – and most comprehensive – sets of renewable energy statutes in the country, according to the ECRI report card. In fact, these statutes have been used as models for efforts by environmentalists elsewhere in New England, as well as New York, Iowa, Oregon and California.
The greatest victory in this two-year session was the 2011 passage of a nation-leading package of three renewable energy bills. Rhode Island now has one of the best – and most comprehensive – sets of renewable energy statutes in the country, according to the ECRI report card. In fact, these statutes have been used as models for efforts by environmentalists elsewhere in New England, as well as New York, Iowa, Oregon and California.
Net Metering (S457;
H5939)
The new law allows all renewable sources to net meter, except landfill gas. This was a major victory, according to ECRI, because prior net-metering law in Rhode Island allowed only wind and solar. This new law provides full retail rate to all net-metering facilities, and lifts any cap on the number of meters a self-generator can offset. Rhode Island had been one of only two net-metering states with such a cap, and the Ocean State was the lowest.
The new law allows all renewable sources to net meter, except landfill gas. This was a major victory, according to ECRI, because prior net-metering law in Rhode Island allowed only wind and solar. This new law provides full retail rate to all net-metering facilities, and lifts any cap on the number of meters a self-generator can offset. Rhode Island had been one of only two net-metering states with such a cap, and the Ocean State was the lowest.
Distributed Generation
Standard Contract (S723; H6104)
The purpose of the statute is to provide a simple, user-friendly mechanism for small renewable energy projects that can’t afford an army of lawyers to negotiate a separate contract with the utility. For these smaller projects, there will be a simple, plain-English contract, and a standard price for each separate type of renewable energy. Distributed generation contracts are for 15 years.
The purpose of the statute is to provide a simple, user-friendly mechanism for small renewable energy projects that can’t afford an army of lawyers to negotiate a separate contract with the utility. For these smaller projects, there will be a simple, plain-English contract, and a standard price for each separate type of renewable energy. Distributed generation contracts are for 15 years.
Interconnection (S721;
H6222)
Getting renewable energy projects — especially small, local ones — interconnected to the electricity grid had been a major bottleneck in Rhode Island. This statute sets a definite timeline and fee schedule for interconnections, providing regulator certainty for emerging renewable energy companies.
Getting renewable energy projects — especially small, local ones — interconnected to the electricity grid had been a major bottleneck in Rhode Island. This statute sets a definite timeline and fee schedule for interconnections, providing regulator certainty for emerging renewable energy companies.
Transportation
Investment
In 2011, the General
Assembly enacted a significant change in the state’s transportation funding
system, which ended the need for biennial bonds to raise the money to provide
Rhode Island with the funds needed to receive federal highway dollars. This
money comes from the license and registration fees paid by motorists. These
fees are reinvested in transportation infrastructure — a common sense solution
for a pressing fiscal problem.
The General Assembly,
however, didn’t include the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) in
this funding system, leaving it to face significant budget shortfalls. ECRI
advocated for the Transit Investment and Debt Reduction Act of 2012. It
garnered broad support from constituents, community groups and organizations,
including the Coalition for Transportation Choices, and more than half of the
House members.
Despite its
overwhelming popularity, it was not brought to a vote or included in the state
budget. Because of a failure to provide stable and predictable funding for
RIPTA, budget shortfalls are predicted early in 2013.
Making Progress on
Solid Waste
With the Central Landfill in Johnston having only another 20 or so years of
usable life left, it is essential to invest time and energy in alternative ways
to dispose of waste. This begins with reducing unnecessary consumption and
improving recycling collection systems.
A producer
responsibility framework bill (H5888; S459) was introduced in 2011. This
innovative proposal would have created a consistent and predictable plan to
involve product manufacturers in the disposal of their products. Even though it
provided regulatory certainty and predictability for small and large business
alike, the bill was met with opposition from many trade associations. It would
have brought together stakeholders to develop a product take-back program for
up to two new products every two years. Each program would be developed in
collaboration with product manufacturers. This would have developed new
opportunities for economic development while solving our waste crisis.
Though the Legislature
failed to act in 2011, this leap backward was followed by two steps forward in
2012. Thanks to dedicated leadership, Rhode Island became the fourth state to
enact a producer responsibility bill for unused paint. This program, which will
be implemented in 2014, will reduce the amount of paint that is sent to the
state landfill, provide more convenient collection for consumers and reduce
regulations on small businesses that choose to collect the product.
Additionally, with the
passage of S3073, Rhode Island will be the first state to look at policy models
to collect and recycle more packaging materials under a producer responsibility
program. Commission members have been named and meetings are set to begin in
November. The commission will produce a report highlighting its findings in
March 2013.
The Governor
Gov. Lincoln Chafee, elected in 2010, entered office amidst a whirlwind of
financial challenges. Given these fiscal issues, the governor remained
steadfast in many commitments to the environment. He has demonstrated a
commitment to environmental issues by taking the simple, yet important, step of
signing most of the conservation and environmental bills passed by the General
Assembly.
Highlights include a package of renewable energy bills, legal
protection for conservation easements and product stewardship for unused paint.
Past governors allowed environmental policies to go into effect without a
signature, demonstrating a lack of commitment.
After two years in
office, Chafee has proven to be an advocate for land and water conservation. He
has introduced Question 5, a bond referendum on the Nov. 6 state ballot, to
fund upgrades in wastewater and drinking water infrastructure.
He deserves
commendation for his judicial use of veto power over dangerous environmental
bills that came out of the General Assembly. He exercised this prerogative by
vetoing a proposal to halt mandatory sewer tie-in in Warwick (H7936; S2086) —
the General Assembly overrode his decision. This law allows cesspool owners in
Warwick to defer tying into existing sewer lines until they sell their homes.
The continued existence and operation of cesspools threatens both our drinking
water supplies and Narragansett Bay.
He also vetoed H7942,
which would have radically changed the structure and scope of the current
Climate Change Commission. Enactment of this bill would have been a step back
in our state’s ability to handle the impending threats of this serious global
challenge.
Though working to support and sign some
positive environmental legislation, Chafee has missed some critical opportunities
to make progress through his budget proposals. For Rhode Island to properly
protect its resources, take serious action on climate change and invest in
public transportation, the governor has work to do.
Despite stating support for
RIPTA, Chafee didn’t include the funding proposal found in the Transit
Investment and Debt Reduction Act of 2012. It gets people to work, reduces the
need for a family to own multiple vehicles and provides mobility for those who
don’t drive. Funding for public transportation is an essential environmental
issue. Rhode Island’s largest and fastest growing source of greenhouse gas
emissions is the transportation sector. The most important method of reducing
these emissions is to expand and improve public transit.