Cesspools. For 45 minutes. That’s more time than was spent on
pretty much any item in the budget, for what it’s worth.
Here’s all the best (or worst) parts in under five minutes.
To watch this directly on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDjkhM4_ovc
Editor's note: despite the stupidity displayed by such legislators as Rep. Joe Trillo (R), Justin Price's main competitor for stupidest legislator, the Senate and House versions of this bill, sponsored by South Kingstown Democrats Rep. Teresa Tanzi and Senator Sue Sosnowski, to phase-out cesspools all over Rhode Island passed. It goes to Gov. Raimondo who has indicated she will sign it.
Read on the the official news release.
Legislation phasing out cesspools passes both houses of
General Assembly
STATE HOUSE –
Legislation that would provide for the eventual removal of all cesspools in the
state has passed both legislative chambers of the General Assembly and now
moves to the governor’s office.
The Senate bill (2015-S
0369A), introduced by Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski (D-Dist. 37, South Kingstown,
New Shoreham) and the House version (2015-H
5668A) introduced by Rep. Teresa Tanzi (D-Dist. 34, South Kingstown,
Narragansett) amend the Rhode Island Cesspool Act of 2007, including replacing
individual sewage disposal systems with onsite wastewater treatment systems and
would require cesspool removal or replacement upon the transfer of the property
where the cesspool is located under certain circumstances.
The current law requires
the phase-out of cesspools located within 200 feet of a shoreline, wetland or
drinking water supply. This bill provides for the eventual removal of all
cesspools beyond these 200 foot boundaries.
“Cesspools are an
outdated form of handling wastewater; for this reason, the state banned the
installation of new cesspools over 40 years ago,” said Senator Sosnowski. “The
main advantage of the using point-of-sale approach for cesspool phase-out is
that the cost of replacing a cesspool can be taken into account in the selling
price of the home and/or the financing of the home.”
An onsite wastewater
treatment system is any system of piping, tanks, disposal areas,
alternative toilets or other facilities designed to function as a unit to
convey, store, treat and/or dispose of sanitary sewage by means other than
discharge into a public sewer system.
The legislation provides
flexibility when it comes to the responsibility of replacing the cesspool at
the point of sale, leaving it to agreement whether it will be the
responsibility of the buyer or the seller.
“Cesspools are not
sewage treatment and they just dump untreated waste into the ground. We’ve
recognized the hazards they present to the environment for so long that it’s
now been nearly 50 years since our state even allowed new construction of
them,” said Representative Tanzi (D-Dist. 34, South Kingstown, Narragansett).
“We’ve made slow progress toward eliminating them, but we need to go further
and recognize that nowhere in Rhode Island is an acceptable place for a
cesspool.”
Representative Tanzi
said the cost to homeowners, which averages $12,000, has long been the sticking
point that has prevented the state from eliminating all cesspools in the past,
but making the requirement triggered by the transfer of property provides more
financing opportunities.
The Clean Water Finance
Agency also has two low-interest financing programs to assist homeowners: the
Community Septic System Loan Program to replace the cesspool and the Sewer
Tie-in Loan Fund for connecting to sewers.
“This is not only a good
move for the environment,” said Representative Tanzi. “It is also excellent for
jobs and the economy. There are still 25,000 cesspools in our state, and with
about 400 of them being eliminated annually under this bill, this is going to
put people to work.”