By TIM FAULKNER/ecoRI News staff
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| Sen. Elaine Morgan (R-Charlestown, Hopkinton) got an F in environment |
A
biannual assessment from the Environment Council of Rhode Island (ECRI), a coalition of 60
environmental organizations, gave the Senate a C and the House a C+.
Raimondo
didn’t receive a grade but was criticized for endorsing the proposed
Burrillville fossil-fuel power plant, and applauded for supporting
renewable-energy incentives and other environmental legislation.
The grades
trended along party lines, with all 12 House Republicans earning an F. All of
the A’s went to Democrats.
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| So did Rep. Justin Price (R-Richmond) |
Significant
environmental bills that became law included the phase-out of cesspools and the
extension and expansion of several renewable-energy incentives. ECRI criticized
House speaker Nicholas Mattiello (B-), D-Cranston, for abruptly stripping those
incentives from the 2017 budget due to campaign contribution flap.
“Speaker
Mattiello’s unwise action shows a lack of regard for the importance of
renewable energy to the state’s environment and economy," according to the
recently released report.
ECRI
praised Rep. Deborah Ruggiero (A+), D-Jamestown, and Rep. Aaron Regunberg (A),
D-Providence, for salvaging most of those incentives with a bill introduced near the end of the 2016
session. Sen. William Conley (A-), D-East Providence, was recognized for
sponsoring the Senate version of the bill.
Rep.
Teresa Tanzi (A+), D-Narragansett, was applauded for sponsoring the cesspool
bill and for advancing the $35 million Green Economy bond referendum that will
be on the November ballot.
.JPG) |
| Sen. Sue Sosnowski and Rep. Teresa Tanzi both scores top marks |
A
big failure was the passage of the “dry lands” bill, which
allows wetland buffers to be included in buildable lot calculations. The
legislation was sponsored by Rep. Joseph Sekarchi (B-), D-Warwick, Sen. Michael
McCaffrey (D), D-Warwick, and Sen. Frank Lombardi (F), D-Cranston. Raimondo
signed the bill into law.
Rep.
Stephen Ucci (C), D-Johnston, was censured for introducing a 2015 bill that lifts the state ban on trash
incineration. The legislation died in committee.
Missed
opportunities included bills that banned plastic bags, reduced marine debris,
enhanced protection of conservation land and taxed carbon fuels. ECRI calls for
a greater adherence to greenhouse-gas reduction goals in policymaking.
Here
are the top and bottom grade earners:
A or A+
Sen. Paul Fogarty, D-Burrillville
Sen. Maryellen Goodwin, D-Providence
Sen. Joshua Miller, D-Cranston
Sen. Susan Sosnowski, D-New Shoreham
Sen. Teresa Paiva Weed, Senate President, D-Newport
Rep. John Carnevale, D-Providence
Rep. Lauren Carson, D-Newport
Rep. Kathleen Fogarty, D-South Kingston
Rep. Arthur Handy, D-Cranston
Rep. Cale Keable, D-Burrillville
Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee, D-South Kingstown
Rep. Joseph McNamara, D-Warwick
Rep. Aaron Regunberg, D-Providence
Rep. Deborah Ruggiero, D-Jamestown
Rep. Teresa Tanzi, D-Narragansett
F
Sen. Marc Cote, D-Woonsocket
Sen. Mark Gee, R-East Greenwich
Sen. Frank Lombardi, D-Cranston
Sen. Elaine Morgan, R-Charlestown
Sen. John Pagliarini Jr. R-Portsmouth
Sen. Leonidas Raptakis, D-Coventry
Rep. Michael Chippendale, R-Foster
Rep. Doreen Marie Costa, R-North Kingstown
Rep. Antonio Giarrusso, R-East Greenwich
Rep. Robert Lancia, R-Cranston
Rep. Karen MacBeth, R-Cumberland
Rep. Patricia Morgan, R-Coventry
Rep. Robert Nardolillo, R-Coventry
Rep. Brian Newberry, R-Burrillville
Rep. Justin Price, R-Hopkinton
Rep. Daniel Reilly, R-Middletown
Rep. Sherry Roberts, R-Coventry
Rep. Joseph Trillo, R-Warwick