House leaders kill pyrolysis bill in this session
By Steve Ahlquist for UpRiseRI
Just ahead of a rally organized by the Environment Council of Rhode Island (ECRI), The People’s Port Authority, and environmental justice organizations and community members to “express strong opposition to toxic, plastic burning or so-called ‘advanced recycling’ bills,” Speaker of the House Joseph Shekarchi and Majority Leader Christopher Blazjewski issued a joint statement saying that the bill, which passed by a narrow margin out of the Senate, would not be taken up by the House, effectively killing the bill this legislative session.
“The House will not be considering legislation (H8089/S2788A) this year that adds advanced recycling as a definition for refuse disposal,” said House leaders in a statement. “We are a member-driven body and our members have spoken to us loudly and clearly that they have serious unresolved questions about this bill.
“We have had the best year ever regarding
environmental legislation and we do not want to take a step backward by passing
this bill. As examples, we have passed, or are about to pass, legislation that
establishes the strongest renewable energy standard in the country, increases
renewable energy production and supply, increases offshore wind capacity,
reduces the use of plastic bags, removes harmful ‘forever chemicals’ in our
water and packaging, and invests hundreds of millions of dollars to support
climate resilience and the green and blue economy. We enacted the
landmark Act on Climate legislation last year, and really kept the
momentum rolling in our session which is wrapping up this week.”
Given this news, the planned protest became more of a celebration, but it was a celebration dampened by the idea that the pyrolysis bill is not dead forever. It could certainly be resurrected next year.
“Today, we were heard,” said Priscilla De La Cruz, ECRI President and Senior Director of Government Affairs at the Audubon Society of Rhode Island. “Next year, we will be back here if such proposals are in from of the General Assembly. We’re hoping that this has sent the right message – That we don’t want this in any community, nor do we want this in Rhode Island.”
The bills, H8089/S2788A, propose allowing so-called “advanced recycling” (aka
pyrolysis or high heat) facilities to be built in Rhode Island. These
facilities are really just a complicated way of burning plastics for energy.
The effort, touted by plastics industry and the American Chemistry Council would
undermine efforts to protect environmental justice communities and meet Act on
Climate goals. High-heat plastics-burning technologies, including pyrolysis and
“advanced recycling,” are toxic and climate-damaging, and often sited on the
backs of frontline communities who are already burdened by pollution and
experiencing deep inequities.
The Senate passed S2788, sponsored by Senator Frank Lombardo (Democrat, District 25, Johnston), after some legislative chicanery. The bill contradicts the the proposed Environmental Justice Act, also passed by the Senate. The House bill 8089, sponsored by Representative Stephen Casey (Democrat, District 50, Woonsocket), would exempt “advanced recycling” facilities from solid waste laws and regulations.
“We hope that every time they try to add a
polluting industry in our community that we continue to keep showing up,”
said Angel Ramos, an organizer with The People’s Port Authority.
“What are we doing?” asked Terri Wright from DARE (Direct
Action for Rights and Equality). “Whose idea was it to not care at all about
where this plastic burning facility was going to be built?”
“I know the state weren’t proposing this at
any of the predominantly white, wealthy or well-to-do communities,” said Dwayne
Keys from the South Providence Neighborhood Association. “At this point we’re
done with the niceness and the politeness. So to those legislators who thought
that this is a good idea, sponsoring and co-sponsoring, understand that you engaged
in environmental racism. Just know that you did that.”
I am acutely aware of what is in the Port,
and what doesn’t belong in the Port anymore,” said Linda Perry from
the Washington Park Neighborhood Association. “There is an opportunity to
go green. And I would hope that our legislators in the building behind us
realize that. We could eliminate all of this angst if we just focused on a
clean, green economy.”
“This bill… would have stripped communities
of their right to object to dangerous, plastic burning facilities,” said Kevin
Boudris, Senior Attorney with CLF. “And the bills would have picked
particular neighborhoods as the sacrifice zones for these communities. The
bills would have also exempted high heat facilities from other commonsense
waste regulations, like siting restrictions, operating standards, emergency
management plan requirements…”
“This isn’t a new thing. We’re not here
talking about communities of color being disproportionately impacted by
environmental racism like it’s just about to happen,” said David Veliz from
the Rhode Island Sierra Club. “These communities have been struggling
since the beginning of this country. In Rhode Island poor communities and
communities of color are disproportionately affected by higher lead poisoning
rates, higher asthma rates, higher medical bills, higher mental and emotional
health costs because of the compounding oppressions of poverty and
environmental injustice bring on.”
See also:
The bad idea that never dies: Pyrolysis is back at the Rhode Island State House
Senate approves scientifically unsound and environmentally dangerous plastics burning bill
