Runoff pollution cut
The Smart Development for a Cleaner Bay
Act of 2007, sponsored by Rep. Ray Sullivan (Coventry, West Greenwich)
and Sen. Paul Moura (East Providence) will raise Rhode Island’s runoff
standards for development, to better protect the Bay and Rhode Island’s
lakes, rivers and streams from pollution.
“You can’t
overstate the importance of protecting the quality of the water in our
rivers, reservoirs and the Bay,” said Rep. Sullivan.
“We need
to take every necessary step to preserve Rhode Island’s waterways, and
that includes requiring developers to employ the most environmentally
friendly methods of development,” said Sen. Moura.
Runoff from
development, also called stormwater runoff, is a major source of
bacteria, nitrogen and phosphorous in Narragansett Bay and waterways
throughout the state.
Proposed state park sale exposed
In
March, Environment Rhode Island helped expose a proposed land sale of
former state park land in Charlestown on the border of Burlingame State
Park.
While the proposed land sale was included in the state
budget, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service recently unveiled a proposal
to purchase and preserve a seventy acre tract of land in South
Kingstown in exchange for the state land in Charlestown being protected.
“Selling
former state park land to balance the budget is a terrible idea, but
now the state has a one-time opportunity to right this wrong and
preserve additional open space in South Kingstown that would become
part of the National Wildlife Refuge system,” said Environment Rhode
Island’s Matt Auten. “We will be working hard to make sure the state
takes advantage of this golden opportunity to make lemonade out of
lemons.”
Breakheart Pond in Arcadia Management Area
