Title 2, Title 2 and Forestry

Whereas it is recognized that freshwater wetlands, buffers, floodplains, and other areas that may be subject to storm flows and flooding as defined in this chapter provide storage and absorption areas for flood waters which reduce flood hazards; and Whereas all flood plains for a…

It is the public policy of the state to preserve the purity and integrity of the freshwater wetlands, buffers, and floodplains of this state. The health, welfare, and general well-being of the populace and the protection of life and property require that the state restrict the us…

As used in this chapter; (1) “Area subject to flooding” shall include, but not be limited to, low-lying areas that collect, hold, or meter out storm and flood waters from any of the following: rivers, streams, intermittent streams, or areas subject to storm flowage. (2) “Area sub…

(a) The director is authorized to adopt, modify, or repeal rules and regulations that are in accord with the purposes of §§ 2-1-18 — 2-1-27 and are subject to the administrative procedures act, chapter 35 of title 42, except for those freshwater wetlands located in the vicinity o…

The director is authorized to determine which areas are to be known as freshwater wetlands, buffers, and floodplains, areas subject to flooding, and areas subject to storm flowage.

(a) The director is authorized to enter, examine, or survey, at any reasonable time, any places that he or she considers necessary to carry out his or her responsibilities under §§ 2-1-18 — 2-1-24 without a warrant. (b) Any person who willfully impedes or obstructs an inspection,…

(a)(1) No person, firm, industry, company, corporation, city, town, municipal or state agency, fire district, club, nonprofit agency, or other individual or group may: (i) Excavate; drain; fill; place trash, garbage, sewage, highway runoff, drainage ditch effluents, earth, rock, …

(a) Application for approval of a project to the director of environmental management shall be made in a form to be prescribed by the director and provided by the director upon request. Prior to the application, a request may be made for preliminary determination as to whether th…

In the event of a violation of § 2-1-21, the director of environmental management has the power to order complete restoration of the freshwater wetland, buffer, floodplain, or other jurisdictional area involved by the person or agent responsible for the violation. If the responsi…

(a) Whenever any person, firm, industry, company, corporation, city, town, municipal or state agency, fire, district, club, or other individual or group commences any activity set forth in § 2-1-21 without first having obtained the approval of the director, or violates any rule o…

If any provision of §§ 2-1-20 — 2-1-28, or of any rule, regulation, or determination made under these sections, or the application of these sections to any person, agency, or circumstances, is held invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of §§ 2-1-20 — 2-1-28,…

The directors of the department and the coastal resources management council shall establish procedures that will provide municipalities and the public with access to information concerning freshwater wetland permit applications filed with the state. Procedures shall be designed …

Local zoning ordinances and regulations that are inconsistent with this chapter shall be amended to conform to the requirements of § 45-24-30.

The director of environmental management shall hold one agricultural institute in each county annually, either independently or in connection with any society, association, or other organization devoted to the same general objects, and may hold as many more as he or she deems exp…

The director of environmental management shall report annually to the general assembly at its January session. Two thousand (2,000) copies of the report shall be printed under the direction of the department of administration. The director shall distribute one copy of the report …

The director of environmental management shall establish and administer a program to promote the marketing of Rhode Island seafood and farm products grown and produced in Rhode Island for the purpose of encouraging the development of the commercial fishing and agricultural sector…

It is the duty of the director of environmental management to assist in the enforcement of the provisions of §§ 2-1-8 — 2-1-12, chapter 6 of this title and chapters 17 and 18 of title 21, and the provisions of any rule or regulations promulgated by the director of the department …

The general assembly assents to and accepts the provisions of an act passed by the sixty-eighth congress entitled “An act to authorize the more complete endowment of agricultural experiment stations, and for other purposes”.

It shall be the duty of the experiment station at the University of Rhode Island, on or before the first day of February, annually, to make a full and detailed report of its operations to the governor, including a statement of its receipts and expenditures for the fiscal year end…

As used in this chapter: (1) “Agriculture council” means an organization composed of groups engaged in supporting and promoting the interests of agriculture within this state and providing educational and informative material to its citizens. (2) “Cooperative extension” means a p…

The general assembly shall annually appropriate any sum that it may deem necessary for the purpose of supporting the program of the department of environmental management in its enlargement of cooperation with agricultural organizations as exemplified by the Rhode Island agricult…

The Rhode Island agricultural council shall make an annual report to the director of the department of environmental management.

There shall be three (3) cooperative extension district associations: (1) The southern Rhode Island cooperative extension service comprising Washington and Kent counties; (2) The eastern Rhode Island cooperative extension service comprising Newport and Bristol counties; and (3) T…

The cooperative extension district associations are incorporated under the laws of Rhode Island; are governed by boards of directors selected to represent as evenly as possible all parts of their respective districts; and shall maintain and abide by the memorandum of agreement wi…

The district associations organized under this chapter are authorized to receive funds from the United States Department of Agriculture, the state, the cities and towns of the state, and from individuals, organizations, corporations, and other funding sources that may desire to c…

It is the duty of each district association to present annually to the secretary of state a full report of its activities for the preceding year including a statement of its receipts from all sources and disbursements.

(a) Each district association shall raise funds for the purposes provided in this chapter. Each city or town within its respective district is authorized to appropriate and turn over to the treasurer of the association serving that district any sums that the city or town may appr…

The director of cooperative extension at the Land Grant College (the University of Rhode Island) is authorized to provide support in cooperation with the district associations for annual 4-H activities and events, including fairs, demonstrating the work of 4-H members, and for co…

The sum of four thousand five hundred dollars ($4,500) is annually appropriated, out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, to be expended by the respective officers of the three (3) district associations: (1) Fifteen hundred dollars ($1,500) to the eastern Rhod…

The sum of five thousand dollars ($5,000) is annually appropriated out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated to the Rhode Island agricultural council to support its efforts to improve the agricultural economy of Rhode Island. The state controller is authorized a…

In recognition of the ever increasing environmental problems resulting from demands on the land and renewable resources of the state and of the need to preserve, protect and develop these resources of the state at a rate and level of quality to meet the needs of the people of the…

The directors may invite the legislative body of any municipality within the district to designate a representative to serve as an associate director to advise and consult with them on all questions of programs and policy which may affect the property, water supply or other inter…

A conservation district organized under the provisions of this chapter shall constitute a subdivision of the state conservation committee, a quasi-public corporation exercising public powers, and the district, and directors of the conservation district, shall have the following p…

As a condition to the extending of any benefits under this chapter to, or the performance of work upon, any lands not owned or controlled by this state or any of its agencies, the directors may require contributions in money, services, materials, or otherwise to any operations co…

No provisions with respect to the acquisition, operation, or disposition of property by other public bodies are applicable to a district organized under the provisions of this chapter unless the legislature shall specifically so state.

(a) Any two (2) or more districts may engage in joint activities by agreement between or among them in planning, financing, constructing, operating, maintaining and administering any program or project concerning the conservation of renewable natural resources. The districts conc…

Agencies of this state and agencies of towns, municipalities or other governmental subdivisions of this state having jurisdiction over public or private land, or charged with the administration of publicly owned lands lying within the boundaries of any district, may cooperate to …

The provisions of this chapter notwithstanding, no provision of this chapter shall be construed to take precedence over or acquire any of the powers delegated to the coastal resources management council under the provisions of § 46-23-6 and any amendment to these sections and thi…

If any provision of this chapter or the application of any provision to any person or circumstance, is held invalid, the remainder of the chapter, and the application of that provision to other persons or circumstances, shall not be affected by that invalidity.

(1) “Associate Director” means a designated representative of any community who serves to advise and consult with the board of directors of a district. (2) “Committee” or “state conservation committee” means the agency created in § 2-4-3. All references in this chapter to “state …

(a) There is established, within the department of environmental management to serve as an agency of the state and to perform the functions conferred upon it by this chapter, the state conservation committee. The following shall serve as members of the committee: the director of …

(a) There is hereby authorized, created and established the “Rhode Island Farm, Forest, and Open Space Land Value Subcommittee” (the subcommittee) to recommend the methodology and values for the assessment of land for property taxation on the basis of current use for farm, forest…

The committee may employ an administrative officer and any technical experts and any other agents, and employees, permanent and temporary, that it may require, and shall determine their qualifications, duties, and compensation. It has the authority to delegate to its chairperson,…

The chairperson of the state committee shall be elected annually by the committee. The committee may elect from among its members such other officers as they deem necessary. A majority of the committee constitutes a quorum, and all actions of the committee shall be by a majority …

In addition to the duties and powers conferred upon the committee, it has the following duties and powers: (1) To offer any assistance as may be appropriate to the directors of conservation districts, organized as provided in this chapter, in the carrying out of any of their powe…

There are established, three (3) conservation districts as follows: (1) All that portion known as Washington County and Kent County is incorporated into a district to be called the southern Rhode Island conservation district; (2) All that portion known as Providence County is inc…