 |
|
6/21/2022
|
House OKs Carson’s resolution seeking water quality assessment of state parks, including Fort Adams
|
STATE HOUSE – The House of Representatives today approved a House resolution sponsored by Rep. Lauren H. Carson seeking a water quality and resilience assessment at state parks, including Fort Adams in Newport.
The resolution (2022-H 8339) requests that the Department of Environmental Management assess the potential impacts and vulnerability of paved parking lots larger than 10,000 square feet that are within 500 feet of water bodies listed as impaired under the Clean Water Act and located in state parks. The resolution asks that the assessment include, at minimum, Fort Adams State Park, Goddard State Park, Lincoln Woods and Colt State Park.
The resolution also requests that DEM prepare a report with plans and cost estimates for addressing storm water, resilience and sea level rise at these four parks and any others that it may elect to include.
“It’s well known that runoff from parking lots is a major source of water pollution. Fort Adams, in particular, is often used for large events that fill its lots to capacity with vehicles. Given its waterfront location, we should be looking at what is running into the water from those parking areas, and what we can do to protect water from that pollution now and in the future,” said Representative Carson (D-Dist. 75, Newport). “The quality of our water, and the Narragansett Bay in particular, is so important to our economy. It’s a critical resource for our tourism industry, our blue economy, maritime and seafood industries, as well as for everyday Rhode Islanders who enjoy recreation on our water. We need clean water, and this bill is one more way we can move toward greater stewardship of our water resources.”
For more information, contact:
Meredyth R. Whitty, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 222-1923
|
|