New State Initiatives 



Narrow River SAM plans have amply demonstrated the potential of locally initiated 

 research and management action in Rhode Island. 



State implementation funding obtained through the federal Water Quality Act initiatives 

 could be made available to municipal agencies Uirough interagency agreements, pending 

 availability of implementation funding under Section 319 of the Water Quality Act. 

 Alternatively, legislatively authorized funding could be made available for grants and low 

 interest loans. 



State-Local projects within the general grant-in-aid/loan program and the special 

 shellfishery case study program would be selected according to EPA's application review 

 criteria, as well as state criteria to be developed. Criteria would consider technical 

 feasibility, projected overall ecosystem response, projected effect on fisheries and wildlife 

 habitat, public benefits, environmental impacts. State priority ranking, factors influencing 

 the projected operation and maintenance program, and monitoring requirements. 



DEVELOPMENT OF A NETWORKED REGULATORY PROGRAM 



Introduction 



Rhode Island presendy faces major policy questions with respect to stormwater 

 management and erosion/sedimentation control. Given the partial regulatory authority that 

 is provided by the CRMP and Freshwater Wetiands Programs, and by erosion and 

 sedimentation control enabling legislation, die state faces the challenge of integrating these 

 tools via application of uniform policies and regulatory requirements. 



During the course of the past year and a half, DEM's Stormwater Management and 

 Erosion Control Committee has developed policy and technical guidance on stormwater 

 management, and has prepared extensive technical revisions to the Rhode Island Erosion 

 and Sediment Control Handbook. These carefiilly researched documents are intended to 

 provide the basis for policy revisions among involved state permitting bodies. In addition, 

 the guidelines and revised Handbook provide specific technical guidance to be applied by 

 state and local agencies in their permit reviews and operations, and by contractors. 



The results of the present research effon indicate that state legislation is needed to clarify 

 regulatory objectives and applicability, provide coherent program structure, define state and 

 local responsibilities, and provide a mechanism for funding authorization. The legislation 

 would support, strengthen, and clarify the roles of presendy involved agencies, providing 

 them a firm, clear, consistent basis from which to operate. Towns electing to exceed the 

 stringency of the state framework would be provided pass-through funding to implement 

 programs under state over-sight, with the recommended grant-in-aid program providing 

 encouragement for targeted implementation. 



Until comprehensive legislation can be put in place, the existing sediment/erosion 

 control enabling statute needs to be significantiy strengthened to include stormwater 

 management, require mandatory participation, clarify objectives and procedures, 

 incorporate the new state stormwater and erosion/sedimentation provisions as technical 

 requirements, and provide for state oversight and funding authorization. 



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