The R.I. Department of Environmental Management has long been associated with maintaining sandy beaches and sprawling parks. But Janet Coit, incoming Gov. Lincoln D. Chafee’s pick to lead the agency, wants the department to also take a role encouraging sustainable business practices.
Coit, now head of The Nature Conservancy’s Rhode Island chapter, said DEM can coordinate initiatives such as increasing recycling, facilitating installation of more renewable energy systems and corralling state agencies to deliver a comprehensive strategy for greening the state.
For businesses, it means gearing up for an agency likely to look closely at encouraging them to adopt green strategies. And for businesses delivering green technology, there may be changes coming.
Coit thinks state agencies can better coordinate grant awards for green initiatives and the permits sometimes required. She wants the agencies to make clear what types of projects the state is looking to fund. And she wants to slash the time it takes to decide on grant applications.
“A real need is for a coordinated approach from the state agencies so that a company or a community has more guidance and certainty going forward on how to site, construct and make operable renewable energy,” she said. •
