Raimondo budget proposal calls for $64M green bond

PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island is poised to make the largest investment in its state parks and beaches in 35 years under Gov. Gina M. Raimondo’s proposed fiscal 2021 budget.

The budget proposal unveiled on Thursday includes a $64 million “green bond,” $35 million of which would go toward projects at state beaches, parks and campgrounds.

The “once in a generation investment,” according to R.I. Department of Environmental Management Director Janet Coit, comes as a result of a 2018 assessment of state parks, which emphasized the importance of funding to maintain park infrastructure, assets and facilities.

Many state parks and beaches suffer from severely outdated facilities as a result of decreased DEM funding, including for maintenance staff, Coit said Thursday. The bond funding will pay for renovations and new facilities at a variety of state parks and beaches, and also support ongoing maintenance costs.

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Proposed projects include a $14 million renovation to Goddard Memorial State Park beach area, $5.5 million in upgrades to bathrooms and lifeguard towers at Scarborough State Beach, $5 million in renovations to the bathrooms and visitor center at Brenton Point State Park, $3 million in bathroom upgrades at Misquamicut State Beach, and $2.5 million in upgrades to the Roger W. Wheeler State Beach,.

Other elements of the proposed green bond include:

  • $15 million in state matching funds to the Clean and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, a program of the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank that offers low-market interest rate loans to community, nonprofit, private and government public water systems projects. The matching bond funds will open up close to $74 million in federal funds over the next three years, and $175 to $250 million in private sector capital, according to the DEM.
  • $7 million in 75% matching grants to the Municipal Resilience Program, another RIIB program that provides direct support to cities and towns to plan projects and strategies aimed at restoring or improving coastal habitats, rivers and stream floodplains.
  • $4 million for local recreation through the DEM’s matching grant program, which provides cities and towns with 80% of funds to build or improve community parks and recreational facilities.
  • $3 million for conserving forest and farmland through forest conservation easements, allowing the Agricultural Lands Preservation Commission to buy development rights to eligible land, and expanding the existing State Farmland Access Program.

Forest conservation has been a clear priority for state environmental groups like the Audobon Society of Rhode Island and the Rhode Island Land Trust Council, who asked the state to set aside $5 million for forest protection amid growing concerns about forest loss as a result of solar development, according to Meg Kerr, senior policy director for Audobon.

Asked about the discrepancy between the request for $5 million – versus the $3 million bond proposed – Coit said, “they should be happy with $3 million since they haven’t had any money for forest protection until now.”

If approved for the final 2021 budget, the proposed bond will go before voters in November.

Raimondo’s general operating budget adds $2.7 million in general fund revenue and 11 more full-time employees for the DEM, compared to the updated allocations for fiscal 2020. General funding accounts for a little less than half of the DEM’s total budget, which also includes $32 million in federal funding and $16 million from programs that generate fees, among other sources.

The total proposed funding for the department, $102.4 million, represents a 1.1% decrease over the $103.5 million included in the revised fiscal 2020 budget.  The general fund revenue, however, is 6.2% higher – $46.3 million compared to $43.5 million.

Increases include an extra $1.9 million in program fees from oil imports – increasing the fee from 5 to 10 cents per barrel – to support the Ocean State Climate Adaptation and Resilience Fund, $150,000 for the Local Agriculture and Seafood Act Grants, and $300,000 for building and grounds maintenance in the Division of Parks and Recreation. Fees for commercial fishing licenses and for Fish and Wildlife licenses and permits would also increase under the proposed budget.

Of the budget as a whole, Coit said, “the governor is stepping up to make sure we’re providing access to public resources to preserve the natural beauty of our state.”

Nancy Lavin is a PBN staff writer. You may reach her at Lavin@PBN.com.