Senate passes bill on industrial pollution

PROVIDENCE – The Rhode Island Senate has approved legislation that would hold industrial polluters more accountable for their actions.
The bill, 2009-S0050, is sponsored by Sen. Walter S. Felag Jr., D-Warren, and would create a penalty provision within the R.I. Department of Environmental Management’s Industrial Property Remediation and Reuse Act by increasing fines for noncompliance with cleanup regulations. Under the bill, the maximum penalty would be a civil fine of $25,000. Depending on the case, this amount could be applied per violation, per day.
According to a Senate new release, there were 108 sites in Rhode Island that were noncompliant with Industrial Property Remediation and Reuse Act regulations as of 2008. Though Felag’s legislation is intended to address this gap, it cannot be applied retroactively.
The bill has been sent to the House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. &#8226