K. JOSEPH SHEKARCHI, speaker of the R.I. House of Representatives, has been honored by the Water Environment Federation for his leadership and contributions to protecting the sustainability of water resources. The international nonprofit federation of water quality experts chose Shekarchi, D-Warwick, for its Public Officials Award. He is one of only three public officials worldwide to receive the award in 2025, alongside Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo and Illinois state Rep. Kimberly Neely du Buclet.
The Rhode Island Clean Water Association nominated Shekarchi for the award, citing his commitment to the environment, noting that he received the organization’s Clean Water Legislator of the Year award in 2022 along with several colleagues for their success in passing the state’s landmark Act on Climate in 2021.
You’ve advocated for water resource protection for several years. Was there something specific that galvanized you on this issue? I grew up in Warwick, which has 39 miles of coastline. Over the years, I’ve personally witnessed the impact of climate change and rising tides: Areas of the city that weren’t previously impacted by storms now become flooded.
My family has had a home in the Conimicut section of Warwick for many years, and I’m seeing more erosion and street flooding there.
What are some of the biggest challenges to passing strong water quality regulations? Cost is always a factor. Rhode Island has some of the oldest housing stock in the country. With that, comes aging infrastructure. If a home isn’t connected to a municipal sewer system, it likely has a septic system, which can leach pollutants into the ground and water. Replacing a septic system with a municipal sewer connection can be costly for homeowners.
What advice would you give other legislators around the country working to enact similar measures? My advice to other legislators working to enact water protection measures would be to be patient and stick with it. This is an issue that requires long-term planning, not just a quick fix. So, what may save money in the short term could be more costly in the future. My advice on legislation in general is to listen to the experts and follow the data.
What is the most urgent water quality issue facing Rhode Island? Because we have so much coastline, stormwater runoff is a perennial issue. We’ve made great progress in understanding and mitigating the impact of pollutants in our waterways, thanks in large part to the efforts of organizations like Save The Bay [Inc.] and the Narragansett Bay Commission, as well as research happening at some of our local higher educational institutions.
Years ago, it wasn’t uncommon for large industrial facilities to dump waste into Narragansett Bay. Now, microplastics are a growing problem. A recent URI [University of Rhode Island] study showed that the floor of Narragansett Bay is more or less covered in microplastics, which is frightening.
