Rhode Island Solid Waste Management Corporation (1974-1996)

Associative Relationship

• Rhode Island. Citizens Solid Waste Management Advisory Board (1974-1996) (Associative with Related, Organization)

  Description

  The Citizens Solid Waste Management Advisory Board was created in 1974 per Chapter 176 whose purpose was to give advice to the corporation (Rhode Island Solid Waste Management Corporation) concerning rules and regulations and legislation affecting solid waste management, resource recovery, and recycling; to study the effects of existing recovery and recycling programs; to report its findings annually to the Governor and to recommend to the corporation, special studies and projects which it feels are needed to further economic solid waste management, resource, recovery, and recycling. In 1973 the Governor’s Environmental Task Force’s Study of Solid Waste was formed to examine the approach of other states in solid waste management and identify the step which are essential to the development of a comprehensive, long-range Solid Waste Program. Members of the Citizens Advisory Board had prior involvement in the early 70’s in the Recycling Committee of Ecology Action. This group reviewed recommendations of the 1969 Governor’s Task Force on Solid Waste. The subsequent legislation mandated planning but provided no funds or a coordinator to achieve it. In 1971, the Conservation Foundation awarded Rhode Island the first funds made available through EPA to demonstrate what citizen action could accomplish in the field of solid waste. The Steering Committee on Solid Waste was formed which included members of the original the Recycling Committee of Ecology Action and key public officials and representative of other concerned groups. The resulting studies of sub-committee/task forces formed within the Committee to study various topics were presented at a statewide solid waste conference on April 10. 1973. In July 1973 EPA provided a small ($25,000) matching grant to Rhode Island to prepare a solid waste management framework plan. EPA also provided support to the Statewide Planning Program, which was acting as staff for the Governor’s Environmental Task Force, by commissioning Gordian Associates to prepare five position papers as a basis for work on the plan. The Solid Waste Management Plan was completed in December 1973. Funding was sought through a referendum in November 1974 and the General Assembly passed legislation to create a Solid Waste Management Corporation and Advisory Board, and to establish a solid waste management facilities licensing program within the Health Department. On September 30, 1974 the Solid Waste Management Corporation and Advisory Board was appointed and proceeded to seek funding through the referendum. Subsequently the bond issue failed before the voters. Grant funding was obtained from the EPA in August of 1975 and August 1976. A second bond issue failed in November 1976 but the 1977 legislature approved a five-year state loan of $500,000 to the Corporation. Other funding for the Corporation was subsidized from a thirty cents per capita surcharge on municipalities that contract with the Corporation for interim disposal arrangements. In January of 1976, CE McGuire was selected by the Corporation to act as solid waste management consultants and to evaluate alternatives for resource recovery in Rhode Island. McGuire was also to assist in the preparation of a RFP for the procurement of a resource recovery system for the state.

Earlier/Later Relationship

• Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation (1996-) (Earlier Form of Related, Organization)

  Description

  The Rhode Island Solid Waste Management Corporation was created 1974 per Public Law Chapter 176 (RIGL 23-19). The Corporation was established as having a distinct legal existence from the state and did not constitute a department within state government. The corporation was and is vested with all powers, authority, rights, privledges and titles that may be necessary to enable it to perform its necessary functions. The power of the corporation was vested in seven (7) commissioners by appointment of the Governor, a chief elected officer of a city or town, and General Assembly leadership. An executive director is employed to administer, manage and direct the offices and business of the corporation subject to the policies, control and direction of the commissioners. The executive director keeps a record of the proceedings of the corporation and is custodian of all books, documents and papers filed with the corporation and of its minutes, books and seal. The purpose of the corporation was and is the planning, design, construction, financing, management, ownership, operation and maintenance of transfer stations, waste processing facilities, recource recovery facilities and all other solid waste management facilitiies deemed necessary by the corporation as being desirable, convenient or appropriate. From this chapter was created a "Citizens Solid Waste Management Advisory Board" whose purpose was to give advice to the corporation concerning the rules and regulations and legislation affecting solid waste management, resource recovery and recycling; and to study the effects of existing recovery and recycling programs and to report its findings annually to the governor and reccomend to the corporation special studies and projects which it feels are neede to further economic solid waste management, resource recovery and recycling. In 1996 the corporation changed its name (Public Law 303, 1996-H-9178) to Rhode Island Resource Recovery to better reflect it's mission. The corporation, though not a department of state government is a component of the State of Rhode Island for financial reporting purposes. The agency earns revenue through the sale of recycable products, methane gas royalties and fees for its disposal services.

  Dates

  Existence: 1974-1996