I was excited to be named one of the 2022 Clean Water Legislators of the Year, along with three of my colleagues. The environment has been one of the pillars of my works since day one and we have accomplished so much in just a few years. Of course, there is much work left to do.
2021 and 2022 were huge years for the climate in RI. In April 2021, my landmark Act on Climate was signed into law. The Act on Climate strengthens the state’s climate-emission reduction and instructs the state to develop a plan to reduce climate emissions to net-zero by 2050. The law sets mandates, not goals, and makes the mandates enforceable in Rhode Island Superior Court. As we work to implement the Act on Climate, I am focusing on making sure consumers are protected during the transition to clean energy.
In the 2022 session we also made big strides for our environment, including banning the use of single use plastic bags in retail stores statewide, requiring 100% of electricity to be offset by renewables by 2033, and approving legislation towards establishing maximum contaminate levels for PFAS in drinking water.