Sen. Euer Climate Change Bill Passes Rhode Island Senate

JAMESTOWN — The Rhode Island Senate has approved legislation sponsored by Environment and Agriculture Chairwoman Dawn Euer that would strengthen the state’s climate emissions goals and make them enforceable.

Live in Jamestown? Click here to subscribe to our free breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox and mobile devices. You can also download our free Patch mobile app on Android or iPhone.

The 2021 Act on Climate would update goals outlined in the Resilient Rhode Island Act of 2014 and require a plan to reduce all climate emissions from transportation, buildings and heating, and electricity to 10% below 1990 levels this year, 45% below 1990 levels by 2030, 80% below 1990 levels by 2040, and make emissions net-zero by 2050. If the state does not meet its targets by 2025, the people of Rhode Island would be able to seek action in Providence Superior Court.

“The Ocean State is particularly vulnerable to the effects of sea rise caused by warming temperatures,” said Euer, a Democrat who represents Newport and Jamestown. “Climate change isn’t something that will happen at some nebulous future time – it is wreaking havoc on our communities right now.”

The bill now heads to the House of Representatives where the Environment and Natural Resources Committee has scheduled a vote Thursday on the House companion bill sponsored by Democratic Rep. Lauren H. Carson of Newport.

Under the proposed law, the Executive Climate Change Coordinating Council would update its plan for carbon reduction every five years. Considerations wold include environmental justice, public health, green energy jobs and employment for displaced fossil-fuel workers, and food security. The bill would require the creation of an online public dashboard to track emissions reductions.

Under the existing Resilient Rhode Island law, the state can reduce emissions by offering market-based mechanisms, expanding financing and investment tools, modernizing the electric grid and improving incentives for combined heat and power systems.

According to Commerce Rhode Island, the offshore wind sector will create between 20,000 and 35,000 jobs along the East Coast by 2028. Euer said the state is well-positioned to benefit from that trend.

“Rhode Island was the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution,” said Euer. “We can seize this moment and become America’s leader in the new green economy, creating plentiful green jobs that support families and a clean environment.”