Governor Dan McKee, joined by Attorney General Peter Neronha, General Treasurer Seth Magaziner, House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi, Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio and legislative sponsors, today signed into law the 2021 Act on Climate (S-0078A, H-5445A), legislation which updates Rhode Island’s climate-emission reduction goals. The bill will position the state to boldly address climate change and prepare for a global economy that will be shifting to adapt to clean technology.
“With four hundred miles of coastline, urban and rural coastal communities, fishing and agricultural industries, the Ocean State is on the frontlines of the climate crisis,” said Governor McKee. “The Act on Climate represents a commitment that not only addresses a moral imperative, but also presents a platform to enhance our economy, public health, environmental equity, and natural environment. I look forward to working with the General Assembly, the congressional delegation, local communities, sm
Vincent Mesolella
The Board of Commissioners of the Narragansett Bay Commission have voted unanimously to reaffirm its current slate of officers: Chairman Vincent Mesolella, Vice Chairman Angelo Rotella, and Treasurer Robert Andrade. 2021 marks Mesolella’s 30 years at the helm of the internationally recognized clean water agency.
“The accomplishments of the Narragansett Bay Commission and this Board is an extreme source of pride for me, as I know it is for all of us,” Mesolella said upon the vote. “I thank you, for the thirtieth time, for the confidence you have bestowed upon me. Together, this Board and this Commission has made Rhode Island a better place and we will continue on that mission.”
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management is actively recruiting qualified lifeguards, groundskeepers, facilities attendants and other key staff to fill seasonal employment positions at state beaches, parks, and campgrounds during the 2021 recreation season. Rhode Island residents, ages 16 and older, are encouraged to apply.
Full-time lifeguard positions are available at state swimming areas, including saltwater beaches such as Misquamicut, Roger Wheeler, and Scarborough, non-surf beaches such as Goddard, and freshwater beaches such as Burlingame Campground and Lincoln Woods State Park. Flexible, 20-hour workweeks are available for lifeguard positions at our busiest swimming areas. Hourly rates for lifeguards range from $13.25 to $16.25 an hour, based on location and position level. All lifeguard candidates must have successfully completed courses and hold valid cards in lifeguard training, first aid, and CPR including infant, child, and adult.
4/8/2021
DEM environmental police warn anglers about dangers of cold water
PROVIDENCE – With the trout fishing season opening this week, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management is reminding anglers – particularly those fishing from a boat – to exercise safety precautions. Anyone going out in a boat, canoe, kayak, or vessel of any kind should wear a life jacket to help ensure they enjoy a safe fishing experience.
After a long winter, even on a warm day, water temperatures can linger in the low to mid-50s. According to a U.S. Coast Guard report, a boating accident is five times more likely to be fatal if the water is colder than 60 degrees. The Coast Guard also notes that eight out of 10 boaters who drowned were using vessels less than 21 feet in length. Using small, unstable vessels like canoes and kayaks in water that’s deceivingly cold puts anglers in a dangerous situation. Operator inattention, improper lookout, operator inexperience, excessive speed, and
CUMBERLAND – The long and often convoluted history of one of Cumberland’s largest proposed housing projects, now tied up in litigation with one of the town’s most well-known developers, is still taking more twists and turns than the Diamond Hill roundabouts.
Back in July 2011, The Valley Breeze reported that real estate broker John Brady, owner of 88 acres of Bear Hill, was nearing final approvals on his Gold Rush Estates, a development of 60 homes named in honor of old-time landowner David Curran and the mini-gold rush that hit Bear Hill in May 1904.
Asked back then when he expected work on his project to get started, Brady said it wouldn’t be happening soon due to the condition of the economy. A decade later, the 60-lot subdivision project, first granted preliminary plan approval in 2008 but allowed to be put on pause through state tolling statutes, still waits in limbo.