The House Environment Committee will be holding a hearing at the rise (around 4:30 pm) on Thursday on three bills. One of those bills, H7195, would direct DEM to establish trails on state-land for 4 wheeling.
House Bill No. 7195
BY Winfield, Petrarca
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO PARKS AND RECREATIONAL AREAS (would provide for the establishment of four-wheel drive (4x4) trails on state owned land.)
{LC707/1}
01/19/2012 Introduced, referred to House Environment and Natural Resources
01/31/2012 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (02/02/2012)
There are problems with this legislation: user conflicts, land management challenges, and other issues as they relate to allowing 4 wheeling on DEM/state land- or more broadly on land protected/procured using federal and private funding that restricts such a use. The challenges to establishing 4 wheeling trails on DEM land are numerous and would add responsibilities and costs for DEM at a time when resources are being reduced.
FYI: Here are links to the committee and to contact information for all members of the RI House of Representatives:
- House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources Members
- Contact Information for RI House of Representatives
Narragansett Bay Watershed Counts ~ April 27, 2011
Environmental Report Card will Show Rhode Island Needs Improvement
New collaborative sends heads up to legislators
Wednesday afternoon at the State House, a unique collaboration of 34 leading environmental agencies and organizations in Rhode Island will report the results of a year focusing on how to rate the health of local natural resources. The report will take place on April 27 at 2:00 PM at the State Room in the State House. This presentation is part of the Environment Council of Rhode Island's Lobby Day activities.
The report, entitled “Watershed Counts,” both tells a story of the success and achievements of investment in environmental protection and pollution infrastructure, and addresses the many serious challenges that remain for RI’s lands and waters.
“This is an extraordinary effort to bring together the most knowledgeable people to tell us how our environment is doing and why. We should be proud of the progress, but we have a huge amount of work to do still,” said Baykeeper John Torgan of Save The Bay.
Some of the report’s highlights include:
The Watershed Counts report is the product of a broad coalition of agencies and organizations. The process was facilitated the Narragansett Bay Estuary program and the URI Coastal Institute, and included five RI agencies, environmental groups including Save The Bay, Audubon Society of RI, Environment Council of RI, and many other environmental experts.
“I am pleased to see in operation that which we knew all along: Rhode Island's environmental expertise is massive” said Judith Swift of the Coastal Institute. “The members of the community, whether they serve as regulators or advocates, are all willing to work side by side to ensure the quality of life we treasure as Rhode Islanders.”
News Advisory
For Immediate Release April 25, 2011
Contact: Meg Kerr, Narragansett Bay Estuary Program 874-6525;
cell 714-2313, [email protected]
Posted at 01:51 PM in *Event~Legislative, Regulatory, *Event~Public Comment, Hearings, Meetings, Surveys, *Event~Workshop, Training, Lecture, Demo, Water ~ Bay, Rivers, Lakes, Watersheds, Wetlands | Permalink | Comments (0)
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