The bill amends various sections of the General Laws related to climate change and oil spill prevention in Rhode Island. It establishes a restricted receipt account within the general fund for the Rhode Island Executive Climate Change Coordinating Council (EC4) to manage funds allocated for climate-related projects. The bill modifies the oil spill response and prevention fee, increasing the minimum fee from five cents ($0.05) to ten cents ($0.10) per barrel of petroleum products or crude oil.

Additionally, the bill expands the purposes of the fund to include support for projects and initiatives aimed at reducing emissions and meeting the goals set forth in the 2021 Act on Climate, as directed by the EC4. This includes funding for scientific research and monitoring relevant to state legislation, as well as projects approved by the EC4 that are determined to reduce emissions. The bill also clarifies that the purposes of the fund include facilitating the cleanup of releases from leaking underground storage tanks and supporting public health and environmental protection.

The act takes effect upon passage.

Statutes affected:
5779: 42-6.2-3.1, 46-12.9-5