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| 5 | 5 | | 2023 -- H 6397 |
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| 6 | 6 | | ======== |
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| 7 | 7 | | LC002604 |
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| 8 | 8 | | ======== |
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| 9 | 9 | | S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND |
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| 10 | 10 | | IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 11 | 11 | | JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023 |
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| 12 | 12 | | ____________ |
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| 13 | 13 | | |
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| 14 | 14 | | A N A C T |
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| 15 | 15 | | RELATING TO AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY -- PROTECTION OF TREES AND |
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| 16 | 16 | | PLANTS GENERALLY |
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| 17 | 17 | | Introduced By: Representatives Fogarty, McEntee, Tanzi, Carson, Serpa, Bennett, |
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| 18 | 18 | | Spears, Speakman, Donovan, and McGaw |
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| 19 | 19 | | Date Introduced: May 12, 2023 |
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| 20 | 20 | | Referred To: House Environment and Natural Resources |
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| 21 | 21 | | |
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| 22 | 22 | | |
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| 23 | 23 | | It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
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| 24 | 24 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 2-15 of the General Laws entitled "Protection of Trees and Plants 1 |
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| 25 | 25 | | Generally" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: 2 |
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| 26 | 26 | | 2-15-5.1. Non-native and invasive aquatic plant management and removal. 3 |
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| 27 | 27 | | (a) The department of environmental management (DEM) shall manage freshwater non-4 |
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| 28 | 28 | | native and invasive aquatic plants through implementing aerial spraying, removal and other 5 |
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| 29 | 29 | | methods, including assisting municipalities, to inhibit the growth and spread of non-native and 6 |
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| 30 | 30 | | invasive aquatic plants and other invasive species in, along or near our freshwater water ways, lakes 7 |
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| 31 | 31 | | and ponds. 8 |
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| 32 | 32 | | (b) No damages shall be awarded to the owner for the loss or destruction of non-native or 9 |
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| 33 | 33 | | invasive aquatic plants, or reimbursement made for expenses incurred incident to the application 10 |
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| 34 | 34 | | of the prescribed preventive or remedial measures due to the fact that non-native or invasive aquatic 11 |
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| 35 | 35 | | plants are a public menace. 12 |
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| 36 | 36 | | (c) Nothing in this section shall be interpreted as preventing financial assistance to owners 13 |
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| 37 | 37 | | where that financial assistance is provided for under specific legislation other than this title. 14 |
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| 38 | 38 | | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 15 |
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| 39 | 39 | | ======== |
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| 40 | 40 | | LC002604 |
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| 41 | 41 | | ======== |
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| 43 | 43 | | |
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| 44 | 44 | | LC002604 - Page 2 of 2 |
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| 45 | 45 | | EXPLANATION |
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| 46 | 46 | | BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL |
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| 47 | 47 | | OF |
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| 48 | 48 | | A N A C T |
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| 49 | 49 | | RELATING TO AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY -- PROTECTION OF TREES AND |
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| 50 | 50 | | PLANTS GENERALLY |
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| 51 | 51 | | *** |
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| 52 | 52 | | This act would allow the department of environmental management to remove freshwater 1 |
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| 53 | 53 | | non-native and invasive aquatic plants and assist municipalities in preventing the growth and spread 2 |
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| 54 | 54 | | of these and other invasive species in the freshwater lakes and ponds. No damages are awarded to 3 |
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| 55 | 55 | | the owner for the loss or destruction of non-native or invasive aquatic plants. 4 |
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| 56 | 56 | | This act would take effect upon passage. 5 |
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| 57 | 57 | | ======== |
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| 58 | 58 | | LC002604 |
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| 59 | 59 | | ======== |
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