2025 -- S 0868
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LC002574
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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
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J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N
MAKING AN APPROPRIATION OF $1,000,000 TO 401 TECH BRIDGE TO STUDY AND
EXPLORE SEAGLIDERS IN RHODE ISLAND
Introduced By: Senators DiPalma, Lawson, Tikoian, DiMario, Britto, and Felag
Date Introduced: March 21, 2025
Referred To: Senate Finance
WHEREAS, The State of Rhode Island, known as The Ocean State, boasts nearly 400 1
miles of coastline and is home to a wide range of maritime industries, and the fostering and 2
maintenance of a highly integrated maritime economy in Rhode Island, including manufacturing 3
and research, serves to reinforce these competitive advantages of The Ocean State; and 4
WHEREAS, The mission of 401 Tech Bridge is to accelerate the development and 5
commercialization of dual use, innovative technologies within Rhode Island's Blue Economy, 6
serving as a collaborator to bring together industry leaders, government agencies, and academic 7
institutions to bridge research and development gaps and connect innovators with commercial 8
opportunities; and 9
WHEREAS, 401 Tech Bridge fosters cross-sector partnerships through state of the art 10
facilities and programs that drive economic growth and technological advancement in maritime 11
and defense industries; and 12
WHEREAS, Seagliders are a nascent technology being developed in Rhode Island, 13
integral to its Blue Economy, designed to offer an all-electric, passenger-carrying, wing-in-14
ground-effect vehicle built to service coastal routes, building on real-world-proven technology; 15
and 16
WHEREAS, Seagliders are positioned to help support the sustainability and economic 17
goals of Rhode Island, including eliminating thousands of tons of carbon and GHG emissions 18
yearly, expanding business and job training opportunities for Rhode Island's local economy, 19
LC002574 - Page 2 of 3
bolstering Rhode Island's Blue Economy, increasing fast and flexible access to Rhode Island and 1
other east coast hubs, and providing a sustainable travel option for environmentally conscious 2
residents, visitors, and tourists of Rhode Island; and 3
WHEREAS, Seagliders are positioned to help provide Rhode Island residents with 4
business and workforce opportunities, as well as access to affordable travel, lower cargo costs, 5
quicker emergency response, and reduced highway congestion, all without any carbon emissions; 6
and 7
WHEREAS, The Rhode Island Seaglider Initiative (RISI) is a coalition of local Rhode 8
Island government, business, and community stakeholders that aim to assist with the awareness, 9
understanding, and adoption of seagliders in Rhode Island, including through a core value of 10
involving local Rhode Island voices and ensuring that the benefits of seagliders are shared by 11
Rhode Islanders and the entire Rhode Island ecosystem; and 12
WHEREAS, 401 Tech Bridge is uniquely positioned to support Rhode Island's Blue 13
Economy, including the development, manufacturing, and use of seagliders, and 401 Tech Bridge 14
is committed to collaborating with RISI to help study and explore the benefits of seagliders in 15
Rhode Island; now therefore be it 16
RESOLVED, That there is hereby appropriated to 401 Tech Bridge the sum of one 17
million dollars ($1,000,000) to study and explore seagliders in Rhode Island, in conjunction with 18
RISI, including conducting a seaglider feasibility study to understand, assess, and verify the use 19
and operation of seagliders in Rhode Island in order to position Rhode Island to realize the 20
benefits of eliminating thousands of tons of carbon and GHG emissions yearly, expanding 21
business and job training opportunities for Rhode Island's local economy, bolstering Rhode 22
Island's Blue Economy, increasing fast and flexible access to Rhode Island and other east coast 23
hubs, and providing a sustainable travel option for environmentally conscious residents, visitors, 24
and tourists of Rhode Island; and the state controller is hereby authorized and directed to draw 25
their orders upon the general treasurer for payment of said sum, or so much thereof as may be 26
from time to time be required, upon receipt of properly authenticated vouchers. 27
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N
MAKING AN APPROPRIAT ION OF $1,000,000 TO 401 TECH BRIDGE TO STUDY AND
EXPLORE SEAGLIDERS IN RHODE ISLAND
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This resolution would make an appropriation of $1,000,000 to 401 Tech Bridge to study 1
and explore seagliders. 2
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