§ 23-25.2-5. Pesticide relief. (a) All pesticide registration fees paid pursuant to § 23-25-6(f) and recoveries on subrogated claims pursuant to § 23-25.2-7 shall be deposited as general revenues.

(b) All money appropriated for pesticide relief is specifically appropriated to the director for the following purposes:

(1) To provide emergency response activities related to the contamination of land, water, and buildings. Appropriate uses for funds granted under this subdivision shall include testing and monitoring of domestic water supply sources and the purchase of the following supplies and services: carbon filters or other such devices for wells, bottled water, alternate water supplies, or other suitable and cost effective measures to remedy or ameliorate the effects of pesticide contamination.

(2) To monitor the environment including but not limited to the collection of analysis of soil, water, crops, livestock, and wildlife samples. The monitoring and analysis shall be in addition to any provided for by regular appropriations of the state or federal grants made for that purpose;

(3) To make grants to municipalities for up to, but not more than, one-third (1/3) of the direct costs incurred in extending public water systems to areas experiencing multiple contaminated domestic water supply. Grants made to municipalities under this subdivision may not be used, either alone or in conjunction with other funds, beyond the area necessary to rectify an established multiple contaminated domestic water supply;

(4) To make grants for IPM research and educational projects. Appropriate grants under this subdivision shall include but not be limited to the following: research grants to Rhode Island institutions of higher learning for IPM research projects in both agricultural and urban pest control; education grants to Rhode Island environmental organizations, Rhode Island institutions of higher learning, and departments or agencies of state government to promote the concept of IPM; program grants to departments or agencies of both state and local government for IPM programs in such areas as mosquito abatement, gypsy moth control, and urban pest management in publicly owned buildings; program grants to private firms and organizations for IPM programs in privately owned buildings that are open to the general public, such as hospitals, museums, malls, and schools; and program grants to farmers for IPM programs on their farms; and

(5) For payment of ancillary services, personnel, and equipment incurred in order to carry out the purposes of this chapter.

(c) Thirty-five percent (35%) of appropriations shall be reserved for grants under subsection (b)(4) of this section. No award of relief to any one household under subsection (b)(1) shall exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000). No grant to any municipality under subsection (b)(3) shall exceed twenty-five percent (25%) of the amount available in the portion of the fund reserved for these grants at the time the grant is awarded. No grant under subsection (b)(4) shall exceed twenty-five percent (25%) of the amount available in the portion of the fund reserved for these grants at the time the grant is awarded.

(d) The director is empowered, with the approval of the governor, to apply for and receive grants, appropriations, gifts, bequests, donations, or other funds from any public or private source that are intended to provided either emergency relief for pesticide contamination or financial support for IPM projects.

(e) Any recovery on a subrogated claim pursuant to § 23-25.2-7 shall be deposited as general revenues.

History of Section. (P.L. 1985, ch. 260, § 1; P.L. 1989, ch. 48, § 1; P.L. 1989, ch. 542, § 55; P.L. 1991, ch. 170, § 1; P.L. 1995, ch. 370, art. 40, § 72.)