§ 46-25-38.1. Narragansett Bay environmental enforcement fund. There is hereby established a separate fund within the "Narragansett Bay water quality management district commission fund" to be called the "Narragansett Bay environmental enforcement fund". This fund shall be administered by the executive director of the commission. The fund shall consist of such sums as the commission may, from time to time, deposit, or the sums recovered by any administrative or civil enforcement action brought under the authority of this chapter. All interest earned on the sums shall become part of the fund. All sums in the fund shall be expended in accordance with § 46-25-24 for the purposes set forth below:

(1) Emergency response activities. These activities shall include, but not be limited to, site inspections, investigatory reports, collection, monitoring, and analysis of samples of wastewater, air and/or soil waste disposal or spill response, analysis, and containment.

(2) Enforcement activities. These funds may also be used to support activities related to enforcement of the provisions of this chapter, and the rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto, regarding illegal discharges and spills to the facilities, including, but not limited to, legal activities to enforce the provisions of this chapter and secure contributions from violators as well as ancillary services, personnel, or equipment to support the activities enumerated in this section.

(3) Additional activities. These activities shall include, but not be limited to, professional and emergency response training for employees, environmental research and development projects, public information and education, and technical assistance provided by the commission to any state, federal, or municipal agency.

(4) Bay bond debt retirement. Those funds which have not been committed for projects within a three (3) year period following their deposit into the fund may be used to pay the long term debt service on bonds issued pursuant to this chapter.

History of Section. (P.L. 1989, ch. 221, § 1; P.L. 1996, ch. 397, § 1.)