§ 46-23.2-2. Legislative findings.
(a) The general assembly finds and declares that there is a need for an environmental
monitoring system in the state that is capable of:
(1) Measuring the changing conditions in the functionality and health of the waters of
the state, including, but not limited to, Narragansett Bay and its watersheds, with
one purpose being identifying and predicting potential problems in the marine and
freshwater habitats;
(2) Providing a data-based management system that employs central database via the internet
to store an internet-based
Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI
§ 46-23.2-2. Legislative findings.
(a) The general assembly finds and declares that there is a need for an environmental
monitoring system in the state that is capable of:
(1) Measuring the changing conditions in the functionality and health of the waters of
the state, including, but not limited to, Narragansett Bay and its watersheds, with
one purpose being identifying and predicting potential problems in the marine and
freshwater habitats;
(2) Providing a data-based management system that employs central database via the internet
to store an internet-based electronic system to monitor, store and disseminate the
analysis of this data to decision-makers and the public;
(3) Establishing a mechanism to coordinate and make consistent, monitoring efforts between
government agencies, municipalities, nonprofit organizations and universities; and
(4) Providing the comprehensive data needed to assess a sudden perturbation in the marine
and freshwater environments and to contribute to efforts of disaster prevention, preparedness,
response and recovery as defined in chapter 15 of title 30 entitled "The Rhode Island Emergency Management Act.�
(b) The general assembly recognizes and declares that the health of the waters of the
state, including, but not limited to, Narragansett Bay and its watersheds needs to
be monitored comprehensively on a long-term basis in order to be proactive in planning
and responsive to potential problems in the environment, including those that may
arise due to a changing climate. The availability of consistent environmental data
supports planning and management and provides resource managers, decision-makers and
citizens with information on how marine and freshwater habitats are responding to
management programs and what adjustments need to be made to existing programs or what
new programs must be implemented to achieve healthy marine and freshwater environments.
(c) The general assembly recognizes the need for an integrated mechanism by which individual
monitoring efforts can be coordinated and managed as a system in which the functionality
of Narragansett Bay, its watersheds and other watersheds are measured and individual
planning and management efforts are adjusted to respond to support effective environmental
management.