§ 46-23.2-6. Powers and duties.
The collaborative shall have the following powers:
(1) To effectuate and implement a state monitoring strategy that addresses critical state
resource management needs, including, but not limited to, water quality protection,
water pollution control, fisheries and wildlife management, habitat restoration, coastal
management, public health protection and emergency response and that assesses and
tracks environmental health and function. Within six (6) months of its enactment,
the collaborative shall adopt a statewide monitoring strategy that will provide cost-effective
and useful policies, standards, protocols and guidelines for monitoring programs undertaken
for the waters of the state. This strategy shall be reviewed and updated every five
(5) years. This strategy shall include the following elements:
(i) An inventory of existing monitoring programs;
(ii) An outline of additional monitoring programs the state needs;
(iii) A list of indicators that will be used to measure the health of the marine and freshwater
habitats of the state;
(iv) Identification of data standards and protocols that will be used on a reasonable and
consistent basis by monitoring programs that contribute data to the state monitoring
system;
(v) A plan for data sharing among all monitoring programs that optimizes the ability of
both monitors and users to securely access monitoring data via the Internet and to
retain the integrity of such data;
(vi) A plan to provide data from the state environmental monitoring system for disaster
prevention, preparedness, response and recovery efforts in the marine environment;
and
(vii) A communications strategy to provide for public access to monitoring data.
(2) To assist with the development and implementation of a state water monitoring and
assessment program, developed consistent with guidance issued by the United States
Environmental Protection Agency, and to augment such a program to achieve the purposes
of this strategy set forth in subdivision (1).
(3) To prepare an annual report in the month of January to the governor and general assembly
on the activities for the preceding year as well as the predicted financial needs
of the system for the upcoming fiscal year.
(4) To enter into data sharing agreements with federal and state agencies, municipalities
and nongovernmental organizations for the purposes of coordination and management
of monitoring data and programs.
(5) To accept grants, donations and contributions in money, services, materials, or otherwise,
from the United States or any of its agencies, from this state and its agencies, or
from any other source, and to use or expend those moneys, services, materials or other
contributions in carrying out the purposes of this chapter.
(6) To enter into agreements for staff support that it deems necessary for its work, and
to contract with consultants for the services it may require to the extent permitted
by its financial resources.