About The Rivers Council
The RI Rivers Council was created by statute to coordinate, oversee, and review efforts to improve and preserve the quality of the state's rivers and other water bodies and to develop plans to increase river use. The General Assembly created the Council because "state jurisdiction over rivers, environmentally, culturally and economically, is scattered among state agencies and in some instances, state policies and plans [concerning rivers] are conflicting." The Council is charged with coordinating state policies to protect rivers and watersheds and strengthening local watershed councils as partners in river and watershed protection. The Rivers Council is an associated function of the Rhode Island Water Resources Board.
The primary duties of the Council are:
- to implement and update a Rhode Island State Rivers Policy and Classification Plan
- to advise state agencies and municipalities concerning programs and measures to protect and improve river and watershed quality
- to designate watershed councils as bodies corporate and politic with specific powers, duties and responsibilities, including "standing" before local and state agencies and courts
- to conduct an annual grants program to advance the work of designated watershed councils
- to foster public involvement in river planning and decision-making through public education and promotional activities
Rhode Island Rivers Council Membership:
| Public Members | ||
| MEMBER | APPOINTED BY | |
| Guy Lefebvre Chair |
Governor (co) | |
| Ted Callender, Ph.D. Vice Chair |
Governor (es) | |
| Jane Sherman | Governor (co) | |
| Claudia Staniszewski | Governor (gn) | |
| Charlie Vandermoer | Governor (es) | |
|
Institutional Members |
||
| MEMBER | ENTITY | |
| Paul Gonsalves for Richard Licht |
Department of Administration | |
| Lisa McGreavy for Janet Coit |
Department of Environmental Management | |
| Kevin Cute for Grover Fugate |
Coastal Resources Management Council | |
| Mike Walker for Keith Stokes |
Economic Development Corporation | |
| Kathleen Crawley for Kenneth Burke |
Water Resources Board | |
| Peder Schaefer for Diane Mederos |
League of Cities and Towns | |
RIGL46-28-5 provides for a council consisting of fifteen members, eleven of whom are voting members. Nine voting public members are to be appointed by the governor and confirmed by the senate. Three appointees are to have conservation organization experience (co); two appointees are to have environmental law, science or planning experience (es); one appointee is to have communication, public outreach or education experience (po); one appointee is to be a member of a chamber of commerce within the state (cc); and two general members (gn). The six institutional members are the director of the department of administration; the director of the department of environmental management; the general manager of the water resources board; the executive director of the coastal resources management council; the executive director of the economic development corporation; and the president of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns; or their designees. The director of the department of administration and the director of the department of environmental management are voting members. The other four institutional members are nonvoting. Six voting members are required for a quorum.
The documents below further describe the organization and operating procedures of the Rhode Island Rivers Council for administering Chapter 46-28 of the General Laws of the State of Rhode Island.