2004--

 

LC00735

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

 

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

 

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2004

_______________

 

SENATE RESOLUTION

 

RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

TO INSTITUTE PROGRAMS THAT WILL HELP TO REDUCE THE ALLOWABLE

AMOUNT OF TOXIC CHEMICALS USED IN LAWN AND GARDEN LANDSCAPING

 

 

Introduced By:  Senators Perry, Parella, Roberts, Lenihan, and Gibbs

 

Date Introduced:  May 12, 2004

 

Referred To:  Recommended for Immediate Consideration

 

 

 

1                      WHEREAS, Home landscaping is an integral part of our culture and plays an essential

2     role in the quality of our environment, affecting our well-being and our physical and

3     psychological health: and

 

4                    WHEREAS, Lawns and gardens are everywhere and the desire to beautify our

 

5     surroundings is an integral part of our lives.  Oftentimes, the path taken to produce a beautiful

 

6     space is in direct conflict with our environment’s health and well-being; and

 

7                    WHEREAS, Large quantities of toxic lawn chemicals, often in addition to various other

 

8           pesticides, are being used on Rhode Island property for landscaping purposes by homeowners and

 

9          the lawn care and landscaping industry.  The quality of life in this state, and indeed our state’s

 

10         outlook is predicated on our ability to preserve our environment, especially clean water supplies,

 

11         for future generations; and

 

11                  WHEREAS, Children are especially susceptible to toxic substances both because of their

12     small size and because of their fast rate of growth.  It is critically important that we demonstrate to

13     our most cherished resource, our children, a determination to protect their health and habitat, now 14     and for their future;  now, therefore be it

15                  RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

 

16     hereby respectfully requests the Honorable Donald Carcieri to institute programs aimed at

 

17      reducing the allowable amount of toxic chemicals used in lawn and garden landscaping in the

 

18      State of Rhode Island, to educate the public on the potential dangers to our environment and

 

19         health from the use of landscaping chemicals; and to encourage them to consider creative

 

20         landscaping alternatives, including use of native species; and be it further

 

 

1                    RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he is hereby authorized and directed to

2      transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Rhode Island Governor Donald Carcieri, the

 

3     Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management and the Toxics Information Project (TIP).

 

 

LC00735

 

NOTE:  This resolution was approved in the RI State Senate on May 12, 2004.

An identical resolution, H 8506, passed in the RI House on June 1, 2004

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