May 2021
The monthly Audubon Eagle Eye Advocacy Updates will provide you with simple actions you can take to help foster a cleaner, healthier planet along with local and national environmental news. Advocacy to protect birds and wildlife is a top Audubon priority and this work goes beyond testifying on their behalf on Smith Hill. Year round, we are working with our community partners and Rhode Island leaders to ensure the environment is a priority. These updates will keep you informed and ready to take action when the legislative session is upon us. As the newsletter continues, we are very interested in your suggestions and questions. Please send them to Audubon Senior Director of Policy Meg Kerr at mkerr@asri.org.
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Let's Talk About Trees!
Although Arbor Day slipped by on April 30, May is still a great month for thinking about trees!
Rhode Island’s forests are critical for birds and wildlife, and for protecting air and water quality. Audubon conserves almost 10,000 acres across Rhode Island and nearby Massachusetts. Most of this land is forested. We often celebrate the outdoor hiking and birding afforded by this protected land, but another gift to the people of the state includes clean water and air. Wild areas are lovely, but trees are important no matter where you live – city, suburb or country – they add value to your home and community. The Arbor Day Foundation provides some fun facts about trees:
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- The net cooling effect of a young, healthy tree is equivalent to ten room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day.
- If you plant a tree today on the west side of your home, in five years your energy bill should be 3% less. In 15 years, the savings will be nearly 12%.
- Having large trees in a yard along the street increases a home’s value from 3 percent to 15 percent.
- Healthy, mature trees add an average of 10% to a property’s value.
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management Forest Environment Program supports tree plantings, especially in more urban areas. Learn More
And the Rhode Island Tree Council has lots of information on their website including workshops and resources. My favorite is the champion tree list – check it out then go and visit some of the magnificent trees in our little state!
Good News on the Migratory Bird Treaty Act!
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On May 6, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a proposed rule that would revoke the Trump Administration’s January 7, 2021, final regulation that limited the scope of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). The new rule will return to implementing the MBTA as it has been for decades, prohibiting incidental take and penalizing companies that do not take common-sense precautions to help reduce bird kills.
At the Rhode Island State House
Audubon is still celebrating our first legislative win in many years - the passage and signing of Act On Climate. Governor McKee signed the bill at a ceremony in Newport in April and the environmental community hosted a celebration in May. And now the real work begins – making sure that the bill is implemented and that we encourage and support our state leaders so we meet the climate targets in the bill. In the short term, Audubon and other advocates are reaching out to state leaders to hear their plans and priorities for the implementation of the act. We will document what we learn and then work to hold everyone accountable to this important law. Look for updates on progress in the months ahead.
Regulating Neonicotinoid Pesticides
House: H5641 - Sponsored by Representatives Kislak, Bennett, Kazarian, Speakman, Cortvriend, Carson, and Donovan
Senate: S 702 - Sponsored by Senator Miller
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On Earth Day, Providence Mayor Elorza announced the Pesticide Free PVD campaign that encourages City residents to manage their lawns and gardens without toxic pesticides. The City has set an example, managing all the City parks with little or no pesticide application in an effort to keep children throughout the City safe.
Here is press coverage of the event:
WPRI: "Providence city leaders launch Pesticide Free PVD campaign"
Boston Globe: "For Earth Day, Mayor Elorza asks Providence to reduce use of lawn and garden chemicals" -
The campaign features research and a report written by Audubon intern Samantha Kronyak.
Here is the website for the City’s campaign: sustainpvd.com/pesticidefree
This work frames the bill we have been working on with the Department of Environmental Management to regulate neonicotinoid pesticides. We have had hearings on the bills with excellent testimony both in support and opposition. We will continue to work with the sponsors on amendments that will allow the bills to move this session.
All testimony submitted to the House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources is posted online. You can read the testimony in support and opposition here (you need to scroll through the pages to find H 5641). Audubon’s testimony is here.
Action you can take: Let your senator and representative know that you support this bill. You can also send an email to members of the House Environment Committee and Senate Committee on Environment & Agriculture.
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House: H 5760 - Representatives Speakman, Cortvriend, Donovan, Caldwell, Carson, Handy, and Tanzi
Senate: S 470 - Ciccone, Valverde, Lombardo, Euer, Calkin, Kallman, Acosta, DiMario, Bell
This bill has been heard in both the House and Senate Environment Committees. There was no opposition. We are now working to bring it to the attention of leadership and all members of the legislature. Audubon Executive Director Larry Taft wrote a letter to each legislator and sent Audubon’s brochure on forest values (links are PDF downloads.)
The purpose of the act is to establish incentives to encourage forest conservation with no regulations or restrictions. When passed, it will put forest conservation into state law.
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Action you can take: Let your senator and representative know that you support this bill. You can also send an email to members of the House Environment Committee and Senate Committee on Environment & Agriculture.
Solar Siting: Closing the 10 MW loophole
Senate: S 474 - Sponsored by Senators DiMario, Euer, Ciccone, Valverde, DiPalma, Seveney, Calkin, Bell, Kallman, and Anderson
House: H 6169 - Sponsored by Representatives Speakman, Ruggiero, Cortvriend, Carson, Donovan, Tanzi, Ajello, Morales, and Potter
While current state law limits the size of solar arrays to 10 MW (about 40 – 50 acres), developers locate projects on adjacent lots and build projects that exceed this limit. This ecoRI article describes a 38.4 MW project under development in North Smithfield. And this article shows a map of solar development in Hopkinton including projects that exceed the 10 MW threshold.
This bill would eliminate the ability to co-locate projects in greenfield sites, but would enable developers to create these large projects in preferred, already developed, areas.
The bills have been heard in committee.
Action you can take: Let your senator and representative know that you support this bill. You can also send an email to members of the House Environment Committee and Senate Committee on Environment & Agriculture.
Every year over 12,000 students participate in Audubon environmental education programs. Climate change will have a significant impact on the lives of these youth as Rhode Island’s cities, towns, forests, and coastal areas all struggle with ecosystem change. However, there is currently no requirement in Rhode Island for climate education.
The Climate Literacy Act (S 464 / H 5625) would require the RI Department of Education to:
- Develop a set of environmental, climate, and sustainability principles and concepts to be infused into the learning standards in science and social studies.
- Identify and disseminate lessons, activities, materials, and professional development related to climate.
- Establish an award program for high-performing schools and exemplary teachers.
It is critical that the decisions of our future leaders are rooted in science and fact-based analysis. Rhode Island faces difficult choices ahead regarding the impacts of climate change, but there will also be opportunities for innovation. It is vital that our future leaders are educated and prepared.
Action you can take: Please contact your state legislators and Governor McKee today and ask them to support the Climate Literacy Act. Learn More
We are seeing other important legislation move – we hope towards passage!
- The plastic bag ban passed on the Senate floor on May 4. The companion bill still needs to move out of committee in the House. (S 37, H 5358)
- The plastic straw ban also passed on the Senate floor on May 4. The companion bill still needs to move out of committee in the House. (S 155, H 5131)
- The ban on the intentional release of balloons passed on the House floor in May. And it still needs to move in the Senate. (S 38, H 5376)
