Speakers to Include RI Legislators and Environmental Leaders
What: A broad coalition of leaders from the Rhode Island environmental community, joined by their legislative allies, will be gathering at the State House library to officially kick off the campaign to pass the RI “bottle bill” (H.5502), legislation to improve recycling as well as reduce litter and marine debris in RI. A question and answer session will follow the speaking program.
Who: Speakers will include:
- Jed Thorp, RI State Director, Clean Water Action
- Topher Hamblett, Director of Advocacy, Save The Bay
- Bill McCusker, President, Friends of the Saugatucket
- Samantha Wilcox, Richmond Town Councillor
- Senator Bridget Valverde, Senate sponsor
- Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee, House sponsor
- Kevin Budris, Advocacy Director, Just Zero
When: Thursday, March 9th, 3pm
Where: RI State House Library, 82 Smith St., Providence
Why: With the introduction of H.5502, Rhode Island is poised to become the first state to overcome industry opposition and pass a recycling refund bill (or “bottle bill”) since Hawaii passed theirs in 2005. Bottle bills reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills and incinerators, increase the volume of recyclable materials generated, reduce litter and plastic pollution, and can smooth the transition to a reuse economy.
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Since our founding during the campaign to pass the landmark Clean Water Act in 1972, Clean Water Action has worked to win strong health and environmental protections by bringing issue expertise, solution-oriented thinking and people power to the table. Learn more at cleanwater.org/RI.
