Environmentally Speaking

Buckle in folks, Marisa is fired up this week! We are discuss a recent decision that the supreme court issued in a case here locally. The particular case we discussing is not what we would call your customary environmental law case because it’s a private cause of action that is based in insurance, contract law. However, it just so happens that the source of the contract dispute centers around definition of the term pollutants.

You don’t want to miss this one! 

Reference:

https://www.courts.ri.gov/Courts/SupremeCourt/SupremeOpinions/20-170.pdf

This week are going to discuss an issue we are seeing here with Aquaculture.  We did a show once before about what Aquaculture is (Ep: 017 - https://bit.ly/3RnpZke).  But to recap, it’s the farming of sea life for consumption.

Today however we are going to discuss a conflict of uses of any submerged land that is adjacent to the coastline out to three nautical miles is in the custody and control of the state.  So what happens when the jurisdiction falls under the states coastal resources management council?  Do the residents of the state have a right to use the submerged land, adjacent to the coastline? 

Here is the article we reference during the show: http://bit.ly/40fzfLv

Take a listen

We are talking about Route 79!  If you’ve ever traveled this near Fall River you know there are quite a few things that are little stretch of roadway. Art spaces, yoga studios, breweries and a ton of other water front businesses. 

So what’s the issue?  Route 79 cuts right after those businesses and BOOM, an expressway. 

What's going to happen to Route 79 and will anything good come from it?

Listen to find out.

Click here to read the article we mentioned in this episode.

We got a good news show for you this week!  We talk about how the Senate rejected an amendment that would speed approval for polluting projects. Had this passed it would make it easier for polluting projects to move quickly, to sort of skip the line pass the red tape and the environmental considerations.  

Senator Joe Manchin has tried to attach legislation to the National Defense Authorization Act that would weaken neighbors ability to review and, and weigh in on projects. Why is this important? Listen to our “Open Meeting Act episode” http://bit.ly/3ZJcPBX

Question: Why try to be “Sneaky” about it and put it in another Bill?  Why not just request to amend NEPA?

Bonus Question: What does NEPA stand for?

It’s good that this was REJECTED!  

First show of the 2023!  Happy New year everyone!  This episode we are talking about Grow Smart RI.  We’ve talked about them briefly in past episodes but recently they were the recipients of the Community impact Award presented by Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission and Preserve Rhode Island.

The work that Grow Smart RI does has a lot to do with a concept called smart growth. And that concept relates to development, which contemplates environmental stewardship, conservation. 

 We get into more detail about some projects being discussed now such as, solar siting and land development.  Take a listen 

This week we are talking about an article titled, the fossil fuel industries deceptive campaign to kill offshore wind. Do you think we agree or disagree? Our answer might shock you, take a listen.

https://heated.world/p/the-fossil-fuel-industrys-deceptive

Today we are talking about the Earth Shot Prize.  We have never heard of this until last week. The Earth Shot Prize has an award ceremony attached to it and was presented in Boston, with Prince William and Kate Middleton recently.  We discuss what we have learned and talk about some of the really cool things people are doing to help our environment on a global scale.  Take a listen.

Learn more here: https://earthshotprize.org

We are talking about how the EPA takes action to hold school bus idling violators accountable. What? Yup! Out of all the industrial sources of hazardous air pollutants under the Clean Air Act apparently we should be looking at school buses. You can’t makes this stuff up. Take a listen as we have a lot of laughs covering some of the rules, regulations and action from the EPA.

Here is the link to the article we were talking about.  https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-takes-action-hold-school-bus-idling-violators-accountable-four-massachusetts

 Bus Drivers, Parents with children that ride a bus to school, you’ll want to listen to this.

This week we are gearing up for the holiday season.  You can’t think of the Christmas season without thinking of Christmas trees.  Unfortunately this year things might be different.  We are going to discuss Christmas trees and some of the farms in our area that are having to close early. Why?  Take a listen 

Do you know what it’s like not to have access to water?  

This week’s topic is a tough one to discuss and a lot of questions are asked.  Recently the Navajo nation in Arizona filed a claim against the State of Arizona regarding the lack of adequate water access on the reservation.  So who controls the water on the reservation?  Where is the case now?  Take listen to find out.