Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture
to vote on 2 bills to promote solar while protecting forests
STATE HOUSE – The Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture is scheduled to vote on two bills intended to promote solar development while protecting forests. The meeting will take place Wednesday, March 29, at 4 p.m. in the Senate Lounge on the second floor of the State House. The committee will vote on the following bills:
§ 2023-S 0504 — This bill, introduced by Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture Chairwoman Alana DiMario (D-Dist. 36, Narragansett, North Kingstown, New Shoreham), would establish the Renewable Ready program, which is designed to promote responsible siting and development of renewable energy on certain enumerated sites such as formerly contaminated sites. Projects would be funded through the infrastructure bank.
§ 2023-S 0684 — This bill, introduced by Senator DiMario, would provide that any net metering resource owned or operated by a renewable energy developer be treated as an eligible net metering system provided it is not in a core forest.
In addition, the Committee is slated to hear four other bills pertaining to utilities and environmental justice.
The meeting will be televised by Capitol Television, which can be seen on channels 15 and 61 for high definition by Cox Communications subscribers, channel 15 for i3Broadband (formerly Full Channel) viewers and channel 34 for Verizon subscribers. Livestreaming is available at https://www.rilegislature.gov/CapTV/Pages/default.aspx.
The Supreme Court will consider whether Donald Trump has immunity on charges of attempting to overturn the 2020 election. The outcome could determine whether Trump faces a federal trial this year on four felony counts brought by special counsel Jack Smith, which include conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and obstruction of an official proceeding. Trump's legal team argues the former president should have absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for any official acts taken while in office. 
