§ 45-2-17. Regulation of liquefied natural gas facilities.
(a) For purposes of this section, the definition of “liquefied natural gas” as stated in § 39-1-2 applies.
(b) Purpose. The General Assembly hereby recognizes the importance of establishing procedures and standards for the supervision and regulation by the state and by the cities and towns of the use, storage, transportation, location, construction, and maintenance of liquefied natural gas and liquefied natural gas storage facilities. The establishment of these procedures and standards is hereby declared to be a reasonable exercise of the police power of the general assembly and necessary to afford the highest possible degree of protection against the potential hazards of explosion and fire presented by the use, transportation, storage, and location of liquefied natural gas. The general assembly hereby declares also that it is in the interest of the public health, safety, and welfare that the use, storage, transportation, and location of liquefied natural gas or liquefied natural gas facilities be supervised, regulated, and controlled in accordance with the provisions of this section.
(c) From and after June 4, 1976, no liquefied natural gas storage facility, including any facility for which any application is pending before any state or local governmental body or agency on June 4, 1976, shall be established nor shall construction of the facility be commenced or storage of the gas begin or any permit or license be issued reasonably related to the facility unless and until the public utilities commission of the state of Rhode Island issues a final approval and license in accordance with the provisions of this section.
(d) The public utilities commission, the division of fire safety, and every town and city shall each promulgate and adopt rules and regulations or enact ordinances establishing procedures and standards for the supervision, regulation, and control of the use, location, construction, storage, and maintenance of liquefied natural gas and liquefied natural gas storage facilities.
The procedures for the adoption and promulgation of the rules and regulations shall be those provided in chapter 35 of title 42.
(e) Before any permit or license may be issued for the construction, or location, of a liquefied natural gas facility or for the storage of liquefied natural gas, the following procedures must be followed and complied with:
(1) All permit or license applications must also be filed with the public utilities commission and the state fire marshal’s office.
(2) Prior to the issuance of any permit or license there shall be a public hearing with notice given by the city or town where the storage area or facility is proposed to be located or where the liquefied natural gas is proposed to be stored. Notice of the hearing shall be given at least two (2) weeks before the date set for the hearing and shall be given on at least three (3) separate occasions prior to the hearing date. Notice shall be by advertisement in a local or statewide newspaper, whichever has the greater circulation in the city or town where the site is to be located or where the storage is proposed to be. Notice shall be by block advertisement of at least two and one half (21/2) inches by two and one half (21/2) inches square. The notice shall state the subject matter of the hearing and the date, time, and place of the hearing.
(3) The city or town council must review and give final approval as to any decision granting the issuance of a license or permit pertaining to the siting or location of the facility, the building or construction of the facility, and the storage of the liquefied natural gas with notice and public hearings required as set forth in subsection (e)(2) of this section.
(4) Upon the granting of the final approval of a city or town on the issuance of a license or permit as set forth in subsection (e)(3) of this section and before issuance of the permit or license, a permit must be applied for, approved, and issued by the state fire marshal’s office and the public utilities commission in accordance with the general laws of the state of Rhode Island and the rules and regulations established by the respective state agencies.
(f) The provisions of this section are in addition to any and all other conditions or provisions of applicable law and are not to be construed to be in amendment of or in repeal of any other applicable provision of law.
History of Section.P.L. 1976, ch. 270, § 4.
Structure Rhode Island General Laws
Section 45-2-1. - Charters and special acts.
Section 45-2-2. - Power to tax property.
Section 45-2-2.1. - Tax compacts between municipalities.
Section 45-2-3. - Power to appropriate money.
Section 45-2-3.1. - Powers of certain towns.
Section 45-2-3.3. - Background checks.
Section 45-2-3.4. - Background checks.
Section 45-2-4. - Power to own property and make contracts.
Section 45-2-5. - Power to use, lease, or dispose of property no longer needed.
Section 45-2-5.1. - Westerly municipal land trust.
Section 45-2-5.2. - Prudence Island school foundation.
Section 45-2-6. - Lands given for specific use not subject to disposal.
Section 45-2-7. - Providence school land unaffected.
Section 45-2-8. - Ratification of prior conveyances.
Section 45-2-9. - Continuation in force of town and city laws.
Section 45-2-10. - Election and appointment of officers and agents.
Section 45-2-11. - Medical services for employees.
Section 45-2-12. - Town of New Shoreham may establish police court.
Section 45-2-13. - City of Pawtucket — Municipal police court — Municipal housing court.
Section 45-2-14. - City of Central Falls — Police court.
Section 45-2-15.2. - Municipal employees — Residency within municipality not required.
Section 45-2-16. - Naming of city or town constructions.
Section 45-2-17. - Regulation of liquefied natural gas facilities.
Section 45-2-18. - City of Providence — Establishment of department of public parks.
Section 45-2-19. - City of Warwick — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-20. - Town of Coventry — Establishment of a senior citizens’ board.
Section 45-2-21. - City of Cranston — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-22. - Arson prevention programs.
Section 45-2-24. - Town of Coventry — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-25. - City of Woonsocket — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-26. - Town of West Warwick — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-27. - City of Central Falls — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-28. - Charitable contributions.
Section 45-2-29. - Town of Westerly — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-30. - Town of Narragansett — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-31. - Registration of business name in the town of North Providence.
Section 45-2-31.1. - Business registration fee — Town of Johnston.
Section 45-2-31.2. - Business registration fee — Town of Warren.
Section 45-2-31.3. - Business registration fee — Town of Smithfield.
Section 45-2-31.4. - Business registration fee — Town of Richmond.
Section 45-2-31.5. - Town of Warren — Delegation of local licensing authority.
Section 45-2-32. - Town of Charlestown — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-33. - Additional substance abuse prevention assessment.
Section 45-2-34. - Town of Tiverton — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-35. - Town of New Shoreham — Landing fee.
Section 45-2-35.1. - City of Newport — Landing and boarding fees.
Section 45-2-35.2. - Town of Narragansett — Landing fee.
Section 45-2-36. - Town of Exeter — Tax assessor.
Section 45-2-37. - Town of Middletown — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-38. - City of East Providence — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-39. - Care and repair of stone walls.
Section 45-2-39.1. - Theft of historic stone walls.
Section 45-2-41. - Residency requirements — Generally.
Section 45-2-42. - Town of East Greenwich — Smoking prohibited in municipal buildings.
Section 45-2-43. - Right of way tree planting.
Section 45-2-44. - Town of Cumberland — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-45. - Town of Bristol — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-46. - Towns of Burrillville and North Smithfield — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-47. - Town of Warren — Municipal court — Municipal housing court.
Section 45-2-48. - Town of East Greenwich — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-49. - Town of Burrillville — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-50. - Town of Exeter — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-51. - [Repealed.]
Section 45-2-51.1. - Town of Lincoln — Municipal court — Municipal housing court.
Section 45-2-52. - Town of Jamestown — Municipal Court.
Section 45-2-53. - Town of North Kingstown — Fence viewer.
Section 45-2-54. - Regulation of excavating.
Section 45-2-55. - Town of North Kingstown — Municipal Court.
Section 45-2-56. - Town of Hopkinton — Municipal Court.
Section 45-2-57. - Town of Richmond — Noise pollution.
Section 45-2-58. - Town of Smithfield — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-59. - Town of North Smithfield — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-60. - City of Pawtucket — Licenses.
Section 45-2-61. - Town of Barrington — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-62. - [Repealed.]
Section 45-2-62.1. - Town of Portsmouth — Municipal court — Municipal housing court.
Section 45-2-63. - Town of Richmond — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-64. - Town of Coventry — Regulation of asphalt or continuous mixing facilities.
Section 45-2-65. - Right to counsel.
Section 45-2-66. - Ability to pay hearings.
Section 45-2-67. - Town of South Kingstown — Municipal court.