PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Governor Chafee has signed legislation strengthening safety standards for the construction of school buildings on properties previously used for industrial or manufacturing purposes.
Sponsored by Rep. John G. Edwards, D-Portsmouth, the bill requires that properties adhere to the Department of Environmental Management's residential use requirements, in addition to a list of safeguards contained in the statute. Sen. Juan M. Pichardo, D-Providence, sponsored the matching companion bill.
"This law is about protecting our students while making available new school sites," Edwards said. "This will be one of the strongest school siting bills in the country. In order to make that possible, we needed DEM to adopt a process with the necessary protections in place, including a protocol to determine any potential for harmful vapors entering the buildings."
Last year, the General Assembly enacted a related law that requires a public hearing when a school is proposed for a former industrial, manufacturing or landfill site and is likely contaminated. The law was meant to open up the process to public scrutiny.
"This year's legislation strengthens the law by mapping out a clear remediation process for industrial properties and school construction to ensure all children are safe overall," Pichardo said. "I have been a strong advocate of this law since the controversy over the Dr. Jorge Alvarez High School began and I am more confident moving forward that our schools will be completely protected."