§ 46-12.8-1. Legislative findings. (a) It is hereby found that there exists and will in the future exist within the state of Rhode Island the need to construct and reconstruct facilities related to and acquire watershed protection land in connection with the provision of safe drinking water throughout the state of Rhode Island.

(b) It is hereby further found that to provide financial assistance for the acquisition, design, planning, construction, enlargement, repair, protection or improvement of public drinking water supplies or treatment facilities, including any of those actions required under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974, 42 U.S.C., §§ 300f - 300j-9, including the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) amendments of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-182) and any amendments thereto, it is necessary to establish a revolving loan fund program to provide a perpetual source of low cost financing for safe drinking water projects.

(c) It is hereby further found that to secure maximum benefit to the state from a safe drinking water revolving loan fund, it is necessary to place such fund within the jurisdiction and control of the Rhode Island infrastructure bank, which agency presently runs the state's revolving fund with respect to the state's wastewater pollution abatement program, which agency shall exclusively administer the financing portion of the safe drinking water revolving loan fund, but which shall nevertheless work, as necessary, with the department of environmental management, the water resources board, the Rhode Island department of health, the division of public utilities and carriers and any other agency or instrumentality of the state or federal government with responsibility for the development or supervision of water supply facilities within the state.

History of Section. (P.L. 1993, ch. 313, § 1; P.L. 1993, ch. 396, § 1; P.L. 1998, ch. 328, § 1; P.L. 2007, ch. 340, § 44; P.L. 2015, ch. 141, art. 14, § 19.)