State Codes and Statutes
Statutes > Rhode-island > Title-23 > Chapter-23-66 > 23-66-5SECTION 23-66-5
§ 23-66-5 Review and approval ofassessment. – (a) The proponent shall submit the assessment to the directors, or theirdesignees of the state department of health and department of environmentalmanagement for joint review. The department of health, in its review, shallconsider existing studies and data deemed relevant by the department of healthregarding public health within a radius of the proposed facility as designatedby the department of environmental management in accordance with §23-66-3(2). These data and studies shall be considered in the joint review, andthe determination made part of the public record. No air permit shall be issuedby the department of environmental management until DEM and the department ofhealth concur that health and environmental risks have been reasonablyminimized to the extent practicable under all relevant circumstances.
(2) The assessment shall be published by the department ofenvironmental management and accessible to the public.
(b) There shall be a public comment period of not less thansixty (60) days, commencing with notice, both in the form of a legal notice anda press release, in at least one newspaper with a statewide circulation of atleast one hundred thousand (100,000), and in local newspapers within theassessment area printed in English and other appropriate languages specific tothe assessment area.
(c) There shall be, within seven (7) days of the end of thepublic comment period, a public hearing conducted by the department ofenvironmental management at a location within a two (2) mile radius of theproposed facility. A representative of the department of health shall bepresent at the hearing. Notice of the public hearing shall be conductedaccording to the same terms required of the public comment period, as describedin this section.
