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HB 8400

AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- QUONSET DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Justine Caldwell and 6 co-sponsors

Prohibits Quonset Development Corporation from permitting or hosting any thermal waste conversion facilities in the Quonset Point/Davisville Industrial Park until Feb 1, 2027.

06/22/2026 Signed by Governor
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Bill Summary · HB 8400

Summary of HB 8400 (Rhode Island, 2026)

Title

AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- QUONSET DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

Purpose and Intent

This bill amends the Quonset Development Corporation law to prohibit the siting, operation, or construction of thermal waste conversion facilities within the Quonset Point/Davisville Industrial Park. The overarching goal is to prevent the conversion of solid waste, plastics, biomass, and related feedstocks into fuels, energy, or chemical products through high-temperature, chemical/thermal processes.

Key Provisions

  • Section 42-64.10-16: Prohibition on thermal waste conversion facilities

    • (a) The Quonset Development Corporation is prohibited from authorizing, permitting, leasing, approving, or otherwise allowing any thermal waste conversion facility or similar processes within the Quonset Point/Davisville Industrial Park.
    • (b) Definition: “Thermal waste conversion facility” means facilities that use elevated temperatures in controlled or oxygen-limited environments to thermochemically decompose or transform solid waste or sewage sludge into gaseous, liquid, or solid products intended for energy generation, fuel production, or industrial use.
    • (c) Scope: Applies to all real property owned, managed, leased, or under the jurisdiction of the Quonset Development Corporation.
    • (d) Grandfathering: The prohibition does not impair the right of any entity that lawfully engaged in such activity before the act’s effective date.
    • (e) Sunset: The prohibition expires and has no effect as of February 1, 2027.

  • Section 2: Effective date

    • The act takes effect upon passage.

Impacted Entities and Premises

  • Primary Actor Affected: Quonset Development Corporation and its real property within the Quonset Point/Davisville Industrial Park.
  • Broader Impact: Operators, developers, or lessees proposing thermal waste conversion projects within the Quonset park would be barred from authorization, permitting, leasing, or construction for the duration of the prohibition.
  • Transitional/Grandfather Provision: Projects lawfully initiated before the effective date could continue under applicable law, but new projects would be restricted.
  • Expiration: The prohibition is temporary, expiring February 1, 2027, unless extended or amended by subsequent legislation.

Procedural and Timeline Details

  • Introduced: April 3, 2026
  • Referred to: House Corporations
  • Committee action: As of the latest update, the committee recommended the measure be held for further study (April 28, 2026).
  • Effective date: Upon passage
  • Sunset/Expiration: February 1, 2027

Summary of Potential Impacts

  • Reduces the risk of siting or operating thermal waste conversion facilities (e.g., pyrolysis-like processes) within Quonset’s industrial park.
  • Provides a fixed, temporary policy tool to control land use and environmental/energy-related development in a key Rhode Island industrial area.
  • Creates a potential pathway for operators to challenge or adapt plans if state policy shifts before the sunset date.
  • May influence broader discussions on waste-to-energy strategies and siting decisions for industrial operations in Rhode Island.

If you’d like, I can add a brief comparison to similar moratoriums or provide a plain-language one-page brief for policymakers or the public.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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