R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-3-1 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-3 / Section 2-3-1
§ 2-3-1. Definitions.
Status: in_force

As used in this chapter:

(1) Agriculture council means an organization composed of groups engaged in supporting and promoting the interests of agriculture within this state and providing educational and informative material to its citizens.

(2) Cooperative extension means a partnership made up of residents, the Land Grant College (the University of Rhode Island), the state of Rhode Island, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and city and town governments. The purpose of this partnership is to plan, finance, and operate extension programs transmitting practical information including, but not limited to, agriculture, home economics, natural and community resources, and 4-H youth development produced by research centers and universities to the public.

(3) District association means a county or district organization established to undertake the purposes of cooperative extension and to cooperate with the Land Grant College (the University of Rhode Island), the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the state, in employing extension agents and in carrying on cooperative extension work.

(4) Extension agents means a person or persons qualified by training and experience to instruct in the science and art of agriculture, home economics, natural and community resources, and 4-H youth development who devote their time to demonstrations and other forms of educational instruction.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-20-28 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-20 / Section 2-20-28
§ 2-20-28. Penalty for unlawful sales or delivery.
Status: in_force

Every person who sells, purchases, delivers or takes the delivery of any boards, planks, joists or timber, in violation of any of the provisions of this chapter, shall pay for all boards, planks, joists and timber sold, purchased or delivered, one dollar ($1.00) per one thousand feet (1,000²) board measure, and the same for any less amount, one-half (Â½) of this penalty fee to go to the use of the state, and one-half of this penalty fee to go to the use of the surveyor of the town or city in which this lumber is taken or delivered. The surveyor shall prosecute all violations of this chapter that come to his or her knowledge.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-2-1 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-2 / Section 2-2-1
§ 2-2-1. Assent to federal grant.
Status: in_force

The general assembly assents to and accepts the provisions of an act passed by the sixty-eighth congress entitled An act to authorize the more complete endowment of agricultural experiment stations, and for other purposes.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-6-3 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-6 / Section 2-6-3
§ 2-6-3. Label requirements.
Status: in_force

Each container of agricultural and vegetable seeds sold, offered for sale, exposed for sale, or transported within this state for sowing purposes shall have placed on or affixed to it in a conspicuous place a plainly written or printed label or tag in the English language, giving the following information, which statement shall not be modified or denied in the labeling or on another label attached to the container:

(1) For all seeds named and treated as defined in this chapter (for which a separate label may be used):

(i) A word or statement indicating that the seed has been treated;

(ii) The commonly accepted, coined, chemical, or abbreviated chemical (generic) name of the applied substance or description of the process used;

(iii) If the substance in the amount present with the seed is harmful to human or other vertebrate animals, a caution statement such as Do not use for food, feed, or oil purposes. The caution for mercurials and similarly toxic substances is a poison statement or symbol;

(iv) If the seed is treated with an inoculant, the date beyond which the inoculant is not to be considered effective (date of expiration).

(2) For agricultural seeds, except for grass seed mixtures as provided in subdivision (3):

(i) The name of the kind and variety for each agricultural seed component present in excess of five percent (5%) of the whole and the percentage by weight of each. If the variety of those kinds generally labeled as to variety as designated in the regulations is not stated, the label shall show the name of the kind and the words, Variety not stated. Hybrids shall be labeled as hybrids;

(ii) Lot number or other lot identification;

(iii) Origin (state or foreign country), if known, of alfalfa, red clover, and field corn (except hybrid corn). If the origin is unknown, the fact shall be stated;

(iv) Percentage by weight of all weed seeds;

(v) The name and rate of occurrence per pound of each kind of restricted noxious weed seed present;

(vi) Percentage by weight of agricultural seeds (which may be designated as crop seeds) other than those required to be named on the label;

(vii) Percentage by weight of inert matter;

(viii) For each named agricultural seed:

(A) Percentage of germination, exclusive of hard seed;

(B) Percentage of hard seeds, if present;

(C) The calendar month and year the test was completed to determine those percentages;

Following (A) and (B) the total germination and hard seed may be stated as this, if desired;

(ix) Name and address of the person who labeled the seed, or who sells, offers or exposes the seed for sale within this state.

(3) For seed mixtures for lawn and/or turf purposes in containers of fifty (50) pounds or less:

(i) The word Mixed or Mixture;

(ii) The headings Fine-textured grasses and Coarse kinds and under these headings in tabular form in type no larger than the heading:

(A) Commonly accepted name, in order of its predominance of the kind, or kind and variety of each agricultural seed present in excess of five percent (5%) of the whole and determined to be a Fine-textured grass or a Coarse kind in accordance with the rules and regulations under this chapter;

(B) Percentage by weight of pure seed of each agricultural seed named;

(C) For each agricultural seed named under (A) above:

(I) Percentage of germination, exclusive of hard seed;

(II) Percentage of hard seed, if present;

(III) Calendar month and year the test was completed to determine those percentages;

(iii) The heading Other ingredients and under this heading in type no larger than the heading:

(A) Percentage by weight of all weed seeds;

(B) Percentage by weight of all agricultural seeds other than those stated under subdivision (a) of this section;

(C) Percentage by weight of inert matter;

(iv) Lot number or other lot identification;

(v) Name and rate of occurrence per pound of each kind of restricted noxious weed seed present;

(vi) Name and address of the person who labeled the seed or who sells, offers or exposes the seed for sale within this state;

(vii) Net weight;

(viii) In addition to the provisions of this section, labeling of lawn or turf grass mixtures shall comply with the requirements of §201 of the federal seed act, 7 U.S.C. §1571.

(4) For vegetable seeds in containers of one pound or less:

(i) Name of kind and variety of seed;

(ii) The calendar month and year the seed was tested or the year for which the seed was packaged;

(iii) Name and address of the person who labeled the seed or who sells, offers, or exposes the seed for sale within this state;

(iv) For seeds which germinate less than the standard last established by the director under this chapter:

(A) Percentage of germination, exclusive of hard seed;

(B) The words Below standard in not less than eight (8)-point type;

(C) Percentage of hard seed, if present;

(5) For vegetable seeds in containers of more than one pound;

(i) The name of each kind and variety present in excess of five percent (5%) and the percentage by weight of each in order of its predominance;

(ii) Lot number or other lot identification;

(iii) For each named vegetable seed:

(A) Percentage germination exclusive of hard seed;

(B) Percentage of hard seed, if present;

(C) The calendar month and year the test was completed to determine those percentages;

Following (A) and (B) the total germination and hard seed may be stated as this if desired;

(iv) Name and address of the person who labeled the seed, or who sells, offers or exposes the seed for sale within this state;

(v) The labeling requirements for vegetable seeds in containers of more than one pound are deemed to have been met if the seed is weighed from a properly labeled container in the presence of the purchaser.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-22-7 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-22 / Section 2-22-7
§ 2-22-7. Penalties for deficient analysis.
Status: in_force

(a) If the analysis shows that any soil amendment falls short of the guaranteed analysis in any one soil amending ingredient or in total soil amending ingredients, a penalty shall be assessed in favor of the department in accordance with the following provisions:

(1) A penalty of three (3) times the value of the deficiency if the deficiency in any one soil amending ingredient is more than:

(i) Twenty percent (20%) of the guarantee on any one soil amendment in which the soil amending ingredient is guaranteed up to and including twenty percent (20%);

(ii) Four percent (4%) under guarantee on any one soil amendment in which the soil amending ingredient is guaranteed twenty and one-tenth percent (201/10%) and above;

(2) A penalty of three (3) times the value of the total soil amending ingredients deficiency is assessed when the total deficiency is more than two percent (2%) under the calculated total soil amending ingredient guarantee;

(3) When a soil amendment is subject to penalty under both subdivisions (1) and (2) of this subsection, only the larger penalty is assessed.

(b) All penalties assessed under this section shall be paid to the director of environmental management within three (3) months after the date of notice from the director to the registrant. The penalty shall be deposited into the general treasury.

(c) Nothing contained in this section prevents any person from appealing to a court of competent jurisdiction for a judgment as to the justification of any penalties imposed under subsections (a) and (b) of this section.

(d) The penalties payable in subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall in no manner be construed as limiting the consumers right to bring a civil action in damage against the registrant paying those civil penalties.

(e) For the purpose of determining commercial values to be applied under the provisions of this section, the director shall determine from the registrants sales invoice the values charged for the soil amending ingredients. If no invoice is available, or if the invoice fails to provide sufficient information, the director may use other methods to determine values. The values determined shall be used in determining and assessing penalties.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-4-12 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-4 / Section 2-4-12
§ 2-4-12. Powers of districts and directors.
Status: in_force

A conservation district organized under the provisions of this chapter shall constitute a subdivision of the state conservation committee, a quasi-public corporation exercising public powers, and the district, and directors of the conservation district, shall have the following powers, in addition to other(s) granted in sections of this chapter:

(1) To conduct surveys, investigations and research relating to the conservation of renewable natural resources and preventive and control measures and the works of improvement needed, and to publish the results of those surveys, investigations, or research and to disseminate information concerning those preventive and control measures. In order to avoid duplication of research activities, no district shall initiate any research program except in cooperation with the government of this state or any of its agencies, or with the United States or any of its agencies;

(2) To develop necessary guidelines deemed necessary for the conservation of renewable natural resources of the district. In cooperation with the state committee, develop and formulate statewide guidelines deemed necessary for the conservation of the renewable natural resources of the state; encourage local government to implement those guidelines in the planning and development of renewable natural resources under their jurisdiction; and offer any available technical and other assistance necessary to local government for this purpose.

(3) To conduct educational and demonstrational projects within the district on lands owned or controlled by this state or any of its agencies, with the cooperation of the agency administering and having jurisdiction of these lands, and of any other lands within the district upon obtaining the consent of the occupier of the lands or the necessary rights or interests in the lands, in order to demonstrate by example the means, methods, measures and works of improvement by which the conservation of renewable natural resources may be carried out;

(4) To carry out preventive and control measures and works of improvement for the conservation of renewable natural resources within the district on lands owned or controlled by this state or any of its agencies, with the cooperation of the agency administering and having jurisdiction of these lands, and on any other lands within the district upon obtaining the consent of the occupier of the lands or the necessary rights or interests in the lands;

(5) To cooperate, or enter into agreements with, and within the limits of appropriations made available to it by law, to furnish financial or other aid to any agency, governmental or otherwise, or any occupier of lands within the district, in carrying on of preventive and control measures and works of improvement for the conservation of renewable natural resources within the district, subject to any conditions that the directors may deem necessary to advance the purposes of this chapter;

(6) To obtain options upon and to acquire, by purchase, exchange, lease, gift, bequest, grant, or devise, any property, real or personal or rights or interests to maintain, administer, and improve any properties acquired, to receive income from those properties and to expend income from those properties in carrying out the purposes and provisions of this chapter; and to sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of any of its property or interests in furtherance of the purposes and the provisions of this chapter;

(7) To make available, on any terms it shall prescribe, to land occupiers, cities or towns, municipalities or the state within the district, machinery, equipment, materials and any other services that will assist those land occupiers, cities or towns, municipalities, or the state to carry on operations upon their lands for the conservation of renewable natural resources;

(8) To construct, improve, repair, operate and maintain any structures or other works of improvement that may be necessary or convenient for the performance of any of the operations or activities authorized in this chapter;

(9) To prepare and keep current a long-range program for the conservation of all of the renewable natural resources of the district. The program is directed toward the conservation of resources for their best uses and in a manner that will best meet the needs of the district and the state, taking into consideration, where appropriate, such uses as farming, grazing, timber supply, forest, parks, outdoor recreation, water supplies for urban and rural areas; water for agricultural and industrial uses, watershed protection, control of soil erosion, retardation of water runoff, flood prevention and control, protection of open space and scenery, preservation of natural beauty, protection of fish and wildlife, the prevention or reduction of sedimentation and other pollution in rivers, streams, reservoirs, and the protection of groundwaters, and the location of urban facilities and structures that will fit the needs of the state and be consistent with the best uses of the renewable natural resources of the state. The program includes an inventory of all renewable natural resources in the district, a compilation of current resource needs, projections of future resource requirements, priorities for various resource activities, projected timetables, descriptions of available alternatives, and provisions for coordination with other resource programs; to prepare an annual work plan, which shall describe the action programs, services, facilities, materials, working arrangements and estimated funds needed to carry out the parts of the long-range program that are of the highest priorities. Each district shall submit to the state committee a copy of its long-range program and annual work plans for review and comment;

(10) To acquire, by purchase, lease, or otherwise any property, real or personal, and to administer any project or program concerning the conservation of renewable natural resources located within its boundaries undertaken by federal, state, or other public agency; to manage as agent of the federal, state or other public agency any project or program concerned with the conservation of renewable natural resources located within its boundaries; to act as agent of the federal, state, or other public agency in connection with the acquisition, construction, operation, or administration of any program or project concerning the conservation of renewable natural resources within its boundaries;

(11) To accept donations, gifts, and contributions in money, services, materials, or otherwise, from the United States or any of its agencies, from this state or any of its agencies, or from any other source, and to use or expend those moneys, services, materials or other contributions in carrying out the purposes of this chapter; and

(12) To have perpetual succession unless terminated or hereinafter provided; to make and execute contracts and other instruments, necessary or convenient to the exercise of its powers; to make, and from time to time amend and repeal, regulations and rules not inconsistent with this chapter; to carry into effect its purposes and powers.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-16-8 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-16 / Section 2-16-8
§ 2-16-8. Treatment or destruction by director.
Status: in_force

In case the owner or person in charge of the premises refuses or neglects to carry out the orders of the director within the period of time after receipt of written notification specified on the notification by the director, the director may proceed to treat or destroy the infested or infected plants, plant products, or articles or to apply any other necessary preventive or remedial measures. The expense shall be assessed, collected, and enforced as taxes are assessed, collected, and enforced, against the premises upon which the expense was incurred. The amount of the expense, when collected, shall be paid to the director, and by him or her deposited with the treasurer of the state.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-23-1 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-23 / Section 2-23-1
§ 2-23-1. Short title.
Status: in_force

This chapter shall be known as The Rhode Island Right to Farm Act.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-16-11 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-16 / Section 2-16-11
§ 2-16-11. Penalty for violations.
Status: in_force

Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter or any rule or order established by the director or who interferes with the director or any of the directors authorized agents in the performance of the agents duties shall, upon conviction, be fined not exceeding two hundred dollars ($200) for each offense.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-14-2 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-14 / Section 2-14-2
§ 2-14-2. Appointment by town council or city mayor.
Status: in_force

Every town council at its regular meeting in January of each year, and the mayor of every city on or before February 1 each year, shall appoint a tree warden who is, or who within six (6) months of his or her assuming office, becomes an arborist, licensed under chapter 19 of this title, to engage in the business or practice of all phases of tree care, including, but without limiting the generality to the planting, pruning, trimming, spraying, or repairing of fruit, shade, forest and ornamental trees and shrubs.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-15-4 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-15 / Section 2-15-4
§ 2-15-4. Exemptions from §§ 2-15-1  2-15-3.
Status: in_force

The provisions of §§ 2-15-1  2-15-3 shall not be construed to mean the cutting of shade trees or shrubs, or the cutting or sawing on single holdings of less than five (5) acres or to woodland owners who cut or saw, for sale to others, no more than five thousand (5,000) board feet or twenty-five (25) cords of the items described in § 2-15-1 in any one registration year.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-4-19 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-4 / Section 2-4-19
§ 2-4-19. Severability.
Status: in_force

If any provision of this chapter or the application of any provision to any person or circumstance, is held invalid, the remainder of the chapter, and the application of that provision to other persons or circumstances, shall not be affected by that invalidity.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-7-9 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-7 / Section 2-7-9
§ 2-7-9. Commercial value.
Status: in_force

For the purpose of determining the commercial value to be applied under the provisions of § 2-7-8, the director shall determine and publish annually the values per unit of nitrogen, available phosphoric acid, and soluble potash in commercial fertilizers in this state. If guarantees are as provided in § 2-7-3(8)(ii), the value shall be per unit of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. The values so determined and published shall be used in determining and assessing penalties.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-12-1 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-12 / Section 2-12-1
§ 2-12-1. Definitions.
Status: in_force

For the purposes of this chapter:

(1) Authorized representative means anyone recognized and/or appointed and/or commissioned by the director of the department of natural resources to exercise and pursue the laws, rules and regulations intended by this chapter.

(2) Authorized senior officer means a member of a fire organization who is authorized by the fire chief to issue burning permits.

(3) Director means the director of the department of environmental management.

(4) Fire chief means the elected, appointed, designated or recognized leader and member of a fire organization.

(5) Flammable material means any substance that will burn, including but not limited to, refuse, debris, waste forest material, brush, stumps, logs, rubbish, fallen timber, grass, stubble, leaves, fallow land, slash crops or crop residue.

(6) Forest fire or Wildland fire means any fire occurring on forest land or wildland.

(7) Forest land or Wildland means timbered land, potential timber producing land, cutover or burned timber land or grass lands not including lands devoted to agriculture.

(8) Person means any individual, corporation, partnership, association, municipality or other public body or legal entity or employee or agent of the person.

(9) Senior officer means a member of a fire organization who would be next in command during the absence of the fire chief.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-4-9 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-4 / Section 2-4-9
§ 2-4-9. Designation of district directors  Appointments  Elections.
Status: in_force

(a) Three (3) directors will be appointed by the state conservation committee and shall be persons who are by training and experience qualified to perform the services which will be required of them in the performance of their duties. In appointing directors, the state committee shall take into consideration the recommendations of the representative of the state committee from the area in which the district is located, as well as representation of the various interests of the district such as agricultural, woodland, wildlife, recreation, community and conservation groups.

(b) The committee shall receive nomination petitions for directors, whose terms have expired, by or before January 15 of the year following their expiration and shall take action to approve or reject the nominees within thirty (30) days of receipt. The committee has the authority to extend the time within which nominating petitions may be filed.

(c) No nomination petition shall be accepted by the committee unless it is subscribed to by twenty-five (25) or more occupiers of lands lying within the boundaries of the district. Land occupiers may sign more than one nominating petition to nominate more than one candidate for director.

(d) The conservation districts shall give notice and hold elections for the two (2) directors for each district on or before January 15 of the year following the expiration of these elected directors terms. All occupiers of lands lying within the district shall be eligible to vote in the election. The two (2) candidates who shall receive the largest number, respectively, of the votes cast in the election shall be the elected directors for the district.

(e) All elections of directors shall be supervised and conducted by the district directors of the districts involved. The elections shall be held during a period prescribed or approved by the state conservation committee and in that manner and under any rules and regulations that the state committee prescribes. The cost of conducting elections shall be borne by the district involved. The board of directors shall certify to the state committee the names of the elected directors. The state committee shall issue certificates of election to each certified director, and shall publish the results of the election in some newspaper of general circulation in the area.

(f) The board of directors may appoint associate directors, as deemed necessary, to advise and consult with the board and to broaden representation from the communities within the district.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-20-2 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-20 / Section 2-20-2
§ 2-20-2. Deputies for measurement of hardwood and ship timber.
Status: in_force

The surveyor of lumber for any city or town may appoint one or more deputy surveyors, whose duty it is to survey mahogany, cedar and cherry tree boards, planks, joists and timber, and other ornamental or hardwood lumber, and ship timber, and the deputy shall give bond with surety, as required in § 2-20-6.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-19-2 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-19 / Section 2-19-2
§ 2-19-2. Issuance of license  Fee.
Status: in_force

Any person, firm or corporation desiring to engage in or practice the art or trade of arborist, as defined in § 2-19-1, shall obtain a license to engage or practice from the director of environmental management. The director is authorized to grant licenses to practice that art or trade and require that the applicant for the license pass an examination showing fitness to engage in that art or trade, and the director shall charge a fee as determined by regulation as authorized in § 2-10-3.1. This fee shall not exceed twenty-five dollars ($25.00).
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-22-3 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-22 / Section 2-22-3
§ 2-22-3. Definitions.
Status: in_force

As used in this chapter:

(1) Brand means the term, designation, trade mark, product name or other specific designation under which individual soil amendments are offered for sale.

(2) Bulk means in nonpackaged form.

(3) Compost means a soil amending material resulting from the aerobic, thermophyllic, microbial processing of organic materials.

(4) Composter means a producer of compost registered with the director under this chapter.

(5) Composting means any aerobic, thermophyllic process which allows for the conversion of raw organic materials into a stable soil amendment.

(6) Distribute means to import, consign, manufacture, produce, compound, mix or blend soil amendments or offer for sale, sell, barter, or otherwise supply soil amendments in this state.

(7) Distributor means any person who imports, consigns, manufactures, produces, compounds, mixes, or blends soil amendments, or who offers for sale, sells, barters, or otherwise supplies soil amendments in this state.

(8) Investigational allowance means an allowance for variations inherent in the taking, preparation and analysis of an official sample of soil amendment.

(9) Label means the display of all written, printed or graphic matter upon the immediate container or statement accompanying a soil amendment.

(10) Labeling means all written, printed or graphic matter, upon or accompanying any soil amendment, or advertisements, brochures, posters, or television or radio announcements used in promoting the sale of any soil amendments.

(11) Minimum percentage means that percent of soil amending ingredient that must be present in a product before the product will be accepted for registration when mentioned in any form or manner.

(12) Official sample means any sample of soil amendment taken by the director or his or her agent and designated as official by the director.

(13) Other ingredients means the nonsoil amending ingredients present in soil amendments.

(14) Percent or Percentage means by weight.

(15) Person means individual, partnership, association, firm or corporation.

(16) Registrant means the person who registers soil amendments under the provisions of this chapter.

(17) Soil amending ingredient means a substance which improves the physical characteristics of the soil.

(18) Soil amendment means any substance which is intended to improve the physical characteristics of the soil, except commercial fertilizers, agricultural liming materials, unmanipulated animal manures, unmanipulated vegetable manures, unmanipulated natural substances (charcoal, sand, pumice, and clay, etc.), pesticides, and other material exempted by regulation.

(19) Soil ingredient form means the chemical compound such as salt, chelate, oxide, acid, etc., of an ingredient or the physical form of an ingredient.

(20) Ton means a net weight of two thousand (2,000) pounds avoirdupois.

(21) Weight means the weight of material as offered for sale.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-22-6 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-22 / Section 2-22-6
§ 2-22-6. Inspection, sampling, analysis.
Status: in_force

(a) It is the duty of the director of environmental management, who may act through his or her authorized agent, to sample, inspect, make analyses, and test soil amendments distributed within the state at any time and place and to any extent he or she may deem necessary to determine whether the soil amendments are in compliance with the provisions of this chapter. The director, individually or through his or her agent, is authorized to enter upon any public or private premises or carriers during regular business hours in order to have access to soil amendments subject to the provisions of the chapter and the rules and regulations pertaining to soil amendments, and to the records relating to their distribution.

(b) The methods of analysis and sampling shall be those adopted by the director from sources such as the association of official analytical chemists, or other sources acceptable to the director.

(c) The results of official analyses of soil amendments and portions of official samples shall be distributed by the director as provided in the regulations.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-21-2 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-21 / Section 2-21-2
§ 2-21-2. Responsibility for administration.
Status: in_force

This chapter shall be administered by the director of the department of environmental management, referred to as the director.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-20-11 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-20 / Section 2-20-11
§ 2-20-11. Imported lumber subject to survey.
Status: in_force

All lumber brought by water or imported, discharged or delivered in this state, whether on the land or into a boat or vessel, except as provided in this chapter, shall be surveyed and measured according to the provisions of this chapter.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-20-3 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-20 / Section 2-20-3
§ 2-20-3. Surveyor for Providence  Election  Term.
Status: in_force

There is a surveyor of lumber for the city of Providence, who is well skilled in the surveying and measurement of lumber. The surveyor shall be elected in the month of February annually, by the city council of the city, and shall hold his or her office for one year and until a successor is chosen or unless the surveyor is removed sooner.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-20-30 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-20 / Section 2-20-30
§ 2-20-30. Penalty for fraud by surveyors.
Status: in_force

Every person appointed to office under this chapter, or his or her deputy, who connives at any fraud or deception in surveying, marking or numbering the contents of any boards, planks, joists or timber, shall be fined not less than fifty dollars ($50.00) for each offense.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-10-6 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-10 / Section 2-10-6
§ 2-10-6. Deposit of forest revenues.
Status: in_force

The director of environmental management shall deposit with the general treasurer in the state forestry fund as provided for in § 2-10-3 all moneys received from the sale of forest products cut in the state forests, state forest parks or other reservations within the state, and receipts from the sale of land belonging to the state and used for forest purposes.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-12-2 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-12 / Section 2-12-2
§ 2-12-2. Fire fighting equipment.
Status: in_force

The director of environmental management may purchase any special forest fire equipment and supplies that in his or her judgment may be necessary to promptly and quickly extinguish forest fires occurring in the more heavily wooded areas of the state, and the equipment and supplies shall be located in each of the forest lookout station zones at those places and under any supervision that the director may designate. The equipment and supplies may consist of gas masks, pumps, hose, brooms, shovels, trucks and similar articles, but the equipment and supplies shall not be purchased until an appropriation is made by the general assembly.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-25-4 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-25 / Section 2-25-4
§ 2-25-4. Definitions.
Status: in_force

When used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(1) Director means the director of the department of environmental management or his or her duly authorized agent or agents.

(2) Fund means the local agriculture and seafood small grants and technical assistance fund.

(3) Program means the local agriculture and seafood small grants and technical assistance program.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-12-15 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-12 / Section 2-12-15
§ 2-12-15. Emergency powers of director.
Status: in_force

Whenever, in his or her opinion, an unusual forest fire hazard exists, the governor shall in writing, notify the director of environmental management, and shall likewise notify the director when in his or her opinion the hazard has ceased to exist. Between the dates of the receipt by him or her of the notices, the director has full charge of the hazard and all fire chiefs and senior officers shall obey his or her orders or those of his or her authorized representatives; and he and she and his or her authorized representatives shall have all the powers of fire chiefs and senior officers and the director of the department of environmental management may establish rates of payment for equipment used in the prevention and suppression of forest fires. Any time during this period of unusual forest fire hazard, the director may prohibit, by a written directive filed with the secretary of state and by public announcement, all open air fires and any other activity conducted in the open air that creates a forest or wildland fire hazard, in any areas of the state that he or she deems necessary to protect the health and property of the people of the state. Any person, firm or corporation who violates a directive, upon conviction, shall be liable to a fine not exceeding three hundred dollars ($300) nor less than fifty dollars ($50.00) or not exceeding ninety (90) days nor less than thirty (30) days imprisonment or both for each offense and each day shall be considered a separate offense.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-7-18 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-7 / Section 2-7-18
§ 2-7-18. Violations.
Status: in_force

(a) If it appears from the examination of any commercial fertilizer that any of the provisions of this chapter or the rules and regulations issued under this chapter have been violated, the director shall cause notice of the violations to be given to the registrant, distributor, or possessor from whom the sample was taken; any person notified shall be given opportunity to be heard under any rules and regulations that may be prescribed by the director. If it appears after the hearing, either in the presence or absence of the person so notified, that any of the provisions of this chapter or rules and regulations issued under this chapter have been violated, the director may certify the facts to the attorney general.

(b) Any person convicted of violating any provision of this chapter or rules and regulations issued under this chapter shall be punished in the discretion of the court.

(c) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as requiring the director or the directors representative to report for prosecution or for the institution of seizure proceedings as a result of minor violations of the chapter when the director believes that the public interest will be best served by a suitable notice of warning in writing.

(d) It is the duty of the attorney general to whom any violation is reported to cause appropriate proceedings to be instituted and prosecuted in a court of competent jurisdiction without delay.

(e) The director is authorized to apply for and the court to grant a temporary or permanent injunction restraining any person from violating or continuing to violate any of the provisions of this chapter or any rule or regulation promulgated under the chapter notwithstanding the existence of other remedies at law. The injunction shall be issued without bond.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-15-16 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-15 / Section 2-15-16
§ 2-15-16. Penalty for violations of §§ 2-15-12  2-15-17.
Status: in_force

Any person convicted of violating the provisions of §§ 2-15-12  2-15-17 shall be fined not less than ten dollars ($10.00) nor more than fifty dollars ($50.00) for each offense.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-6-2 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-6 / Section 2-6-2
§ 2-6-2. Definitions.
Status: in_force

When used in this chapter:

(1) Advertisement means all representations, other than those on the label, disseminated in any manner or by any means, relating to seed within the scope of this chapter.

(2) Agricultural seed means the seeds of grass, forage, cereal, and fiber crops and other kinds of seeds commonly recognized within this state as agricultural seeds, lawn seeds and mixtures of those seeds, and may include noxious weed seeds when the director determines that the seed is being used as agricultural seed.

(3) Certifying agency means:

(i) an agency authorized under the laws of a state, territory or possession to officially certify seed; or

(ii) an agency of a foreign country determined by the U.S. secretary of agriculture to adhere to procedures and standards for seed certification comparable to those adhered to generally by seed certifying agencies under (i).

(4) Director means the director of the department of environmental management of the state of Rhode Island and/or his or her authorized deputies or agents.

(5) The terms Fine-textured grasses and Coarse kinds are defined in rules and regulations under this chapter.

(6) Hybrid means the first generation seed of a cross produced by controlling the pollination and by combining: (1) two (2) or more inbred lines; (2) one inbred or a single cross with an open pollination variety; or (3) two (2) varieties or species, except open-pollinated varieties of corn (Zea mays). The second generation of subsequent generations from those crosses are not regarded as hybrids. Hybrid designations are treated as variety names.

(7) Kind means one or more related species or sub-species which, singly or collectively, is known by one common name, for example, corn, oats, alfalfa, and timothy.

(8) Labeling means all labels, and other written, printed, or graphic representations, in any form whatsoever, accompanying or pertaining to any seed whether in bulk or in containers, and includes representations on invoices.

(9) Lot means a definite quantity of seed identified by a lot number or other mark, every portion or bag of which is uniform within recognized tolerances for the factors which appear in the labeling.

(10) Person means any individual, partnership, corporation, company, society, or association.

(11) Private hearing may consist of a discussion of facts between the person charged and the director.

(12) Prohibited noxious weed seeds means the seeds of perennial weeds that not only reproduce by seed but also spread by underground roots, stems and other reproductive parts, and which, when well established, are highly destructive and difficult to control in this state by ordinary good cultural practice.

(13) Pure Seed, Germination, and other seed labeling and testing terms in common usage shall be defined as in the Rules for Testing Seeds published by the Association of Official Seed Analysts, effective July 1, 1955 and as subsequently amended.

(14) Record means all information relating to the shipment or shipments involved and includes a file sample of each lot of seed.

(15) Restricted noxious weed seeds means the seeds of weeds that are objectionable in fields, lawns, and gardens of this state, but can be controlled by good cultural practices.

(16) Seize means a legal process carried out by court order against a definite amount of seed.

(17) Stop sale means an administrative order, provided by law, restraining the sale, use, disposition, and movement of a definite amount of seed.

(18) Treated means given an application of a substance or subjected to a process designed to reduce, control, or repel disease organisms, insects, or other pests which attack seeds or seedlings growing therefrom.

(19) Type means a group of varieties so nearly similar that the individual varieties cannot be clearly differentiated except under special conditions.

(20) Variety means a subdivision of a kind characterized by growth, yield, plant, fruit, seed, or other characteristics, by which it can be differentiated from other plants of the same kind.

(21) Vegetable seeds means the seeds of those crops which are grown in gardens and on truck farms and are generally known and sold under the name of vegetable seeds in this state.

(22) Weed seeds means the seeds of all plants generally recognized as weeds within this state and includes noxious weed seeds.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-3-8 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-3 / Section 2-3-8
§ 2-3-8. Appropriations for 4-H youth development activities.
Status: in_force

The sum of four thousand five hundred dollars ($4,500) is annually appropriated, out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, to be expended by the respective officers of the three (3) district associations:

(1) Fifteen hundred dollars ($1,500) to the eastern Rhode Island cooperative extension service for expenses in connection with its annual 4-H fair and/or other 4-H activities;

(2) Fifteen hundred dollars ($1,500) to the northern Rhode Island cooperative extension service for expenses in connection with its annual 4-H fair and/or other 4-H activities; and

(3) Fifteen hundred dollars ($1,500) to the southern Rhode Island cooperative extension service for expenses in connection with its annual 4-H fair and/or other 4-H activities;

The state controller is hereby authorized and directed to draw orders upon the general treasurer for the payment of this money, or so much as may be required from time to time, upon the receipt by the state controller of properly authenticated vouchers.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-13-2 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-13 / Section 2-13-2
§ 2-13-2. Effective date as to future ratifications.
Status: in_force

When the compact is ratified by any of the states of the United States that may legally join in the compact in accordance with the constitution and laws of that state or by any of the provinces of the dominion of Canada, in accordance with the laws of Canada, then the compact becomes operative and effective as between this state and that other state or states of the United States or provinces of the dominion of Canada.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-20-14 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-20 / Section 2-20-14
§ 2-20-14. Measurement of mahogany and cedar.
Status: in_force

(a) In the survey and measurement of mahogany and cedar timber, there shall be allowed:

(1) If the timber is sound and free from wane, two (2) inches on one side of the square, one inch on the other side and two (2) inches in length;

(2) If the timber is wider on one side than on the other, the two (2) inches shall be taken from the narrow side;

(3) If wany, two (2) inches on each side of the square;

(4) For rot and shakes, there shall be an allowance made as the surveyor deems expedient, not exceeding one-half.

(b) All timber that is wormeaten, very much rotten, badly shaked or very wany, shall be denominated refuse, and allowance shall be made for rot.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-10-5 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-10 / Section 2-10-5
§ 2-10-5. Acquisition of property  Acceptance of grants and gifts.
Status: in_force

(a) The director of environmental management, with the approval of the governor, is authorized and empowered, subject to the provisions of chapter 6 of title 37, to acquire by rental, lease or purchase any property which in the judgment of the director and the governor is suitable for use in the establishment and maintenance of camp sites in connection with the work of any public agency engaged in conservation projects or in the establishment and maintenance of forest areas for any purposes that may be required by law.

(b) The director may also accept any allotment or grant of money from the United States government for the purchase and development of property for the uses stated.

(c)(1) The director may accept gifts of money as provided in § 2-10-1.

(2) All sums of money accepted in accordance with the provisions of this chapter shall be turned over to the general treasurer and placed in a special fund known as the state forestry fund.

(d) The director, from the funds received under the provisions of this chapter, may expend sums of money for the purchase of forest lands and for the purpose of development of the property acquired for forest stewardship programs and for the maintenance of state forests.

(e) All deeds, contracts and other documents in connection with the transfer of property shall be approved as to form by the attorney general.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-3-10 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-3 / Section 2-3-10
§ 2-3-10. Appropriations for general education purposes.
Status: in_force

The general assembly shall annually appropriate any sum that it may deem necessary for the purpose of supporting the program of the department of environmental management in its enlargement of cooperation with agricultural organizations as exemplified by the Rhode Island agricultural council in the endeavor to promote, encourage, generally better rural living in Rhode Island; to encourage and promote agriculture in this state and improve the states agricultural interests; to hold meetings throughout the state with discussions conducted by authorities from both within and without the state; to make awards for outstanding agricultural contributions, and to assist Rhode Island agriculturalists in every way to overcome the problems that confront them in the agricultural field. This sum is to be expended under the direction of the director of the department of environmental management with a committee of five (5) members of the Rhode Island agricultural council appointed annually by the president of the council within thirty (30) days after the annual meeting of the council. The committee is to act in an advisory capacity and to assist in the formulation of plans and programs.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-23-2 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-23 / Section 2-23-2
§ 2-23-2. Legislative findings.
Status: in_force

The general assembly finds:

(1) That agricultural operations are valuable to the states economy and the general welfare of the states people;

(2) That agricultural operations are adversely affected by the random encroachment of urban land uses throughout rural areas of the state;

(3) That, as one result of this random encroachment, conflicts have arisen between traditional agricultural land uses and urban land uses; and

(4) That conflicts between agricultural and urban land uses threaten to force the abandonment of agricultural operations and the conversion of agricultural resources to non-agricultural land uses, whereby these resources are permanently lost to the economy and the human and physical environments of the state.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-12-14 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-12 / Section 2-12-14
§ 2-12-14. Closing of fishing and hunting seasons during drought.
Status: in_force

Whenever during an open season for the hunting of any kind of game, or for fishing for any kind of fish, it appears to the governor that by reason of extreme drought the presence of hunters and persons fishing is likely to cause forest fires, he or she may, by proclamation, suspend the open season and make it a closed season for any time he or she may designate and may prohibit the discharge of firearms or the building of open fires on or near forest land during that time.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-7-15 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-7 / Section 2-7-15
§ 2-7-15. Cancellation of registrations.
Status: in_force

The director is authorized and empowered to cancel the registration of any brand of commercial fertilizer or to refuse to register any brand of commercial fertilizer as provided in this chapter, upon satisfactory evidence that the registrant has used fraudulent or deceptive practices in the evasions or attempted evasions of the provisions of this chapter or any rules and regulations promulgated under this chapter. No registration shall be revoked or refused until the registrant has been given the opportunity to appear for a hearing by the director.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-16-10 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-16 / Section 2-16-10
§ 2-16-10. Hearing on quarantine or embargo.
Status: in_force

Quarantines or embargoes provided for in subdivisions (4) and (5) of § 2-16-3 shall be established by the director only after a public hearing. Timely announcement of the hearing shall be given to interested persons by mail or by two (2) announcements in newspapers serving the area affected. When in any case, in the opinion of the director, the delay necessary for the holding of the hearing is likely to cause serious harm or would in any way seriously handicap a control program, the director may establish a temporary quarantine, effective immediately and remaining effective for a period not to exceed thirty (30) days, during which thirty (30) day period a hearing shall be announced and held as stated above, and the continuation and maintenance of this quarantine or embargo beyond the thirty (30) day period shall be dependent on the hearing.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-16-13 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-16 / Section 2-16-13
§ 2-16-13. Severability.
Status: in_force

If any section, sentence, clause, phrase, or other portion of this chapter is for any reason held to be unconstitutional, the decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this chapter.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-3-11 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-3 / Section 2-3-11
§ 2-3-11. Annual report by the Rhode Island agricultural council.
Status: in_force

The Rhode Island agricultural council shall make an annual report to the director of the department of environmental management.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-19-5 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-19 / Section 2-19-5
§ 2-19-5. Penalty for violations.
Status: in_force

Any person, firm or corporation who falsely represents that he or she holds an arborist license provided for in this chapter or who violates any other provision of this chapter, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000).
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-7-10 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-7 / Section 2-7-10
§ 2-7-10. Misbranding.
Status: in_force

No person shall distribute misbranded fertilizer. A commercial fertilizer is deemed to be misbranded:

(1) If its labeling is false or misleading in any particular;

(2) If it is distributed under the name of another fertilizer product;

(3) If it is not labeled as required in § 2-7-5 and in accordance with regulations prescribed under this chapter; or

(4) If it purports to be or is represented as a commercial fertilizer or is represented as containing a plant nutrient or commercial fertilizer, unless the plant nutrient or commercial fertilizer conforms to the definition of identity, if any, prescribed by regulation of the director; in the adopting of those regulations the director shall give due regard to commonly accepted definitions and official fertilizer terms as those issued by the association of American plant food control officials.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-14-8 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-14 / Section 2-14-8
§ 2-14-8. Removal and pruning of trees.
Status: in_force

Whenever, in the opinion of the tree warden, it is necessary to remove or prune any tree or shrub under his or her control, he or she may cause the tree or shrub to be removed or pruned at the expense of the town or city, and the town council or city council shall order paid to the person performing the work any reasonable compensation that may be determined and approved, in writing, by the tree warden. Unless the condition of the tree constitutes an immediate public hazard, he or she shall, at least five (5) days before the removal, post in the immediate vicinity a suitable notice stating his or her intention to remove the tree. If any person, firm or corporation objects to the removal, he or she or it may appeal to the tree warden, in writing, who shall hold a public hearing at some suitable time and place after giving reasonable notice of the hearing to all persons known to be interested and posting a suitable notice in the immediate vicinity. Within three (3) days after the hearing, the tree warden shall render his or her decision granting or denying the appeal. The department of transportation, the department of environmental management, and the park commission of any town or city have the right to remove or prune any tree or shrub at their own expense, but prior to the removal of any tree shall post a suitable notice in the immediate vicinity of the tree and, if requested, hold a public hearing and either grant or deny the appeal.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-15-2 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-15 / Section 2-15-2
§ 2-15-2. Reports to department  Suspensions.
Status: in_force

Before any person, firm or corporation cuts or saws, as provided in this chapter, he or she shall at least five (5) days prior to the cutting or sawing notify the department of environmental management, on forms prepared by the department, of the location of the area and/or property. The five (5) day notice contained in this section may be reduced to any length of time, including a complete waiver of the five (5) day notice by the department, if in the discretion of the department the reduction is warranted. Failure to give the required notice is considered sufficient cause to suspend a registration certificate for a period not exceeding thirty (30) days. No suspension becomes effective unless the person, firm or corporation which is alleged to have failed to give the required notice has been notified of the alleged failure and has also had an opportunity to be heard. Any person, firm, or corporation, or any authorized agent of any person, firm or corporation shall utilize best management practices while harvesting trees as provided for in this chapter. Administrative fees for the filing of five (5) day notices shall be collected as provided for in § 2-10-3.1 and deposited within the state forestry fund as provided for in § 2-10-3.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-11-1 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-11 / Section 2-11-1
§ 2-11-1. Definitions.
Status: in_force

For the purpose of this chapter:

(1) Authorized representative means anyone recognized and/or appointed and/or commissioned by the director of the department of environmental management to exercise and pursue the laws, rules and regulations intended by this chapter.

(2) Authorized senior officer means a member of a fire organization who is authorized by the fire chief to issue burning permits.

(3) Director means the director of the department of environmental management.

(4) Fire chief means the elected, appointed, designated or recognized leader and member of a fire organization.

(5) Flammable material means any substance that will burn, including, but not limited to, refuse, debris, waste, forest material, brush, stumps, logs, rubbish, fallen timber, grass, stubble, leaves, fallow land, slash crops or crop residue.

(6) Forest fire or Wildland fire means any fire occurring on forest land or wildland.

(7) Forest land or Wildland means timbered land, potential timber producing land, cutover or burned timber land or grass lands not including lands devoted to agriculture.

(8) Person means any individual, corporation, partnership, association, municipality, other public body, legal entity, employee or agent of the person.

(9) Senior officer means a member of a fire organization who would be next in command during the absence of the fire chief.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-27-6 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-27 / Section 2-27-6
§ 2-27-6. Forest land conservation fund.
Status: in_force

(a) There is hereby established a forest land conservation fund.

(b) The fund may be utilized for purposes consistent with this chapter.

(c) The fund shall consist of the following sources:

(1) Sums the legislature may appropriate;

(2) Monies received from federal, state, or other sources, including bond funds;

(3) Monies received from any other sources including from any private donor for the fund;

(4) Any interest earned on the monies in the fund.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-19-3 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-19 / Section 2-19-3
§ 2-19-3. Rules and regulations  Examination for license.
Status: in_force

The director of the department of environmental management is authorized to make rules and regulations governing the practice of arborists and shall demand any person, firm, or corporation desiring to engage in the art or trade of treating and caring for trees as defined in § 2-19-1, that he, she, or it pass an examination to show his, her, or its ability or capability to practice the art or trade of arborist. The director is further authorized to make rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this chapter, including rules and regulations governing mulching operations and arboriculture operations as those terms are defined in § 2-19-4.1.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-15-10 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-15 / Section 2-15-10
§ 2-15-10. Control of injurious liquids.
Status: in_force

No person, firm or corporation shall cause, authorize or permit any brine water, oil, liquid dye, or other substance deleterious to plant life to lie, leak, pour, flow or drip on or into the soil about the base of a tree, shrub or plant in any public highway or on any public land under the jurisdiction of the tree warden, or the department of transportation, the department of environmental management, or the park commission of any town or city.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-7-3 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-7 / Section 2-7-3
§ 2-7-3. Definitions.
Status: in_force

When used in this chapter:

(1) Brand means a term, design, or trademark used in connection with one or several grades of commercial fertilizer.

(2) Bulk fertilizer means a commercial fertilizer distributed in non-package form.

(3) Commercial fertilizer means any substance containing one or more recognized plant nutrient(s) that is used for its plant nutrient content and that is designed for use or claimed to have value in promoting plant growth, except unmanipulated animal and vegetable manures, marl, lime, limestone, wood ashes and gypsum, and other products exempted by regulation of the director.

(4) Director means director of the department of environmental management or his or her authorized agent.

(5) Distributor means any person who imports, consigns, manufactures, produces, compounds, mixes, or blends commercial fertilizer, or who offers for sale, sells, barters, or otherwise supplies commercial fertilizer in this state.

(6) Fertilizer material means a commercial fertilizer that either:

(i) Contains important quantities of no more than one of the primary plant nutrients (nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash); or

(ii) Has approximately eighty-five percent (85%) of its plant nutrient content present in the forms of a single chemical compound; or

(iii) Is derived from a plant or animal residue or by-product or a natural, material deposit that has been processed in a way that its content or primary plant nutrients has not been materially changed except by purification and concentration.

(7) Grade means the percentage of total nitrogen, available phosphorus or phosphoric acid, and soluble potassium or soluble potash stated in whole numbers in the same terms, order, and percentages as in the guaranteed analysis. Specialty fertilizers may be guaranteed in fractional units of less than one percent (1%) of total nitrogen, available phosphorus or phosphoric acid, and soluble potassium or soluble potash; provided, that fertilizer materials, bone meal, manures, and similar raw materials may be guaranteed in fractional units.

(8) Guaranteed analysis means:

(i) Until the director prescribes the alternative form of guaranteed analysis in accordance with the provisions of subdivision (7)(ii) of this section, the term guaranteed analysis shall mean the minimum percentage of plant nutrients claimed in the following order and form:

(A) Total Nitrogen (N)......................................... percent

Available Phosphoric Acid (P 2 O 5 )......................................... percent

Soluble Potash (K 2 O)......................................... percent

(B) For unacidulated mineral phosphatic materials and basic slag, bone, tankage, and other organic phosphate materials, the total phosphoric acid and/or degree or fineness may also be guaranteed.

(C) Guarantees for plant nutrients, other than nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, may be permitted or required by regulation of the director. The guarantees for these other nutrients shall be expressed in the form of the element. The sources of these other nutrients (oxides, salt, chelates, etc.) may be required to be stated on the application for registration and may be included as a parenthetical statement on the label. Other beneficial substances or compounds, determinable by laboratory methods, also may be guaranteed by permission of the director, and with the advice of the dean of the College of the Environment and Life Sciences at the University of Rhode Island. When any plant nutrients or other substances or compounds are guaranteed, they shall be subject to inspection and analysis in accord with the methods and regulations prescribed by the director.

(D) Potential basicity or acidity expressed in terms of calcium carbonate equivalent in multiples of one hundred (100) pounds per ton, when required by regulation.

(ii) When the director finds, after a public hearing following due notice, that the requirement for expressing the guaranteed analysis of phosphorus and potassium in elemental form would not impose an economic hardship on distributors and users of fertilizer by reason of conflicting labeling requirements among the states, the director may require, by regulation, that the guaranteed analysis shall be in the following form:

Provided, however, that the effective date of the regulation shall be not less than six (6) months following the issuance of this regulation and provided further, that for a period of two (2) years following the effective date of the regulation, the equivalent of phosphorus and potassium may also be shown in the form of phosphoric acid and potash; provided, however, that after the effective date of a regulation issued under the provisions of this section, requiring that phosphorus and potassium shall constitute the grade.

(9) Investigational allowance means an allowance for variations inherent in the taking, preparation and analysis of an official sample of commercial fertilizer.

(10) Label means the display of all written, printed, or graphic matter upon the immediate container or statement accompanying a commercial fertilizer.

(11) Labeling means all written, printed, or graphic matter, upon or accompanying any commercial fertilizer, or advertisements, brochures, posters, television, and radio announcements used in promoting the sale of commercial fertilizers.

(12) Mixed fertilizer means a commercial fertilizer containing any combination or mixture of fertilizer materials.

(13) Official sample means any sample of commercial fertilizer taken by the director or his or her agent and designated as official by the director.

(14) Percent or percentage means the percentage by weight.

(15) Person includes individual, partnership, association, firm, and corporation.

(16) Registrant means the person who registers commercial fertilizer under the provisions of this chapter.

(17) Specialty fertilizer means a commercial fertilizer distributed primarily for non-farm use, such as home gardens, lawns, shrubbery, flowers, golf courses, municipal parks, cemeteries, greenhouses, and nurseries.

(18) Ton means a net weight of two thousand (2,000) pounds avoirdupois.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-13-10 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-13 / Section 2-13-10
§ 2-13-10. Audit of commissions books.
Status: in_force

The controller of the state of Rhode Island is authorized and empowered from time to time to examine the accounts and books of the commission, including its receipts, disbursements and any other items referring to its financial standing that the controller deems proper and to report the results of that examination to the director of administration.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-13-8 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-13 / Section 2-13-8
§ 2-13-8. Commissions powers supplemental.
Status: in_force

Any powers granted to the commission shall be regarded as in aid of and supplemental to and in no case a limitation upon any of the powers vested in the commission by other laws of the state of Rhode Island or by the laws of the states signatory to the compact or by the congress or the terms of the compact.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-5-1 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-5 / Section 2-5-1
§ 2-5-1. Definitions.
Status: in_force

When used in this chapter, the term:

(1) Department means the department of environmental management of the state of Rhode Island.

(2) Director means the director of environmental management of the state of Rhode Island.

(3) Secretary of agriculture means the secretary of agriculture of the United States.

(4) Soil conservation and domestic allotment act means the federal soil conservation and domestic allotment act, 16 U.S.C. § 590a et seq.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-4-13 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-4 / Section 2-4-13
§ 2-4-13. Contributions and agreements as conditions to benefits.
Status: in_force

As a condition to the extending of any benefits under this chapter to, or the performance of work upon, any lands not owned or controlled by this state or any of its agencies, the directors may require contributions in money, services, materials, or otherwise to any operations conferring those benefits, and may require land occupiers to enter into and perform any agreements as to the use of their lands as may be consistent with the purposes of this chapter; however, required contributions must be approved as to amount and content by the state conservation committee.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-13-6 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-13 / Section 2-13-6
§ 2-13-6. Powers of commission.
Status: in_force

There is granted to the commission and the commissioners all powers provided for in the compact and all the powers necessary or incidental to the carrying out of the compact. All officers of the state of Rhode Island are authorized and directed to do all things necessary or incidental to the carrying out of the compact and it being declared to be the policy of the state of Rhode Island to perform and carry out the compact and to accomplish the purposes of the compact and to execute a compact on behalf of the state of Rhode Island with any one or more of the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont and with any other states of the United States or provinces of the dominion of Canada as may legally join in the compact.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-5-6 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-5 / Section 2-5-6
§ 2-5-6. Annual report.
Status: in_force

The department in its annual report each year, shall cover the administration of any state plan and the operation of any state plan under this chapter, including the receipt and expenditures of funds.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-22-2 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-22 / Section 2-22-2
§ 2-22-2. Responsibility for administration.
Status: in_force

This chapter shall be administered by the director of the department of environmental management, referred to as the director.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-6-1 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-6 / Section 2-6-1
§ 2-6-1. Short title.
Status: in_force

This chapter shall be known and cited as The Rhode Island Seed Act.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-20-20 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-20 / Section 2-20-20
§ 2-20-20. Marking of grades.
Status: in_force

The merchantable lumber shall be marked Î and the refuse lumber shall be marked Î» and shall be plainly and durably marked on each piece. Deduction shall be made for splits, not exceeding in any case one-half (Â½) the extent of the split.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-7-12 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-7 / Section 2-7-12
§ 2-7-12. Publications.
Status: in_force

The director shall publish at least annually and in any form that the director may deem proper the results of analyses based on official samples of commercial fertilizers distributed within the state as compared with the analyses guaranteed under §§ 2-7-4 and 2-7-5.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-6-6 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-6 / Section 2-6-6
§ 2-6-6. Exemptions  Good faith sellers.
Status: in_force

(a) The provisions of §§ 2-6-3 and 2-6-4 do not apply:

(1) To seed or grain not intended for sowing purposes;

(2) To seed in storage in, or being transported or consigned to a cleaning or processing establishment for cleaning or processing; provided, that the invoice or labeling accompanying any shipment of the seed bears the statement seed for processing and any labeling or other representation which may be made with respect to the uncleaned or unprocessed seed is subject to this chapter; or

(3) To any carrier in respect to any seed transported or delivered for transportation in the ordinary course of its business as a carrier provided the carrier is not engaged in producing, processing, or marketing agricultural or vegetable seeds subject to the provisions of this chapter.

(b) No person is subject to the penalties of this chapter for having sold or offered or exposed for sale agricultural or vegetable seeds which were incorrectly labeled or represented as to kind, variety, type or origin (if required) which seeds cannot be identified by examination, unless the person has failed to obtain an invoice, genuine growers declaration or other labeling information and to take any other precautions that may be reasonable to insure the identity to be that stated.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-4-16 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-4 / Section 2-4-16
§ 2-4-16. Cooperation of other public agencies.
Status: in_force

Agencies of this state and agencies of towns, municipalities or other governmental subdivisions of this state having jurisdiction over public or private land, or charged with the administration of publicly owned lands lying within the boundaries of any district, may cooperate to the fullest extent with those districts in the implementation of programs undertaken by the directors under the provisions of this chapter.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-11-11 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-11 / Section 2-11-11
§ 2-11-11. State appropriations.
Status: in_force

The general assembly shall annually appropriate any sums that it may deem necessary in carrying out the provisions of this chapter and chapter 12 of this title and the state controller is authorized and directed to draw his or her orders upon the general treasurer for the payment of the sums appropriated, or so much of the sums as may be required, upon receipt by him or her of proper vouchers approved by the director of environmental management.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-15-12 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-15 / Section 2-15-12
§ 2-15-12. Plants for taking of which permits are required.
Status: in_force

No person, firm or corporation shall dig up, pull up or take from the land of another or from any public domain, the whole or any part of any trailing arbutus (epigea repens), American holly (ilex opaca), white pine, red cedar, hemlock or other coniferous trees, or any black alder (ilex verticillata), any inkberry (ilex glabra), any flowering dogwood (cornus florida), any mountain laurel (kalmia latifolia), any great rhododendron (rhododendron maximia), or any ground pine (lycopodium obscurum), or any trailing Christmas greens (lycopodium complanatum), or any sea lavender (limonium carolinianum), without having in his or her possession a permit to dig up, pull up or take those plants signed by the owner of the land, or by his or her authorized agent.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-21-11 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-21 / Section 2-21-11
§ 2-21-11. Rules for administration of agricultural liming material.
Status: in_force

The director, after reasonable notice and a hearing, is empowered to promulgate and enforce rules and regulations for the administration of this chapter and to grant exemptions from specific requirements of this chapter as, from time to time, may be deemed necessary.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-6-10 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-6 / Section 2-6-10
§ 2-6-10. Violations and prosecutions.
Status: in_force

(a) Every violation of the provisions of this chapter shall be deemed a civil violation punishable by a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100) for the first offense and not exceeding two hundred fifty dollars ($250) for each subsequent similar offense.

(b) No prosecution under this chapter shall be instituted without the individual first having been given an opportunity to appear before the director or his or her duly authorized agent, to introduce evidence either in person or by agent or attorney at a private hearing. If, after the hearing, or without the hearing in case the individual or his or her agent or attorney fails or refuses to appear, the director is of the opinion that the evidence warrants prosecution, the director shall proceed as provided in this section.

(c) It is the duty of the director to institute proceedings at once against any person charged with a violation of this chapter, if, in the judgment of the director, the information submitted warrants that action.

(d) After judgment in any case arising under this chapter, the director shall publish any information pertinent to the issuance of the judgment in any media as the director may designate from time to time.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-11-8 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-11 / Section 2-11-8
§ 2-11-8. Badges.
Status: in_force

Every fire chief or senior officer shall, when on duty, wear in plain sight a badge inscribed with the state seal and the words fire chief or senior officer.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-27-3 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-27 / Section 2-27-3
§ 2-27-3. Forest conservation commission.
Status: in_force

(a)(1) There is established the forest conservation commission consisting of the directors of the department of environmental management and the department of administration, or their respective designees; and nine (9) public members to be appointed by the director of the department of environmental management. The public appointees shall include at least one member with knowledge or experience in forestry; one member with knowledge or experience with urban and community forestry; one member familiar with land use and community planning issues; one member active in land preservation; one member representing forest landowners; one member representing an environmental organization; one member with knowledge of forest habitat; and one member representing a forest products business. No person shall be eligible for appointment pursuant to this section unless he or she is a resident of this state.

(2) The members shall serve for terms of five (5) years each; provided, however, that of the members first appointed, one shall serve for one year, one shall serve for two (2) years, one shall serve for three (3) years, one shall serve for four (4) years, and the remaining members shall serve for five (5) years, from January first next succeeding their appointment, as the director shall designate.

(3) Any vacancy occurring otherwise than by expiration of term shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.

(4) Upon expiration of a members term, that member shall continue as a member until that members successor is appointed and qualified. Any person serving a term shall be eligible for appointment.

(b) No member, including ex officio members, shall receive compensation for the performance of his or her duties as a member; provided, however, that each appointed member may be reimbursed if funds are appropriated for his or her actual and necessary expenses incurred during the performance of his or her official duties.

(c)(1) The commission shall designate annually from its members a chairperson and a vice chairperson.

(2) Whenever public hearings are required under this chapter, or whenever the commission determines a public hearing is appropriate, the commission shall use reasonable efforts to hold those hearings at a place or places that will reasonably accommodate the interested parties.

(3) Seven (7) voting members of the commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business or the exercise of any power of the commission. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the commission shall have the power to act by a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is in attendance.

(d) The director may remove any member for cause or misconduct in office after giving him or her a copy of the charges against him or her and an opportunity to be heard, in person or by counsel, in his or her defense, upon not less than ten (10) days notice. If any member shall be removed, the director shall file in the office of the secretary of state a complete statement of charges made against the member and his or her findings, together with a complete record of the proceedings.

(e) The director shall have the authority to establish subcommittees to fulfill the purposes of the commission. The subcommittee members shall be advisory to the commission and shall be comprised of key stakeholders representative of the issue(s) to be addressed.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-16-9 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-16 / Section 2-16-9
§ 2-16-9. Destruction or return of infected shipments of plants.
Status: in_force

If any plants, or parts or products of plants being shipped to or from any point in Rhode Island, whether or not included under the term nursery stock and whether or not accompanied by a certificate of inspection or shipping permit are found to be infected with any living dangerous insect or any contagious disease, the entire shipment is declared to be a public nuisance and is liable to destruction without compensation to the consignor, or may be reshipped to the consignor at the consignors expense.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-16-4 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-16 / Section 2-16-4
§ 2-16-4. Permitting plant pests to exist  Distribution of infected plants.
Status: in_force

It is unlawful for any person in this state knowingly to permit any seriously injurious insects or plant diseases that have been or may be declared by the director to be public nuisances by reason of being plant pests, to exist on his or her premises, unless efforts are being made to eradicate the plant pests as may exist, or to sell, offer for sale, give away, or otherwise distribute any plant infected or infested by or with the plant pests.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-20-4 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-20 / Section 2-20-4
§ 2-20-4. Bond of Providence surveyor.
Status: in_force

The Providence surveyor shall, before entering on the duties of his or her office, give bond with two (2) sureties to the city treasurer, in the sum of two thousand dollars ($2,000), for the faithful discharge of his or her duties.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-15-1 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-15 / Section 2-15-1
§ 2-15-1. Registration of wood cutting operations.
Status: in_force

No person, firm or corporation, or any authorized agent of that person, firm or corporation, shall cut or saw standing or growing trees, shrubs or vegetation for commercial forest products, other than for the owners own domestic use, unless the person, firm or corporation is registered as a woods operator with the department of environmental management. Application for a registration certificate shall be made, in writing, on or after July 1 of each year on forms prepared by the department of environmental management accompanied by a fee as authorized by regulation in § 2-10-3.1 for each certificate, and all registration certificates shall expire on June 30 of the year following their issuance. Funds collected from registration fees as provided in this section shall be deposited within the state forestry fund as provided for in § 2-10-3.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-21-10 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-21 / Section 2-21-10
§ 2-21-10. Penalties for violations.
Status: in_force

Any person convicted of violating any provision of this chapter or the rules and regulations promulgated under this chapter is subject to a penalty of not less than one hundred dollars ($100.00) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) to be enforced by a summary proceeding in a court of competent jurisdiction. Nothing in this chapter is construed as requiring the director or his or her authorized agent to report for prosecution or for the institution of seizure proceedings as a result of minor violations of the chapter when he or she believes that the public interest will best be served by a suitable written warning.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-6-8 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-6 / Section 2-6-8
§ 2-6-8. Seizure  Condemnation.
Status: in_force

Any lot of agricultural or vegetable seed not in compliance with the provisions of this chapter are subject to seizure on complaint of the director to a court of competent jurisdiction in the locality in which the seed is located. In the event the court finds the seed to be in violation of this chapter and orders the condemnation of the seed, it shall be denatured, processed, destroyed, relabeled, or otherwise disposed of in compliance with the laws of this state and in no instance shall the court order the disposition of the seed without first having given the claimant an opportunity to apply to the court for the release of the seed or permission to process or relabel it into compliance with this chapter.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-15-13 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-15 / Section 2-15-13
§ 2-15-13. Transportation of contraband plants.
Status: in_force

No person, firm or corporation shall carry or transport or cause to be carried or transported or cause to be carried or transported by others, or by a common carrier, within the state of Rhode Island, any of the plants or parts of plants mentioned in § 2-15-12 unless he or she has first obtained a written permit to take the plants signed by the owner of the land or by his or her authorized agent. No provision of this section is to be construed to apply to any shrub, tree or plant in transit to or from or growing in any commercial nursery.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-20-27 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-20 / Section 2-20-27
§ 2-20-27. Trans-shipments exempt.
Status: in_force

No person purchasing lumber outside of the state and trans-shipping the lumber through this state to any other state, is required to have the lumber surveyed and measured.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-15-9 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-15 / Section 2-15-9
§ 2-15-9. Control of injurious gases.
Status: in_force

No person, firm or corporation owning or using or having control or charge of gas or other substance shall knowingly permit that gas or other substance to come in contact with the soil surrounding the roots of any tree, shrub or plant in any public highway or on any public grounds, under the jurisdiction of the tree warden, or the department of transportation, the department of environmental management, or the park commission of any town or city in any manner that shall injure, kill or destroy the tree, shrub or plant.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-23-4 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-23 / Section 2-23-4
§ 2-23-4. Agricultural operations defined.
Status: in_force

(a) As used in this chapter, agricultural operations includes any commercial enterprise that has as its primary purpose horticulture, viticulture, viniculture, floriculture, forestry, stabling of horses, dairy farming, or aquaculture, or the raising of livestock, including for the production of fiber, furbearing animals, poultry, or bees, and all such other operations, uses, and activities as the director, in consultation with the chief of division of agriculture, may determine to be agriculture, or an agricultural activity, use or operation. The mixed-use of farms and farmlands for other forms of enterprise including, but not limited to, the display of antique vehicles and equipment, retail sales, tours, classes, petting, feeding and viewing of animals, hay rides, crop mazes, festivals and other special events are hereby recognized as a valuable and viable means of contributing to the preservation of agriculture.

(b) Nothing herein shall be deemed to restrict, limit, or prohibit nonagricultural operations from being undertaken on a farm except as otherwise restricted, regulated, limited, or prohibited by law, regulation, or ordinance or to affect the rights of persons to engage in other lawful nonagricultural enterprises on farms; provided, however, that the protections and rights established by this chapter shall not apply to such nonagricultural activities, uses or operations.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-22-9 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-22 / Section 2-22-9
§ 2-22-9. Stop sale, use, or removal orders.
Status: in_force

The director of environmental management may issue and enforce a written or printed stop sale, use, or removal order to the owner or custodian of any lot of soil amendment and to hold at a designated place when the director finds the soil amendment is being offered or exposed for sale in violation of any of the provisions of this chapter until the law has been complied with and the soil amendment is released in writing by the director, or the violation has been otherwise legally disposed of by written authority. The director shall release the soil amendment withdrawn when the requirements of the provisions of the chapter are complied with and all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the withdrawn soil amendment have been paid.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-26-4 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-26 / Section 2-26-4
§ 2-26-4. Hemp an agricultural product.
Status: in_force

Hemp is an agricultural product that may be grown as a crop, produced, possessed, distributed, sold at retail, and commercially traded pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. Hemp is subject to primary regulation by the commission. The division may assist the commission in the regulation of hemp growth and production.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-7-16 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-7 / Section 2-7-16
§ 2-7-16. Stop sale orders.
Status: in_force

The director may issue and enforce a written or printed stop sale, use, or removal order to the owner or custodian of any lot of commercial fertilizer and to hold at a designated place when the director finds the commercial fertilizer is being offered or exposed for sale in violation of any of the provisions of this chapter until the law has been complied with and the commercial fertilizer is released in writing by the director, or the violation has been otherwise legally disposed of by written authority. The director shall release the commercial fertilizer so withdrawn when the requirements of the provisions of this chapter have been complied with and all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the withdrawal have been paid.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-4-14 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-4 / Section 2-4-14
§ 2-4-14. Public property laws inapplicable.
Status: in_force

No provisions with respect to the acquisition, operation, or disposition of property by other public bodies are applicable to a district organized under the provisions of this chapter unless the legislature shall specifically so state.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-27-2 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-27 / Section 2-27-2
§ 2-27-2. Definitions.
Status: in_force

As used in this chapter;

(1) Department means the department of environmental management.

(2) Director means the director of the department of environmental management, unless otherwise specified.

(3) Forest-based business means the inclusion of all the activities that go into harvesting forest products and turning them into usable products. These businesses include foresters, loggers, and truckers who manage, harvest, and transport raw materials and the companies that turn these raw materials into usable products for purchase in a variety of markets.

(4) Forest conservation commission or commission means the commission established pursuant to § 2-27-3.

(5) Forest fragmentation means the breaking of large, contiguous, forested areas into smaller pieces of forest; typically, these pieces are separated by roads, utility corridors, subdivisions, or other human development.

(6) Forest land means any tract or contiguous tracts of land, ten (10) acres or larger bearing a dense growth of trees, including any underbrush, and having either the quality of self-perpetuation, or being dependent upon its development by the planting and replanting of trees in stands of closely growing timber.

(7) Forest management means the focus on managing vegetation, restoring ecosystems and habitat, reducing hazards, and maintaining forest health for a desired outcome.

(8) Fund means the forest land conservation fund established pursuant to § 2-27-6.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-26-7 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-26 / Section 2-26-7
§ 2-26-7. Licensure.
Status: in_force

(a) Except as provided in this section, the commission shall accept the application for licensure to cultivate hemp submitted by the applicant.

(b) A person or entity, licensed by the commission pursuant to this chapter, shall allow hemp crops, throughout sowing, year-long growing seasons, harvest storage, and processing, manufacturing, and retail facilities to be inspected and tested by and at the discretion of the commission and as required pursuant to any applicable state or local food processing and safety regulations, including, but not limited to, those promulgated by the Rhode Island department of health.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-12-3 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-12 / Section 2-12-3
§ 2-12-3. Lookout stations and appropriations.
Status: in_force

(a)(1) For the purpose of protecting the forests from fire, the director of environmental management may expend, within the amount appropriated, a sum sufficient to establish, equip and maintain lookout stations, may purchase or lease necessary land and purchase material, contract for the construction of lookout stations, employ a watcher at each station established during those periods in each year that the director may deem advisable, and shall fix the rate per hour for those services. The watchers shall at all times, during their employment, be subject to the control of the director.

(2) The director of environmental management may cooperate in forest protection and may enter into agreements with other states, groups of states and the federal government to provide assistance and accept assistance in the control of fires which may include training of personnel. Any employee of the department of environmental management assigned to fire control duties or training programs outside this state shall be considered the same as working inside this state for the purpose of compensation and other employee benefits.

(b) The general assembly shall annually appropriate, out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, in addition to any other moneys appropriated for this purpose, any sum as it may deem necessary to be expended under the direction of the department of environmental management for the purpose of providing for keeping open and operating the forest fire towers in this state throughout twelve (12) months of each year and the state controller is authorized and directed to draw his or her orders upon the general treasurer for the payment of that sum, or so much as may be required from time to time, upon the receipt by him or her of proper vouchers approved by the director of environmental management, provided that authority is given to the director of environmental management to utilize the services of the personnel assigned to the operation of forest fire towers for other phases of the forestry, parks and parkways program, whenever, in his or her discretion, because of certain seasonal weather conditions, forest fire towers are not required to be staffed with a full complement of personnel.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-12-21 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-12 / Section 2-12-21
§ 2-12-21. Collection of fire suppression charges.
Status: in_force

(a) In lieu of any civil action that may be brought for the payment to the state or fire company for expenses incurred by a fire chief or senior officer, or authorized forest fire official in attending and suppressing a forest fire, the director of the department of environmental management, or his or her authorized representative, or the fire company jurisdiction or fire district in which the fire occurs, may submit to and collect from the person, firm, corporation or public agency causing the fire all charges for forest fire suppression costs. In the event those charges are submitted by a fire company or fire district to collect for suppression costs to any person, firm, corporation or public agency causing the fire, no payment shall be made by the state to the fire company or fire district as provided in §§ 2-11-6, 2-12-6 and 2-12-16. Within seven (7) days after the date of the fire, any fire chief of a fire company or fire district affected shall notify the director of the department of environmental management of his or her intention to submit suppression charges to any person, firm or corporation.

(b) All suppression charges recovered by the department of environmental management shall be turned over to the general treasurer for the use of the state and a proper record shall be made of these suppression charges recovered.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-22-1 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-22 / Section 2-22-1
§ 2-22-1. Title.
Status: in_force

This chapter shall be known as the Rhode Island soil amendment law.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-16-3 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-16 / Section 2-16-3
§ 2-16-3. Powers of director.
Status: in_force

The director is authorized and empowered:

(1) To enforce all provisions of this chapter, and to have charge of all matters pertaining to official control, suppression, extermination, or exclusion of all plant pests, whether members of the plant or animal kingdom, which are, or threaten to become, serious pests of plants of economic importance, or are in any other way inimical to the welfare of the plant industry of the state;

(2) To enter into agreements with authorized plant pest control officials of the United States department of agriculture and of other states for the cooperative carrying out of programs consistent with the intents and purposes of this chapter;

(3) To pronounce, declare, and publish any animal, plant, virus, bacterium, conveyance, structure, or inanimate object, singly, in groups, or as a category, to constitute a plant pest, as defined and to define any plant pest so declared to be a public nuisance and also, to define and limit circumstances or conditions under which these definitions shall hold in any given instance;

(4) To establish, in the manner set forth in § 2-16-10, and to enforce, by appropriate rules and regulations, quarantines prohibiting or restricting the transportation of injurious insects and of any class of plant or plant parts, or any object or combination of objects, capable of carrying any serious plant pest, or of itself constituting a pest, with reference to which the secretary of agriculture of the United States has not determined that a quarantine is necessary and established a quarantine, into or through this state or any portion of this state from any other state or territory, the District of Columbia, or any part of any other state or territory, or of the District of Columbia, in which the director shall have found the plant pest to exist;

(5) To establish, and maintain, in the manner set forth in § 2-16-10, a quarantine against any premises or geographical area in this state where a serious plant pest is found to occur, when a quarantine appears to be necessary and promises to be the most efficacious means for preventing or retarding the spread of the plant pest into other premises or communities to the detriment of the welfare of the agricultural economy of the state;

(6) To make rules and regulations for the seizure, inspection, disinfection, disinfestation, reshipment, destruction, or other disposition of any plant or plant parts or any inanimate article capable of carrying dangerous insect infestation, plant diseases, or any other plant pest, a quarantine with respect to which has been established by the secretary of agriculture of the United States, and which has been transported to, into, or through this state in violation of that quarantine;

(7) To make rules and orders, not contrary to law, regarding the destruction of infected or infested plants, plant parts, and plant products and to seize, treat, disinfect, disinfest, or destroy any plants, plant parts, or plant materials, or other articles moved in violation of any quarantine, rule or regulation established under provision of this chapter or under any other act which has been or may be enacted against specific plant pests and entrusted to his or her jurisdiction, or suspected of being infected or infested by any serious plant pest, and also, to prohibit or regulate the transportation of plants, plant parts, plant materials and inanimate articles likely to carry dangerous plant pests, and to designate certain areas or districts where all those plants and articles may be destroyed;

(8) To enter, in a manner not contrary to law, any public or private premises, except dwelling quarters, at reasonable hours, in the performance of his or her duty in the enforcement of this chapter; and to demand access to plant and other articles requiring inspection;

(9) To make requirements, not contrary to law, governing the entry from other states and territories, the District of Columbia, and any foreign country, of any plant, plant part, or other article that he or she, for purposes of plant pest control, may designate, and to search, seize, inspect, or hold for inspection those items at the state borders, ports of entry, or point of destination; and

(10) To revoke or suspend any certificate or license issued by his or her department, and to require the immediate surrender of certificates or licenses revoked or suspended.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-25-7 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-25 / Section 2-25-7
§ 2-25-7. Use of funds.
Status: in_force

(a) A non-profit entity or small or beginning farmer may apply to the department of environmental management for a grant to be used to fulfill the purposes of the program as stated in subdivisions 2-25-5(3) and 2-25-5(4). Any grant disbursed under this program shall not exceed twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) per year. Applications for grants authorized under this section shall:

(1) Provide a brief summary of the nonprofit entity or small or beginning farmers mission, goals, history, programs, and major accomplishments, success stories and qualifications;

(2) Briefly describe the proposed project or program, the capacity to carry out the program and who will benefit from the program;

(3) Describe the expected outcomes and the indicators of those outcomes;

(4) Outline the timeline to be used in the implementation of the program or project; and

(5) Provide a program or project budget.

(b) The funds shall also be used by the department to provide administrative and technical support of the program, and to leverage program funds with other potential federal, state or nonprofit funding sources, and shall serve to develop, implement and enforce when appropriate food safety related standards and programs related to local agriculture and seafood in coordination with the Rhode Island department of health and appropriate federal agencies.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-22-10 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-22 / Section 2-22-10
§ 2-22-10. Penalties for violations.
Status: in_force

(a) Any person convicted of violating any provision of this chapter or the rules and regulations promulgated under this chapter is subject to a penalty of not less than one hundred dollars ($100). The penalty shall not be greater than five thousand dollars ($5,000) or in addition to the penalty, the violators registration fee shall be increased four hundred percent (400%) for the four (4) years subsequent to the penalty. All penalties shall be enforced by a summary proceeding in a court of competent jurisdiction. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as requiring the director of environmental management or his or her authorized agent to report for prosecution or for the institution of seizure proceedings as a result of minor violations of the chapter when he or she believes that the public interest will best be served by a suitable written warning.

(b) The director is authorized to apply for and the court to grant a temporary or permanent injunction restraining any person from violating or continuing to violate any of the provisions of this chapter or any rule or regulation promulgated under the chapter notwithstanding the existence of other remedies at law. The injunction to be issued without bond.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-12-10 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-12 / Section 2-12-10
§ 2-12-10. Fire upon land of another  Penalty  Liability for damages.
Status: in_force

(a) Any person being upon the land of another, or upon any highway adjacent to this land, who carelessly sets or maintains, or causes to be set or maintained, fire upon the land of another, shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) nor more than two hundred dollars ($200) or by imprisonment for not less than ten (10) days nor more than thirty (30) days, or both.

(b) Any person being upon the land of another or upon any highway adjacent to this land, who willfully sets or maintains or willfully causes to be set or maintained fire upon land of another, shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than two thousand dollars ($2,000) nor less than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) or by imprisonment for not more than five (5) years nor less than thirty (30) days, or both.

(c) Any person who carelessly suffers or permits any fire on his or her own land to extend beyond the limits of their own land, whereby the forest land or property of another are damaged shall upon conviction be punished by a fine of not more than two hundred dollars ($200) nor less than twenty-five dollars ($25.00).

(d) Any person convicted of the provisions of this section and of § 2-12-6 is liable for all damages caused and to civil action for the payment to the state or local fire company for all expenses incurred by the fire chief or senior officer or any other authorized forest fire official in attending or suppressing the fire or fires as a result from that action.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-9-5 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-9 / Section 2-9-5
§ 2-9-5. Appropriations  Expenses.
Status: in_force

The general assembly shall annually appropriate any sums that it may deem necessary for the purposes of this chapter; and the state controller is authorized and directed to draw his or her orders upon the general treasurer for the payment of the sums appropriated, or sums that may from time to time be required, upon receipt by him or her of proper vouchers approved by the director of environmental management.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-20-34 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-20 / Section 2-20-34
§ 2-20-34. Expense of overhauling for reinspection.
Status: in_force

The expense of overhauling lumber for the purpose of reinspection and of the reinspection, shall be paid by the person requiring the reinspection and in all these cases this compensation shall be equally divided among the surveyor and his or her deputy or deputies.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-14-5 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-14 / Section 2-14-5
§ 2-14-5. Trees under control of warden  Entry on private property.
Status: in_force

(a) The tree warden in a town or city has the care and control of all trees and shrubs, in whole or in part within the limits of any public road or grounds and within the limits of his or her town or city, except those on roads under the control of the department of transportation and those in public parks or grounds which are under the jurisdiction and control of the department of environmental management or the park commission of any town or city. The tree warden may assume the care and control of trees or shrubs in any public park if requested, in writing, by the department of environmental management or the park commission of any city or town. The care and control extends to any limbs, roots, or parts of trees and shrubs that extend or overhang the limits or bounds of any public road or grounds, and the tree warden, or his or her agent, or an authorized agent of the department of transportation, or an authorized agent of the department of environmental management, or an authorized agent of the park commission of any town or city, may enter upon private property when necessary to exercise care and control.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, an electric distribution company shall have the right to carry out vegetation management standards and practices as approved by the division of public utilities and carriers under § 39-34-3.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-2-2 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-2 / Section 2-2-2
§ 2-2-2. Annual report to governor.
Status: in_force

It shall be the duty of the experiment station at the University of Rhode Island, on or before the first day of February, annually, to make a full and detailed report of its operations to the governor, including a statement of its receipts and expenditures for the fiscal year ending on the thirtieth (30th) day of November in the year next preceding.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-20-26 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-20 / Section 2-20-26
§ 2-20-26. Importation or purchase for private use.
Status: in_force

Every person importing or purchasing lumber for his or her own private use and benefit, upon giving a certificate to that effect to the surveyor, is not required to have the lumber surveyed and measured but if he or she should dispose of it in any other manner than is provided in this section, he or she is liable to the same penalties as though the certificate had not been given.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-18-10 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-18 / Section 2-18-10
§ 2-18-10. Penalty for violations.
Status: in_force

Any person, firm or corporation violating § 2-18-9 or offering any hindrance to the carrying out of any part of this section, shall be adjudged guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction shall be fined not less than ten dollars ($10.00) nor more than one hundred dollars ($100) for each offense.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-7-6 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-7 / Section 2-7-6
§ 2-7-6. Tonnage reports, tonnage fees.
Status: in_force

(a) There shall be paid to the department of environmental management for all commercial fertilizers distributed in this state a tonnage fee at the rate of fifteen cents (15Â¢) per ton: provided, that sales or exchanges between manufacturers are exempted. Tonnage fees of less than one dollar ($1.00) are waived. All registration and tonnage fees received by the director under the provisions of this chapter shall be deposited into the general fund as general revenue.

(b) Every person who distributes a commercial fertilizer in this state shall file with the director, on forms furnished by the director, an annual tonnage report, under oath, for the twelve-month (12) period ending June 30. The report shall set forth the net tons of each grade of commercial fertilizer distributed in this state during the twelve-month (12) period.

(c) The tonnage report and tonnage fee are due on or before July 15 following the close of the annual period. The tonnage fee is at the rate stated in subsection (a).

(d) If the tonnage report is not filed and/or the tonnage fee not made on or before August 1, following the close of the annual period, a collection fee amounting to ten percent (10%) (ten dollars ($10.00) minimum) of the amount shall be assessed against the registrant, and the amount of fees due shall constitute a debt and become the basis of a judgment against the registrant. The director, however, in the directors discretion, may grant a reasonable extension of time. No information furnished the director under this section shall be disclosed in a way as to divulge the operation of any person.

(e) When more than one person is involved in the distribution of a commercial fertilizer, the last person who has the fertilizer registered and who distributes to a non-registrant (dealer or consumer) is responsible for reporting and paying the tonnage fee, unless the report and payment is made by a prior distributor of a fertilizer.

(f) All moneys for the commercial fertilizer program shall be made available to the director for the following purposes:

(1) To support the feed and fertilizer testing laboratory for the testing and analysis of commercial fertilizers distributed within this state for the expressed purpose of detection of deficiency; and

(2) For payment of ancillary services, personnel, and equipment incurred in order to carry out the purposes of quality assurance defined by this chapter.

(g) The director may require that all reports and fees required by this section be submitted electronically.

(h) In addition to the tonnage fees, the director may charge a processing fee. The department shall set the amount of such fees through rules and regulations, with processing fees not to exceed five percent (5%) of the registration fee per report.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-7-11 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-7 / Section 2-7-11
§ 2-7-11. Adulteration.
Status: in_force

No person shall distribute an adulterated fertilizer product. A commercial fertilizer is deemed to be adulterated:

(1) If it contains any deleterious or harmful ingredient in sufficient amount to render it injurious to beneficial plant life when applied in accordance with directions for use on the label, or if adequate warning statements or directions for use, which may be necessary to protect plant life, are not shown upon the label;

(2) If its composition falls below or differs from that which it is purported to possess by its labeling;

(3) If it contains unwanted crop seed or weed seed.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-7-14 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-7 / Section 2-7-14
§ 2-7-14. Short weight.
Status: in_force

If any commercial fertilizer in the possession of the consumer is found by the director to be short in weight, the registrant of that commercial fertilizer shall within thirty (30) days after official notice from the director pay to the consumer a penalty equal to four (4) times the value of the actual shortage.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-13-7 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-13 / Section 2-13-7
§ 2-13-7. Forest fire plan.
Status: in_force

The commission shall formulate and put into effect a forest fire plan and integrate the forest fire plan with the regional plan recommended by the compact commission. The plan shall include a reasonable effort to establish and maintain any adequate forest fire fighting services that are consistent with the requirements of the state and to make available those services to other signatory states consonant with maintaining reasonably safe protection to this state at all times.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-11-7 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-11 / Section 2-11-7
§ 2-11-7. Incidental expenses.
Status: in_force

The clerical work, posters, signs, printed matter and other supplies furnished by the director of the department of environmental management under this chapter and chapter 12 of this title, may be paid for out of the appropriation made as prescribed in § 2-11-11; provided, that any fire company, district, or any city or town may pay for any additional service for the prevention or extinguishment of forest fires that the fire company, district, or city or town council may authorize.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-20-10 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-20 / Section 2-20-10
§ 2-20-10. Application of chapter to city and town surveyors.
Status: in_force

Every surveyor and measurer of boards, planks, timber, joist and scantling, appointed by the city or town council of any city or town or by the council of the city of Newport, shall be subject to all the duties, provisions and penalties contained in this chapter.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-19-4 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-19 / Section 2-19-4
§ 2-19-4. Disposition of license fees.
Status: in_force

One-fifth ( ) of all funds collected for licensing in this chapter shall, by the director of environmental management, be paid over to the general treasurer and deposited within the general fund, and four-fifths ( ) of the funds collected shall be deposited in the state forestry fund as provided for in § 2-10-3.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-20-22 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-20 / Section 2-20-22
§ 2-20-22. Survey fees.
Status: in_force

There shall be paid for the survey of all lumber, excepting hard woods, twenty-five cents (25Â¢) per one thousand feet (1,000²) board measure, for mahogany, cedar and cherry-tree timber, boards, planks and joists, fifty cents (50Â¢) per one thousand feet (1,000²) board measure, for oak and other hard woods, for ship building, twenty-five cents (25Â¢) per ton, for ash, maple, birch and other hard wood, forty cents (40Â¢) per one thousand feet (1,000²) board measure, to be paid by the purchaser, and in case the purchaser requires that a person should be employed to keep tally of the lumber, an additional fee of five cents (5Â¢) per one thousand feet (1,000²) shall be paid for that service. No stock lumber shall be surveyed unless requested by the purchaser.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-23-7 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-23 / Section 2-23-7
§ 2-23-7. Severability.
Status: in_force

If any provision of this chapter, or determination made under this chapter, or application of this chapter to any person, agency, or circumstances is held invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of this chapter and its application to any person, agency, or circumstances shall not be affected by the invalidity. The invalidity of any section or sections of this chapter shall not affect the remainder of this chapter.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-20-29 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-20 / Section 2-20-29
§ 2-20-29. Penalty for alteration of marks.
Status: in_force

Every person who willfully crosses, alters or defaces any mark affixed to any lumber by any deputy surveyor, shall be fined not less than fifty dollars ($50.00), to be recovered by the surveyor and to enure as provided in § 2-20-28.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-15-7 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-15 / Section 2-15-7
§ 2-15-7. Throwing of debris prohibited.
Status: in_force

(a) No person, or agent of a firm or corporation, shall:

(1) Deposit or throw any advertisement within the limits of any public way or grounds, or upon private premises or property, unless the advertisement is left at the door of the residence or place of business of the occupant of the premises or property;

(2) Throw, dump, or deposit or cause to be thrown, dumped, or deposited bottles, glass, crockery, cans, scrap metal, junk, paper, garbage, old automobiles or parts, refuse of whatever nature, or any noxious thing on the public highway or within the limits of the highway right-of-way, or on lands or waters adjoining a public highway, without the consent of the owners of those lands or waters; or

(3) Throw, dump, or deposit or cause to be thrown, dumped, or deposited refuse or noxious things over the sides or approaches of any bridge or culvert into any stream or watercourse.

(b) The tree warden, department of transportation, the department of environmental management, or the park commission of any town or city, as the case may be, may provide suitable locations equipped with proper fireplaces on the roadside of any public highway or on other public grounds under their jurisdiction for the building of fires, and equipped with trash cans for the deposit of rubbish or debris, the use of these locations and fireplaces to be subject to proper regulations. The fireplaces and the regulations governing their use shall meet with the approval of the director of environmental management.

(c) Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be fined not less than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500). Any violation shall be heard by the traffic tribunal in accordance with § 31-41.1-6.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-11-3 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-11 / Section 2-11-3
§ 2-11-3. Compensation of fire chief, senior officer, and their employees.
Status: in_force

Each fire chief, senior officer, and employee of any fire chief or senior officer shall receive an hourly rate equivalent to the existing state minimum hourly wage as prescribed by the minimum wage law, chapter 12 of title 28. Payment will be for his or her actual services rendered under this chapter and chapter 12 of this title in extinguishing forest fires. A person summoned by a fire chief or senior officer to assist in the extinguishment of a forest fire may be allowed once in any one day a three (3) hour minimum pay. Payment for property used under the direction of the fire chief or senior officer shall be made at a rate prescribed by the director of the department of environmental management. In addition to this compensation, each fire chief shall be paid one hundred dollars ($100) a year. This sum shall be in lieu of all allowances for making reports, for postage, for posting notices, for issuing permits, for telephoning, and for other services not provided in this chapter, provided that these services actually have been rendered, or that the expenses have been incurred.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-12-13 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-12 / Section 2-12-13
§ 2-12-13. Proclamation of hazardous conditions  Closing of forests.
Status: in_force

(a) Whenever in his or her opinion an unusual forest fire hazard exists, the director of environmental management shall notify the governor, who has the authority to forbid by proclamation, any person or persons entering forests, woodlands or open lands in any parts of the state that he or she deems the public interest requires, and may by that proclamation suspend any woods operations and open season for taking fish, birds and quadrupeds. The proclamation shall be in full force and effect immediately after notice is given in the manner the governor may determine, and shall remain in force until rescinded by the governor. This does not prevent entry into forest or woodland areas by forest fire suppression agents, law enforcement agents, legal residents of those areas or persons engaged in pursuits necessary to the public health and welfare or, by any agency or person authorized by the state director of environmental management.

(b) Any authorized representative or representatives of the director of environmental management, as well as state and local police authorities, shall enforce the provisions of the proclamation. Any person or persons violating any of the provisions of this section shall be liable to a fine of not more than fifty dollars ($50.00) or imprisonment for not more than ten (10) days.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-22-5 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-22 / Section 2-22-5
§ 2-22-5. Registration  Tonnage report and fee.
Status: in_force

(a) Each separately identified product shall be registered before being distributed in this state. The application for registration shall be submitted to the director of environmental management on forms furnished or approved by the director and be accompanied by a fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) per product. Upon approval by the director, a certified copy of the registration shall be furnished to the applicant. All registrations expire on December 31 of each year. Each manufacturer shall submit to the director a copy of labels and advertising literature with the registration request for each soil amendment.

(b) A distributor is not required to register any brand of soil amendment that is already registered under this chapter by another person, providing that the label does not differ in any respect.

(c) Before registering any soil amendment, the director may require evidence to substantiate the claims made for the soil amendment and proof of the value and usefulness of the soil amendment and of any process step during composting deemed essential to the safety of the soil amendment as provided in subsections (c) and (d) of § 2-22-4.

(d) The director may by regulation set the minimum amount of a soil amending ingredient and soil amending ingredients that must be present before a soil amendment can be registered and sold.

(e) The director may through promulgation of regulations require a tonnage fee and/or tonnage report annually. If required, the tonnage fee and tonnage report may be made on a calculated equivalent of volume to tons on brands labeled by volume rather than weight.

(f) The composter is required to register the operation with the director and shall identify their organic and any inorganic inputs and processes used in the making of their compost. The director shall set forth rules and regulations delineating the organic inputs allowed under the following compost designations and shall collect the appropriate registration fee for the compost operation. Compost classes are:

(1) Horticultural grade, general use, one hundred fifty dollars ($150) per year;

(2) Horticultural grade, mixed source general use, three hundred dollars ($300) per year;

(3) Non-food crop use, one thousand dollars ($1,000) per year; and

(4) Limited landscape use, two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) per year.

(g) The director may require that all fees and registrations required by this section be submitted electronically.

(h) In addition to the registration fees, the director may charge a processing fee. The department shall set the amount of such fees through rules and regulations, with processing fees not to exceed five percent (5%) of the registration surcharge per application.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-23-6 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-23 / Section 2-23-6
§ 2-23-6. Negligence actions  Pesticide use not affected.
Status: in_force

The provisions of this chapter do not apply to agricultural operations conducted in a malicious or negligent manner, or to agricultural operations conducted in violation of federal or state law controlling the use of pesticides, rodenticides, insecticides, herbicides, or fungicides.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-21-9 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-21 / Section 2-21-9
§ 2-21-9. Stop sale, use, or removal orders.
Status: in_force

The director may issue and enforce a written or printed stop sale, use, or removal order to the owner or custodian of any lot of agricultural liming materials and to hold at a designated place when the director finds that the agricultural liming material is being offered or exposed for sale in violation of any of the provisions of this chapter until the law has been complied with and the agricultural liming material is released, in writing, by the director, or the violation has been otherwise legally disposed of by written authority. The director shall release the agricultural liming materials withdrawn, when the requirements of the provisions of this chapter are complied with and all costs and expense incurred in connection with the withdrawal are paid.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-12-16 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-12 / Section 2-12-16
§ 2-12-16. Compensation of emergency fire fighters.
Status: in_force

Between the dates the state shall, upon vouchers approved by the director of environmental management and out of the appropriation provided for by § 2-11-11, pay fully, at the rate of the existing minimum wage per hour as set by the minimum wage law, all persons not resident of the city or town or fire district where they are employed by the director in fighting a forest fire and pay, at a rate prescribed by the director for all equipment and supplies coming from outside the city or town or fire district where they are to be used and authorized by the director in fighting forest fires but all other expenses shall be paid as provided in § 2-11-6. The expense of the authorized representatives of the director shall be paid out of the appropriation authorized by § 2-11-11.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-15-11 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-15 / Section 2-15-11
§ 2-15-11. Penalty for violations of §§ 2-15-6, 2-15-8, 2-15-9, and 2-15-10.
Status: in_force

(a) Any person, firm or corporation violating the provisions of §§ 2-15-6, 2-15-8, 2-15-9, or 2-15-10, shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500) for each offense.

(b) The director of the department of environmental management has the authority to order anyone convicted of violating § 2-15-8 or any governmental entity which the director determines violated § 2-15-8 to plant a replacement tree or trees, the sum of the diameters of which are equal to twice that removed or damaged, in the immediate vicinity of the tree removed.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-10-12 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-10 / Section 2-10-12
§ 2-10-12. Operation of nurseries.
Status: in_force

The state is authorized to establish, operate and maintain nurseries for the production of forest seedlings. Those trees may be used to reforest any land owned by the state, or may be used for planting on other public lands any such terms deemed to be for the public benefit. Any surplus may be supplied to owners of private land, at a price not exceeding the cost of production, for reforestation purposes upon rural land which has an assessed value of not exceeding fifty dollars ($50.00) per acre. Trees so purchased by owners of private land for reforestation of rural land shall not be removed from the premises of the rural landowner with the roots attached.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-20-32 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-20 / Section 2-20-32
§ 2-20-32. Resurveys on request.
Status: in_force

Any person dissatisfied with the survey and measurement of any lumber purchased or sold by him or her, by any deputy appointed by the surveyor, may require the surveyor, with one or more deputies, at the option of the surveyor, to reinspect the same.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-7-4 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-7 / Section 2-7-4
§ 2-7-4. Registration.
Status: in_force

(a) Each brand and grade of commercial fertilizer shall be registered by the manufacturer or by that person whose name appears upon the label before being distributed in this state. The application for registration shall be submitted to the director on a form furnished by the director, and shall be accompanied by a fee of one hundred dollars ($100) per brand or grade registered.

(1) All revenues received from registration fees shall be deposited as general revenues.

(2) All applications for registration shall be accompanied by a label or true copy of the label.

(3) Upon approval by the director, a copy of the registration shall be furnished to the applicant.

(4) All registrations expire on December 31 of each year.

(5) The application shall include the following information:

(i) The brand and grade;

(ii) The guaranteed analysis; and

(iii) The name and address of the registrant.

(b) A distributor is not required to register any commercial fertilizer that is already registered under this chapter by another person, providing the label does not differ in any respect.

(c) A distributor is not required to register each grade of commercial fertilizer formulated according to specifications that are furnished by a consumer prior to mixing.

(d) The plant nutrient content of each and every brand and grade of commercial fertilizer must remain uniform for the period of registration.

(e) The director may require that the registration and fees required by this section be paid electronically.

(f) In addition to the registration fees, the director may charge a processing fee. The department shall set the amount of such fees through rules and regulations, with processing fees not to exceed five percent (5%) of the registration surcharge per application.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-27-1 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-27 / Section 2-27-1
§ 2-27-1. Statement of legislative purpose.
Status: in_force

(a) The general assembly recognizes that forest land in the state has many important values, including, but not limited to: clean air, clean water, economic importance, climate change mitigation, habitat, and supporting human health and well-being. Forest land should be maintained to meet Rhode Islands aggressive climate change goals through carbon sequestration and storage. Core forest land and connecting natural areas should be conserved to prevent ongoing fragmentation of the states forests. Moreover, forest conservation is necessary to protect and maintain water quality and important wildlife habitat. It is in the best interest of the people that the state identify and acquire the development rights to core and unfragmented forests so as to maintain these important forest values for future generations. Moreover, the state must develop incentives to encourage private forest land owners to maintain forests and to enhance urban and community forestry ecosystems that provide collective benefits to people and wildlife, including filtering air and water, controlling storm water, conserving energy, and a myriad of additional critical benefits.

(b) The general assembly finds that forest land is being converted to other uses because its current development value far exceeds its economic value to individual private landowners as forest; that forest land is an important part of the states economy, environment, and quality of life; and that forests provide important economic opportunities for many people living in the rural portions of the state. Whereas most of the development value of forests accrue to the private landowner, many of the economic benefits of retaining forests are also public benefits, some of which are not often quantified. All of this serves to undervalue forests without proper mechanisms and tools to account for public services and cost savings provided by private forests.

(c) Therefore, the general assembly establishes a forest conservation commission to be coordinated and staffed by the department of environmental management to implement the following objectives:

(1) Assess and recommend new funding sources to conserve forest land across the forest continuum of rural to urban landscapes;

(2) Identify incentives to encourage forest landowners to maintain and manage their land and preserve forest values;

(3) Encourage forest conservation as a means to sequester carbon and mitigate climate change and maintain the numerous other benefits provided by forests;

(4) Help to increase and create new markets for Rhode Island forest products to store carbon long-term and create new jobs;

(5) Assess impediments to the expansion of the Rhode Island forest products industry and recommend changes to remove impediments;

(6) Assess means to encourage the improvement and expansion of urban and community forestry; and

(7) Coordinate and seek input from key stakeholders to identify other science-based initiatives to promote the conservation of Rhode Island forestland.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-27-4 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-27 / Section 2-27-4
§ 2-27-4. Powers of commission.
Status: in_force

The commission has the power to:

(1) Retain by contract or employ counsel, auditors, engineers, appraisers, private consultants and advisors, or other personnel needed to provide necessary services;

(2) Request the assistance of staff from the department or other state agencies on an as-needed basis;

(3) Accept gifts, grants, or loans of funds, or services from any source, public or private, and comply, subject to the provisions of this chapter, with the terms and conditions thereof;

(4) Accept from a federal agency loans or grants for use in carrying out its purposes and enter into agreement with an agency respecting those loans or grants; and

(5) Otherwise do all things necessary for the performance of its duties, the fulfillment of its obligations, and the conduct of its business.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-20-6 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-20 / Section 2-20-6
§ 2-20-6. Bonds of deputies  Oath  Removal.
Status: in_force

The Providence surveyor shall take bonds from his or her deputies for the faithful discharge of their duties, in the sum of five hundred dollars ($500) each, with surety, and the deputies shall be sworn faithfully to perform their duties, and shall be removable by the surveyor for neglect of duty.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-11-10 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-11 / Section 2-11-10
§ 2-11-10. Subpoena of witnesses.
Status: in_force

For the purpose of investigating the causes of fire, the fire chiefs shall have the power to subpoena witnesses.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-22-12 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-22 / Section 2-22-12
§ 2-22-12. Adulteration.
Status: in_force

No person shall distribute an adulterated soil amendment. A soil amendment is deemed to be adulterated if:

(1) It contains any deleterious or harmful agent in sufficient amount to render it injurious to beneficial plant, animal, or aquatic life when applied in accordance with directions for use on the label, or contains false or misleading information regarding input materials or production process, or if adequate warning statements and directions for use, which may be necessary to protect plant, animal, or aquatic life are not shown upon the label;

(2) If its composition falls below or differs from that which it is purported to possess by its labeling; or

(3) If it contains unwanted crop or weed seed, or primary noxious or secondary noxious weed seed.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-10-13 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-10 / Section 2-10-13
§ 2-10-13. Enforcement.
Status: in_force

It is the duty of the director of environmental management or his or her authorized representative to enforce the provisions of this chapter and of chapter 15 of this title and to prosecute any person, firm, or corporation, that, in his or her opinion, is guilty of the violation of any of the provisions of this chapter, and in all those prosecutions the director or the directors authorized representative is not required to enter into any recognizance or to give surety for costs. It is the duty of the attorney general to conduct the prosecution brought by the director under the provisions of this chapter and of chapter 15 of this title.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-13-5 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-13 / Section 2-13-5
§ 2-13-5. Compensation of commissioners.
Status: in_force

Each member of the commission shall receive his or her expenses actually and necessarily incurred by him or her in the performance of his or her duties and ten dollars ($10.00) per day as compensation, except that any member of the commission employed by the state of Rhode Island shall receive his or her regular salary in lieu of the ten dollars ($10.00) per day compensation while performing his or her duties as commissioner.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-13-9 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-13 / Section 2-13-9
§ 2-13-9. Fiscal accounts  Annual reports and recommendations.
Status: in_force

The commission shall keep accurate accounts of all receipts and disbursements and shall report to the governor and the legislature of the state of Rhode Island on or before the 10th day of January in each year, setting forth in detail the transactions conducted by it during the twelve (12) months preceding January 1st of that year and shall make recommendations for any legislative action deemed by it advisable, including amendments to the statutes of the state of Rhode Island which may be necessary to carry out the intent and purposes of the compact between the signatory states and the provinces of the dominion of Canada.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-4-4 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-4 / Section 2-4-4
§ 2-4-4. Agents and employees  Assistance by other agencies  Delegation of powers.
Status: in_force

The committee may employ an administrative officer and any technical experts and any other agents, and employees, permanent and temporary, that it may require, and shall determine their qualifications, duties, and compensation. It has the authority to delegate to its chairperson, to one or more of its members, or to one or more agents or employees, any powers and duties that it may deem proper. Upon request of the committee, for the purpose of carrying out any of its functions, the supervising officer of any state agency, or of any state institution of learning shall, insofar as may be possible under available appropriations, and having due regard to the needs of the agency to which the request is directed, assign or detail to the committee members of the staff or personnel of the agency or institution of learning, and make any special reports, surveys, or studies that the committee may request. The committee may call upon the attorney general for any legal services it may require.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-19-1 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-19 / Section 2-19-1
§ 2-19-1. Practices subject to chapter.
Status: in_force

The term arborist as used in this chapter means any person, firm or corporation who makes a business or practice of pruning, trimming, spraying or repairing fruit, shade and ornamental trees, and includes any lines of work that are commonly included under the terms tree surgery, tree dentistry, tree spraying, tree pruning, and the work of foresters and entomologists as applied to the care of fruit, shade, forest and ornamental trees and shrubs. The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to the Rhode Island resource recovery corporation established in chapter 23-19.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-22-13 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-22 / Section 2-22-13
§ 2-22-13. Cancellation or refusal of registration.
Status: in_force

The director of environmental management is authorized and empowered to refuse registration of any brand of soil amendment if he or she finds the brand of soil amendment violates any section of this chapter or the rules and regulations promulgated under this chapter. The director is authorized and empowered to cancel the registration of any brand of soil amendment upon satisfactory evidence that the registrant has used fraudulent or deceptive practices in the evasion or attempted evasions of this chapter, or any rules or regulations promulgated under this chapter and no registration shall be revoked until the registrant has been given the opportunity to appear for a hearing by the director.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-20-33 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-20 / Section 2-20-33
§ 2-20-33. Fees on reinspection.
Status: in_force

If, upon a reinspection pursuant to § 2-30-32, an error is found in the survey above the amount of five dollars ($5.00), the person who surveyed the lumber shall receive no compensation for his or her services, and shall be fined not less than ten dollars ($10.00) nor more than twenty dollars ($20.00) and the surveyor and his or her deputy or deputies in other cases shall receive for their compensation twenty-five cents (25Â¢) per one thousand feet (1,000²), to be paid by the purchaser.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-25-1 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-25 / Section 2-25-1
§ 2-25-1. Short title.
Status: in_force

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the The Rhode Island Local Agriculture and Seafood Act.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-21-7 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-21 / Section 2-21-7
§ 2-21-7. Reporting of tonnage.
Status: in_force

(a) Within thirty (30) days following the expiration of registration, each registrant shall submit on forms furnished by the director an annual statement under oath for the twelve-month (12) period ending the calendar year, setting forth the number of net tons of each agricultural liming material sold by the registrant for use in the state during that calendar year. No tonnage fee is required on agricultural liming materials being offered for sale in this state.

(b) The director shall publish and distribute annually, to each agricultural liming material registrant or other interested persons a composite report showing the tons of agricultural liming material sold in the state. This report shall in no way divulge the operation of any registrant.

(c) The director may require that the report required by this section be submitted electronically.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-13-4 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-13 / Section 2-13-4
§ 2-13-4. Appointment of commissioners.
Status: in_force

The governor shall designate and appoint three (3) members, called commissioners, of the northeastern forest fire protection commission. One of those commissioners shall always be the director of environmental management or an officer holding an equivalent position who is responsible for forest fire control, the second shall be a state legislator who is a member of the Rhode Island commission on interstate cooperation, and the third shall be a citizen of the state designated by the governor as his or her responsible representative to serve at the pleasure of the governor.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-25-9 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-25 / Section 2-25-9
§ 2-25-9. Powers and duties.
Status: in_force

The department of environmental management may adopt any rules necessary for the administration of this section.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-12-4 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-12 / Section 2-12-4
§ 2-12-4. Conferences of fire chiefs and senior officers.
Status: in_force

The director of environmental management may, from time to time, call together the city or town and district fire chiefs and senior officers of the several cities and towns at places as he or she may designate, for conference and for instruction in methods of forest fire suppression. Fire chiefs and senior officers attending those conferences or meetings for instruction may be allowed their actual expenses incurred for attending not exceeding two (2) conferences or meetings during any one calendar year and those expenses shall be paid from the appropriation provided for by § 2-11-11 upon vouchers approved by the director of environmental management.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-11-4 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-11 / Section 2-11-4
§ 2-11-4. Patrols during drought.
Status: in_force

During a period of drought, the local fire chief or senior officer in the fire company may require and request their fire personnel to patrol their districts, provided approval for the patrolling is first obtained from the director of the department of environmental management and the expenses for the patrolling are paid at the same rate and in the same way as for fighting fires.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-20-21 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-20 / Section 2-20-21
§ 2-20-21. Sale according to grading and measurement.
Status: in_force

All boards, planks, joists and timber shall be received and sold according to their contents, as fixed and marked under the provisions of this chapter.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-15-3 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-15 / Section 2-15-3
§ 2-15-3. Violations.
Status: in_force

Any person, firm or corporation or agent who cuts or saws standing or growing trees, shrubs, or vegetation for commercial forest products from any location without first receiving a registration certificate shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be fined not less than one hundred dollars ($100), nor more than five hundred dollars ($500).
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-20-25 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-20 / Section 2-20-25
§ 2-20-25. Sale of unsurveyed lumber prohibited  Shipments for export.
Status: in_force

No person within this state shall sell, purchase or take the delivery of, whether purchased outside of the state or within it or for his or her own personal use or otherwise, any boards, planks, joists or timber brought into the state unless this lumber shall be surveyed, marked and numbered conformably to the provisions of this chapter, except the lumber that is intended to be exported beyond sea and that is shipped for the purpose of that exportation within one year after the lumber has been sold and delivered to the person first purchasing or receiving this lumber in the state.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 2-22-4 — RI Code / Title 2 / Chapter 2-22 / Section 2-22-4
§ 2-22-4. Labeling.
Status: in_force

(a) Soil amendment labels  the following information shall appear on the face or display side in a readable and conspicuous form, and is considered the label:

(1) Net weight

(2) Brand Name

(3) Guaranteed analysis

(4) Purpose of product

(5) Direction for application

(6) Name and address of the registrant.

(b) No information or statement shall appear on any package, label, delivery slip or advertising matter which is false or misleading to the purchaser as to the use, value, quality, analysis, type or composition of the soil amendment.

(c) The director may require proof of claims made for any soil amendment. If no claims are made he or she may require proof of usefulness and value of the soil amendments. For evidence of proof the director of environmental management may rely on experimental data, evaluations, or advice supplied from such sources as the dean of the college of resource development. The experimental design shall be related to Rhode Island conditions for which the product is intended. The director may accept or reject other sources of proof as additional evidence in evaluating soil amendments.

(d) No soil amending ingredient may be listed or guaranteed on the labels or labeling of soil amendments without the permission of the director. The director may allow a soil amending ingredient to be listed or guaranteed on the label or labeling if satisfactory supportive data is provided to the director to substantiate the value and usefulness of the soil amending ingredients. The director may rely on outside sources such as the director of the agricultural experiment station for assistance in evaluating the data submitted. When a soil amending ingredient is permitted to be listed or guaranteed it must be determinable by laboratory methods and is subject to inspection and analysis. The director may prescribe methods and procedures of inspection and analysis of the soil amending ingredient. The director may stipulate by regulation, the quantities of the soil amending ingredient or soil amending ingredients required in soil amendments.

(e) The director may allow labeling by volume rather than weight in the packaging of soil amendments.