AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

SB 2356 transfers management of the Big River Reservoir from the Water Resources Board to Rhode Island's Department of Environmental Management (DEM). Effective July 1, 2026, DEM will assume responsibility for all land use planning and rule-making related to the reservoir, while existing management rules remain in effect until DEM establishes new regulations. This bill directly affects DEM (which gains new administrative authority) and the Water Resources Board (which loses this specific responsibility). The key mechanism is the formal transfer of management duties, streamlining oversight under DEM’s existing environmental authority without altering the reservoir’s legal status or public access.