Rhode Island Current — Bottle bill shelved in favor of another study while CRMC reform effort is set adrift
Rep. Carol McEntee, a South Kingstown Democrat and sponsor of a comprehensive bottle bill, was disappointed by the revisions reducing the legislation to a state-commissioned study. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)
June 18, 2025
By Nancy Lavin — 2 high-profile environmental bills get taken down a notch, or two, or three
Upon first mention of the phrase “bottle bill” at the State House Tuesday night, Rep. Carol McEntee’s face dropped.
“I am not happy,” the South Kingstown Democrat said.
That’s because 24 hours earlier, House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi and Senate President Valarie Lawson unveiled amended legislation gutting McEntee’s 57-page bill. Gone is the proposed 10-cent fee on recyclable bottles redeemed upon return to designated redemption sites.
In its place, another study, this time, by a third-party consultant hired by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM). The compromise aims to find middle ground for environmental advocates and beverage makers and retailers, who failed to reach consensus on a deposit-refund program.
Meanwhile, a separate environmental priority to overhaul the troubled Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) also appears dead in the water amid hesitation at the corresponding price tag, with a less extreme alternative in its place.
“It does appear as though this has not really been a great year for the environment,” Jed Thorp, advocacy director for Save the Bay, said in an interview. “A lot of the big, high-profile bills are either not moving or being substantially reduced.”
The amended bottle bill and CRMC membership bill advanced out of committees in both chambers Wednesday, with floor votes scheduled for Friday.
But the end-of-session whirlwind leaves open the possibility for lawmakers to resurrect more environmentally friendly bills during final floor sessions.
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