AN ACT RELATING TO THE BLUE WAVE BOND FOR COASTAL PREPAREDNESS -- 2026 BOND REFERENDUM (Proposes a bond measure authorizing the State of Rhode Island to issue up to $100,000,000 in general obligation bonds, subject to voter approval, to fund coastal preparedness and resilience projects.)

S3181

2026 -- S 3181
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LC006244
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO THE BLUE WAVE BOND FOR COASTAL PREPAREDNESS -- 2026 BOND
REFERENDUM

Introduced By:
Senators DiPalma, Gu, Felag, Sosnowski, Tikoian, Ciccone, and
Thompson

Date Introduced:
April 03, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Finance
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1.
Short title
.
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This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Blue Wave Bond for Coastal Preparedness
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Act."
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SECTION 2.
Legislative findings and purpose.
The general assembly finds that Rhode
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Island faces increasing risks from sea level rise, coastal erosion, storm surge, extreme precipitation,
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chronic flooding, and other climate-related hazards, which threaten public safety, public
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infrastructure, housing, environmental resources, and the state’s economy.
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The purpose of this act is to authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds to fund
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coastal preparedness and resilience projects that protect Rhode Island’s communities, critical
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facilities, and natural systems, while also supporting workforce readiness to plan, design, construct,
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and maintain climate-resilient infrastructure.
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SECTION 3.
Authorization of general obligation bonds
. For the purpose of financing
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coastal preparedness, resilience infrastructure, and workforce development projects as set forth in
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this act, the State of Rhode Island is authorized to issue general obligation bonds in a principal
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amount not to exceed one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000). The bonds shall be issued in
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such amounts and at such times as the governor and the general treasurer determine, and shall bear
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interest and mature in accordance with applicable provisions of Rhode Island law.
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SECTION 4.
Use of proceeds - Eligible project types
. Bond proceeds shall be used only

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for capital projects and related planning, design, engineering, permitting, acquisition, and
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construction costs that directly increase resilience to climate hazards. In addition, all eligible
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projects funded in whole or in part by funds from the Blue Wave Bond for Coastal Preparedness
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shall adhere to the requirements and obligations of chapter 13 of title 37 ("labor and payment of
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debts of contractors"), which require all relevant contractors and subcontractors performing work
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on blue economy bond projects to pay their employees in compliance with the provisions of R.I.
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Gen. Laws § 37-13-7.
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Eligible project types shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
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(a) Coastal and shoreline protection. Projects to reduce damage from coastal flooding,
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storm surge, and erosion, including:
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(1) Living shoreline installations and restoration;
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(2) Dune construction, dune restoration, and beach nourishment;
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(3) Salt marsh restoration and migration corridors;
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(4) Coastal buffer acquisition and conservation easements;
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(5) Nature-based wave attenuation systems; and
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(6) Shoreline stabilization where nature-based methods are not feasible.
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(b) Stormwater and Flood Mitigation Infrastructure. Projects to manage extreme rainfall
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and reduce inland flooding, including:
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(1) Expansion or replacement of stormwater drainage systems;
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(2) Culvert upsizing and replacement to meet future rainfall conditions;
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(3) Flood storage systems, detention basins, and green bank retrofits;
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(4) Permeable pavement and impervious surface removal projects;
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(5) Municipal stormwater system mapping and hydraulic modeling; and
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(6) Flood mitigation retrofits for high-risk neighborhoods and commercial districts.
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(c) Wastewater and drinking water system resilience. Projects to protect water quality and
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essential services, including:
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(1) Floodproofing wastewater treatment plants and pump stations;
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(2) Relocation or elevation of critical equipment in wastewater facilities;
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(3) Wet weather storage and overflow reduction systems;
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(4) Drinking water infrastructure hardening, redundancy, and backup power;
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(5) Protection of wellheads, reservoirs, and drinking water intakes; and
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(6) Infrastructure improvements that prevent sewage releases during storms.
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(d) Transportation and evacuation route resilience. Projects to maintain emergency access
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and mobility during flooding events, including:

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(1) Elevation of roads and bridges in flood-prone areas;
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(2) Flood barrier systems protecting key transportation corridors;
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(3) Roadway berm construction to reduce inundation;
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(4) Engineering and planning for managed retreat or rerouting of roadways; and
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(5) Resilient transit infrastructure improvements that support evacuation planning.
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(e) Energy and critical infrastructure hardening. Projects that protect essential lifeline
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systems, including:
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(1) Microgrids and backup power systems for critical facilities;
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(2) Hardening of substations and power distribution equipment;
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(3) Targeted undergrounding of vulnerable transmission and distribution lines;
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(4) Infrastructure redundancy to reduce outage risk in coastal communities; and
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(5) Protection of communications infrastructure and emergency systems.
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(f) Port, harbor, and working waterfront resilience. Projects to protect Rhode Island's
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coastal economy and supply chains, including:
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(1) Bulkhead elevation and reinforcement;
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(2) Flood barrier systems for ports and waterfront industrial zones;
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(3) Storm surge mitigation infrastructure at marinas and port facilities;
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(4) Shoreline protection for shipyards, fisheries, and waterfront businesses; and
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(5) Backup power and resilience upgrades to maintain port operations during outages.
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(g) Public facilities and community resilience hubs. Projects that protect public health and
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safety, including:
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(1) Floodproofing of public safety buildings, schools, shelters, and community centers;
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(2) Creation and retrofitting of resilience hubs with emergency power and supplies;
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(3) Protection of emergency medical services and hospital-adjacent infrastructure; and
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(4) Relocation of critical community services out of flood hazard zones.
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(h) Workforce preparedness and training. Projects and programs that develop Rhode
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Island's climate resilience workforce, including:
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(1) Workforce training programs for construction, engineering, green infrastructure,
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maritime, and coastal restoration;
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(2) Credentialing and apprenticeship programs related to resilience construction trades;
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(3) Partnerships with community colleges, technical schools, unions, and workforce
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boards;
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(4) Training for municipal and state staff in climate-resilient planning, design
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standards, and project implementation; and

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(5) Development of a statewide resilience workforce pipeline, including recruitment
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and career pathways.
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Funds under this subsection may be used for training facilities, program development, equipment
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purchases, and grants to qualified training providers; provided that, expenditures are directly related
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to implementation of climate resilience and coastal preparedness projects.
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SECTION 5.
Project eligibility - Priority areas - Ten (10) year implementation
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requirement.

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(a) Legislative intent.
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It is the intent of the general assembly that bond proceeds authorized by this act shall be
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used exclusively for projects that address the most urgent and high-risk climate resilience needs
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identified by the State of Rhode Island for the upcoming decade.
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(b) Definitions.
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As used in this act, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
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(1) "Administering agency" means the governor's office or such state agency or agencies
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designated by the governor or by law to implement the provisions of this act including, but not
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limited to, the Rhode Island infrastructure bank, the department of environmental management ,
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the coastal resources management council , the department of transportation, or any successor
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agencies.
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(2) "Eligible project" means a capital improvement, natural infrastructure project,
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resilience retrofit, acquisition, engineering design, permitting activity, or workforce preparedness
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investment that is authorized under this act and meets the requirements of this section.
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(3) "High-risk area" means any geographic area within the State of Rhode Island that is
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identified in the resilience report, or through mapping and analysis incorporated into the resilience
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report, as subject to significant current or projected vulnerability to climate impacts including, but
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not limited to, sea level rise, coastal flooding, storm surge, coastal erosion, riverine flooding,
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extreme precipitation, heat impacts, repetitive loss flooding, or critical infrastructure exposure.
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(4) "Prioritized area" means any geographic area, municipality, neighborhood, watershed,
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coastal zone, port district, transportation corridor, or critical infrastructure service area identified
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in the resilience report as a focus area for near-term or medium-term resilience investment.
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(5) "Resilience Report" means the State of Rhode Island's most recently adopted statewide
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climate resilience strategy or resilience planning document including, but not limited to, the
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Resilient Rhody 2025 report, as published by the executive climate change coordinating council
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(EC4), the Rhode Island department of environmental management , or any successor entity, and
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any formal amendments or successor reports adopted by the state.

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(6) "Ten-year implementation horizon" means the period of ten (10) years following voter
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approval of this act, during which funded projects must be planned, designed, permitted, or
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constructed in alignment with the resilience report's priority actions, timelines, and identified
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implementation phases.
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(c) Mandatory alignment with the resilience report.
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All projects funded in whole or in part through the proceeds of the bonds authorized by
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this act shall be:
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(1) Directly related to high-risk areas or prioritized areas as defined in this section; and
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(2) Consistent with and supportive of the resilience actions, priority solutions, hazard
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mitigation objectives, or infrastructure protection strategies identified in the resilience report.
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(d) Ten-(10) year priority requirement.
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Bond proceeds shall be awarded to projects that are identified in the resilience report as
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requiring action within the ten-(10) year implementation horizon, including projects categorized as
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immediate, near-term, or medium-term priorities. Projects shall demonstrate that the funded
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activities will result in measurable resilience benefits within the ten-(10) year implementation
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horizon.
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(e) Prohibition on non-priority spending.
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No bond proceeds shall be obligated, expended, or awarded for any project that cannot
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demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the administering agency, a direct and documented connection
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to:
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(1) A high-risk area or prioritized area; and
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(2) A ten-(10) year priority action, resilience solution, or infrastructure need identified in
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the resilience report.
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(f) Required documentation for each project.
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Each applicant seeking bond funding shall submit documentation including, at minimum:
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(1) The location of the project and the specific high-risk or prioritized area served;
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(2) Citation to the relevant section(s), map(s), or priority action(s) in the resilience report
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demonstrating alignment;
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(3) A description of the climate hazards being addressed;
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(4) An estimate of the anticipated reduction in risk, damage, service disruption, or public
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safety vulnerability; and
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(5) A schedule demonstrating that the project will be initiated or completed within the ten-
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(10) year implementation horizon.
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(g) Public list of priority areas and eligible investments.

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Within one hundred eighty (180) days of voter approval of this act, the administering
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agency shall publish and maintain a publicly accessible list of:
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(1) High-risk and prioritized areas eligible for investment under this act; and
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(2) Project categories eligible for funding.
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Such list shall be based on the resilience report and updated as the State publishes revised
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risk mapping, hazard projections, or subsequent statewide resilience reports.
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(h) Enforcement.
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Any expenditure made in violation of this section shall be deemed an unauthorized
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expenditure of bond proceeds and shall be subject to corrective action, including reallocation of
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funds to eligible projects.
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SECTION 6.
Allocation and administration.

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(a) The proceeds of the bonds authorized by this act shall be deposited in a special fund to
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be known as the Blue Wave Bond Fund.
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(b) The governor's office, in consultation with the Rhode Island infrastructure bank, the
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department of environmental management, the coastal resources management council, the
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department of transportation, the department of administration, and other relevant agencies, shall
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establish a process to prioritize and approve eligible projects.
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(c) In awarding funds, priority shall be given to projects that:
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(1) Protect critical facilities and vulnerable populations;
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(2) Reduce repetitive flood losses;
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(3) Advance nature-based solutions where feasible;
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(4) Improve statewide emergency response capacity;
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(5) Leverage federal, municipal, and private matching funds;
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(6) Support economic resilience of ports and working waterfronts;
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(7) Provide measurable climate risk reduction benefits; and
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(8) Create or sustain a trained workforce to implement resilience investments.
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SECTION 7.
Allocation of bond proceeds - Funding schedule.
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(a) Allocation schedule.
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Notwithstanding any other provision of law, proceeds of the bonds authorized by this act
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shall be allocated for eligible project categories as follows:
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(1) Coastal and Shoreline Protection. Thirty Million Dollars ($30,000,000)
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(2) Stormwater and Flood Mitigation Infrastructure. Twenty Million Dollars ($20,000,000)
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(3) Wastewater and Drinking Water System Resilience. Fifteen Million Dollars
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($15,000,000)

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(4) Transportation and Evacuation Route Resilience. Ten Million Dollars ($10,000,000)
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(5) Energy and Critical Infrastructure Hardening. Ten Million Dollars ($10,000,000)
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(6) Port, Harbor, and Working Waterfront Resilience. Ten Million Dollars ($10,000,000)
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(7) Public Facilities and Community Resilience Hubs. Three Million Dollars ($3,000,000)
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(8) Workforce Preparedness and Training. Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000)
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(b) Administrative cost limitation.
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No more than two percent (2%) of the total bond proceeds may be used for administrative
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purposes, including program management and grant administration.
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(c) Flexibility provision.
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The administering agency may transfer funds between categories listed in subsection (a)
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by no more than ten percent (10%) of the total allocation for any category; provided that:
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(1) Such transfer is justified by project readiness, cost escalation, or federal match
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opportunities;
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(2) The transfer remains consistent with section 5 of this act; and
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(3) notice of such transfer is provided in writing to the speaker of the house, the president
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of the senate, and the chairs of the house and senate finance committees no fewer than thirty (30)
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days prior to obligation of the transferred funds.
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(d) Minimum municipal grant set-aside.
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Not less than twenty-five percent (25%) of the proceeds authorized under this act shall be
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made available through competitive grants or direct awards to municipalities, regional entities, or
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quasi-public agencies for eligible projects, provided such projects meet the requirements of section
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5.
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(e) Matching incentives.
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The administering agency shall prioritize funding for projects that leverage federal funding,
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private investment, or municipal matching funds, including FEMA hazard mitigation programs,
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U.S. Army Corps of Engineers programs, and other federal infrastructure resilience grants.
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SECTION 8.
Regional equity and distribution requirement.

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(a) Intent.
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The general assembly finds that climate impacts threaten all regions of Rhode Island and
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that equitable distribution of resilience investments is necessary to protect residents, economic
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assets, and critical infrastructure statewide.
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(b) Regional distribution.
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In awarding funds, the administering agency shall ensure that investments are distributed
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across coastal and inland regions of the state in a manner consistent with the high-risk and

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prioritized areas identified in the resilience report.
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(c) Minimum regional investment standard.
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To ensure statewide benefit, the administering agency shall allocate not less than:
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(1) Fifteen percent (15%) of total bond proceeds to projects located in or directly benefiting
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Washington County,
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(2) Fifteen percent (15%) of total bond proceeds to projects located in or directly benefiting
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Kent County,
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(3) Fifteen percent (15%) of total bond proceeds to projects located in or directly benefiting
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Providence County, and
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(4) Fifteen percent (15%) of total bond proceeds to projects located in or directly benefiting
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Bristol and Newport Counties, including communities in the East Bay and Aquidneck Island.
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(5) Fifteen percent (15%) of total bond proceeds to projects located in or directly benefiting
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Blackstone Valley, including communities in the West Bay and Northern Rhode Island.
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The remaining portion of bond proceeds may be allocated statewide to priority projects
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meeting the requirements of section 5 of this act.
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(d) Waiver authority.
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The administering agency may waive the minimum regional investment standards in
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subsection (c) of this section only upon written determination that:
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(1) Insufficient eligible projects are ready for implementation in a region within the ten-
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(10) year implementation horizon; or
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(2) A statewide critical infrastructure project provides substantial benefits across multiple
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regions.
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Any waiver shall be reported in the annual report required under section 9 of this act and
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shall include justification and alternative strategies to ensure equitable investment.
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SECTION 9.
Accountability and reporting.

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(a) Within one hundred eighty (180) days of voter approval, the administering agency or
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agencies shall publish a Blue Wave Bond Implementation Plan identifying:
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(1) A preliminary list of projects to be funded;
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(2) Estimated costs and timelines;
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(3) Geographic distribution of investments;
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(4) Anticipated resilience outcomes and performance measures; and
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(5) Workforce preparedness investments and expected workforce outcomes.
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(b) An annual report shall be submitted to the governor and the general assembly and
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posted publicly, describing:

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(1) Funds obligated and expended;
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(2) Status of funded projects;
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(3) Workforce training outcomes and participation metrics;
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(4) Resilience performance measures achieved; and
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(5) Progress toward protecting high-risk and prioritized areas under the resilience report.
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SECTION 10.
Proposition to be submitted to the people.

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At the general election to be held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November 2026,
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there shall be submitted to the people of the State of Rhode Island, for their approval or rejection,
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the following proposition:
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The question submitted shall be substantially in the following form:
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BALLOT QUESTION.
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Shall the State of Rhode Island issue general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed
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one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000) for the Blue Wave Bond for Coastal Preparedness to
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fund coastal protection, stormwater and flood mitigation, wastewater and drinking water resilience,
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transportation and evacuation route upgrades, energy and critical infrastructure hardening, port and
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working waterfront resilience, resilience hubs, and workforce preparedness and training programs,
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with investments limited to high-risk and prioritized areas identified in the state's resilience report
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for implementation within the next ten (10) years?
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YES
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NO
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SECTION 11.
EFFECTIVE DATE.
Sections 1, 2, 10, and 11 of this act shall take effect
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upon passage. The remaining sections of this act shall take effect when and if the state board of
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elections shall certify to the secretary of state that a majority of the qualified electors voting on the
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proposition contained in section 10 hereof have indicated their approval of the project thereunder.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO THE BLUE WAVE BOND FOR COASTAL PREPAREDNESS -- 2026 BOND
REFERENDUM
***
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This act would be a proposed bond measure that would authorize the State of Rhode Island
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to issue up to one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000) in general obligation bonds, subject to
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voter approval, to fund coastal preparedness and resilience projects. Funds would be used for
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shoreline protection, flood mitigation, stormwater and wastewater upgrades, protection of critical
5
facilities, port and working waterfront resilience, and workforce preparedness and training
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programs to support resilience-related jobs and infrastructure investments. Bond proceeds may only
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be used for projects in high-risk and prioritized areas identified in the state’s resilience report for
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implementation within the next ten (10) years.
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Sections 1, 2, 10, and 11 of this act would take effect upon passage. The remaining sections
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of this act would take effect when and if the state board of elections shall certify to the secretary of
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state that a majority of the qualified electors voting on the proposition contained in section 10 of
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this act hereof have indicated their approval of the project thereunder.
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