(a) The Bristol County water authority extension of its transmission system to connect to the Providence water supply system through the additional connection together with the emergency connection as set forth in § 46-15.5-3 and the cost of planning, design and permitting the improvements to the Bristol County water authority's existing system as set forth in § 46-15.5-6 (the "existing system" enhancement) as directed by the water resources board shall be deemed an approved intersystem facility as that term is defined in § 46-15.2-3 and fifty percent (50%) of the cost thereof shall be considered eligible for funding pursuant to the provisions of chapter 15.2 of this title. There is hereby included in the 1994 capital budget an amount equal to $14.8 million ($14,800,000) to be used to fund such additional connections, the emergency connection and the existing system enhancement. The water resources board is hereby directed to take such steps as shall be necessary to transfer any funds heretofore set aside or designated for purposes of providing funding to the Bristol County water authority for the cross-bay pipeline to the East Providence connection authorized and directed by this chapter.
(b) The Bristol County water authority is deemed to have met the provisions of § 46-15.2-5(d)(2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (8), (e) and (f) with respect to the connections authorized by this chapter. The water resources board shall give priority to the application filed by the Bristol County water authority in accordance with chapter 15.2 of this title and this chapter and shall approve the project based upon its findings of fact as provided in §§ 46-15.2-5(d)(1) and (7) without the necessity of meeting any other conditions precedent set forth in §§ 46-15.2-4(e) and 46-15.2-6(a).
(c) All other state agencies having jurisdiction over the Bristol County water authority with respect to any permit required to design and construct the additional and emergency connections authorized by this chapter shall give administrative, hearing and decisional priority to any application for any such permit.
History of Section.
P.L. 1992, ch. 134, § 1; P.L. 1993, ch. 243, § 1; P.L. 2007, ch. 340, § 52.