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2/10/2025
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Media Advisory: Climate Change Impacts Commission to meet Wednesday
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STATE HOUSE – The House commission studying the impacts of climate change and solutions to mitigate them is scheduled to meet Wednesday with the director of the Department of Business Regulation and an experienced independent insurance agent who has shared concerns about the costs and availability of insurance as a result of increasingly severe storms and weather events.
The Legislative Study Commission on Climate Change Impacts and Solutions is scheduled to meet Wednesday, Feb. 12, at 1:30 p.m. in Room 101 on the first floor of the State House.
The commission will hear a presentation from Department of Business Regulation Director Elizabeth Dwyer, and a presentation by Ernie Shaghalian of Butler & Messier Insurance Agency. Shaghalian recently provided testimony to the U.S. Senate Budget Committee about his concerns about the impacts of climate change on the insurance market. No public testimony will be taken at this meeting.
The meeting will be televised by Capitol Television on Cox Communications, channels 15 and 61 for high definition; i3 Broadband (formerly Full Channel) on 15; and Verizon, on channel 34. Livestreaming is available at https://www.rilegislature.gov/CapTV/Pages/default.aspx.
Created by a resolution (2024-H 7731A) sponsored by Rep. Terri Cortvriend (D-Dist. 72, Portsmouth, Middletown), the commission is to study the numerous impacts of climate change, such as rising sea levels and their effects on coastal communities and the economic impacts of those effects. The commission is to examine potential adaptations the state could adopt to mitigate those impacts, such as beach nourishment projects, shoreline hardening and green infrastructure improvements and managed retreat.
Members of the commission include Representative Cortvriend; Rep. Tina L. Spears (D-Dist. 36, Charlestown, New Shoreham, South Kingstown, Westerly); House Minority Leader Michael W. Chippendale (R-Dist. 40, Foster, Glocester, Coventry); Department of Environmental Management Chief Resiliency Officer Kimberly Korioth; Division of Statewide Planning Associate Director Meredith Brady; Eliza Berry, coastal resilience specialist, Coastal Resilience and Extension Resources; Institute at Brown for Environment and Society Director Kim Cobb; Rhode Island Society of Environmental Professionals Secretary Rowan Hayes; URI Coastal Institute Director Dr. Elin Torell; Coastal Resources Management Council Policy Analyst Leah Feldman; Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank Executive Director William J. Fazioli; League of Cities and Towns Executive Director Ernest Almonte; Environmental Business Council of New England Chapter Chair Rick J. Mandile; Rhode Island Realtors Association Advocacy Manager Trevor Chasse; Rhode Island Builders Association Chief Executive Officer John V. Marcantonio; Rhode Island Rivers Council Director Alicia Schaffner; and Warwick Tax Assessor Neal Dupuis.
For more information, contact:
Larry Berman, Communications Director for the Office of the Speaker
State House Room 322
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 222-2466
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