Law requires builders follow flood standards

PROVIDENCE – Legislation has been signed into law enabling cities and towns around the state to prevent flooding by requiring builders to comply with state standards for pavement, drainage and runoff.
Sponsored by Sen. Joshua Miller, D-Cranston, and Rep. Arthur Handy, D-Cranston, the law aims to give cities and towns power to prevent or reduce the impact of major floods, similar to those in March 2010 that caused severe damage in the Cranston and Warwick area.
Under the law, cities and towns can pass ordinances that require those developing new construction or redevelopment to comply with the “Rhode Island Stormwater Design and Installation Standards Manual,” which requires developers to use methods and materials meant to avoid flooding and runoff problems.
Previously, the state required compliance with the standards in the manual only for projects larger than one acre, as well as those that disturb wetlands or discharge significant stormwater into the ground. &#8226