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Rhode Island General Laws Title 23. Health and Safety § 23-19.5-2. Certification by department of environmental management

Current as of January 01, 2024 | Updated by Findlaw Staff

(a) Prior to advertising or representing any parcel of property as being for sale or other transfer or conveyance as a “buildable” or “developable” property, so called, the seller shall cause a registered professional engineer or registered professional land surveyor to submit and receive approval of any applications, plans, specifications, fees, percolation tests, groundwater table elevation determinations and other compilations of information as may be required by the department of environmental management in order to certify the property's suitability for development as a subdivision or to approve or renew an approval for the installation of an individual sewage disposal system on the property.  No building shall be erected on the property after this unless an approval for the installation of an individual sewage disposal system has been issued and remains valid in accordance with the rules and regulations of the department of environmental management.

(b) No subdivision certification or approval or renewal for the installation of an individual sewage disposal system shall be issued by the department unless the application for this certification, approval or renewal is accompanied by valid tests, determinations, and/or data in accordance with this chapter.

(c)(1) All tests, determinations and/or data necessary for the design and installation of an individual sewage disposal system, compiled by a registered professional engineer or registered professional land surveyor after January 1, 1992 and certified in accordance with subsection (a) shall be considered valid, provided that at the time of application to install, construct or alter a system using these tests, determination, and/or data, that a registered professional engineer or registered professional land surveyor shall present to the department of environmental management an affidavit, in a form satisfactory to the department, stating that the tests, determinations and/or data are still valid and that there have been no significant changes to the property and/or surrounding properties that would adversely affect the validity of the tests, determinations, and/or data previously obtained and/or submitted.

(2) All tests, determinations and/or data necessary for the design and installation of an individual sewage disposal system, compiled by a registered professional engineer or registered professional land surveyor between July 21, 1987 and January 1, 1992 certified in accordance with subsection (a) shall be considered valid provided that at the time of application to install, construct, alter, or repair a system using the tests, determinations, and/or data, that a registered professional engineer or registered professional land surveyor shall present an affidavit, in form satisfactory to the department of environmental management, stating that the tests, determination and/or data are still valid and that there have been no significant changes to the property and/or surrounding properties that would adversely affect the validity of the tests, determinations, and/or data previously obtained and/or submitted;  provided, however, that the director of the department of environmental management reserves the right to require additional tests, determinations and/or data for the design and installation upon the finding of good cause.

(d) When a person seeks to both renew tests, determinations, or data that have been relied upon by the department of environmental management in approving an application and seeks also to renew the approval, the application for renewal of the approval and tests, determinations and/or data shall be accompanied by the affidavit of a registered professional engineer or registered professional land surveyor, as described in subsection (c) of this section, and new or revised plans and specifications for the previously approved sewage disposal system that meet the department's current regulatory requirements.

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Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Rhode Island General Laws Title 23. Health and Safety § 23-19.5-2. Certification by department of environmental management - last updated January 01, 2024 | https://codes.findlaw.com/ri/title-23-health-and-safety/ri-gen-laws-sect-23-19-5-2/

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