New Rhode Island Organization Launches to Drive Climate Progress Through Business Innovation and Growth

Ocean State Climate Alliance backed by business, labor and civic leaders; already advancing its first legislation through General Assembly

PROVIDENCE — APRIL 13, 2026 — A new Rhode Island nonprofit backed by business, labor, and civic leaders launched today to accelerate climate progress by harnessing business innovation and economic growth. The Ocean State Climate Alliance (OSCA) will advance practical energy and climate legislation at the State House, working to lower costs for businesses and consumers while helping Rhode Island’s meet its commitments under the Act on Climate.

OSCA is the first Rhode Island organization purpose-built to connect climate implementation with economic competitiveness. Founded by Rhode Islanders Michael Kadish and Rachel Roseneck, the group will operate as both a 501(c)(4), the Ocean State Climate Alliance, and a 501(c)(3), the Ocean State Climate Alliance Education Fund, allowing it to engage in direct legislative advocacy as well as education and research. The Education Fund is a project of the Newport County Development Council, the nonprofit arm of the Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce.

Rhode Island has dozens of environmental organizations, but no group has been focused on organizing the business community around climate policy at the State House. In 2025, only one of twenty climate-related bills passed the General Assembly. OSCA was founded to change that by building a coalition that brings chambers of commerce, clean energy companies, labor unions, and civic institutions together behind coordinated climate advocacy at the State House.

The organization is already putting that model to work. OSCA’s first legislative priority, the Solar Cost Reduction Act (H.7726/S.2801), was introduced by Rep. Jen Boylan and Sen. Victoria Valverde and is advancing through the General Assembly. The bill would modernize Rhode Island's solar permitting system by requiring automated plan review and instant permits for code-compliant residential systems, cutting weeks of delays and thousands of dollars in unnecessary costs for homeowners. It had its first hearing before the House Corporations Committee on March 19. An unusually broad coalition has already endorsed the bill, including the Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce, the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, the Solar Energy Industries Association, the Alliance for Climate Transition, Permit Power, Vote Solar, local Rhode Island solar companies, and environmental groups including the Acadia Center and Climate Action Rhode Island. The bill grew out of a series of listening sessions OSCA organized with Rep. Boylan and Rhode Island solar companies to identify the biggest barriers to faster, cheaper deployment.

“If Rhode Island is serious about meeting its climate goals, we need to bring the companies and workers building these solutions into the policymaking process from the start,” said Michael Kadish, Co-Founder and Executive Director of OSCA. “We focus on connecting policymakers with the people actually implementing projects on the ground, so we can develop practical solutions that lower costs, move faster, and deliver results for both the environment and the economy. The Solar Cost Reduction Act is a clear example of how that approach can translate into legislation with real momentum.”

"Between rising costs and the federal government pulling back on energy commitments, Rhode Island businesses can't afford to sit on the sidelines," said Rachel Roseneck, Co-Founder and Communications Director of OSCA. “Climate policy and business competitiveness aren't a tradeoff. The best policies deliver on both. Rhode Island is home to a thriving clean energy and blue economy, and the state is well positioned to advance practical legislation that brings down costs, creates jobs, and meets our climate goals. What's been missing is an organization to drive that agenda at the statehouse. That's why we built OSCA.”

“The Greater Newport Chamber is proud to serve as OSCA’s fiscal sponsor because we believe this kind of organization will help to inform and educate Rhode Island’s business community needs on important issues impacting long term energy efficiencies,” said Erin Donovan-Boyle, President and CEO of the Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce. “Climate policy is economic policy. Our members deal with energy costs, permitting delays, and workforce challenges every day, and they need to be involved in how these policies are being shaped and implemented.”

“The labor movement has been at the forefront of building Rhode Island’s clean energy economy, from the offshore wind turbines our members constructed for Revolution Wind, to the workers who install solar power across the state,” said Patrick Crowley, President of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO and Co-Founder of Climate Jobs Rhode Island. “OSCA understands that climate policy has to create good jobs and grow the economy. We look forward to working with them to create good-paying jobs and affordable energy for Rhode Islanders.”

“Rhode Island passed the Act on Climate, but passing a law is only the beginning,” said Priscilla De La Cruz, Director of Sustainability for the City of Providence. “Implementing it requires the kind of sustained, cross-sector advocacy that OSCA is built to do. I’ve spent years working to bring labor, environmental, and community voices together around climate policy in this state, and OSCA will meet a key gap by adding the organized business voice that’s been missing.”

“I have spent much of my career – at environmental nonprofits, in philanthropy, and at a trade organization – and now on the Providence City Council working on climate and energy issues. These are complicated issues, and OSCA is doing something we've needed for a long time by bringing the business community, labor, and environmental advocates to the same table and doing the hard work of helping to move legislation at the statehouse,” said Sue AnderBois, Providence City Councilor and candidate for Lieutenant Governor. “That's how we make the Act on Climate real for Rhode Islanders."

Kadish is a climate and clean energy executive, entrepreneur, and policy leader with experience spanning the public, private, and nonprofit sectors at both the national and local levels. He has led organizations and built coalitions to advance practical climate and energy solutions, including as the Executive Director of GRID Alternatives Greater Los Angeles and Board President of the Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters. He is the founder of Incentivize Green, a software platform designed to accelerate EV adoption, and a graduate of Harvard Kennedy School.

Roseneck is a recognized communications practitioner with more than a decade of experience in the wind, solar, energy storage, and transmission sectors. She previously served as an executive at a national public affairs firm in New York, where she led campaigns for energy developers, trade associations, and advocacy organizations nationwide. She recently launched Wellspring Strategies, a public affairs firm specializing in energy and infrastructure, and serves as co-lead for Yes to Wind, a statewide campaign mobilizing grassroots support for offshore wind. She is an alumna of the Clean Energy Leadership Institute fellowship.

OSCA's formation has drawn support from leaders across Rhode Island's business, environment and civic sectors. Advisors include:

  • Sue Anderbois, Providence City Councilor; Candidate for Lieutenant Governor

  • Laura Bartsch, Founder, Charette Strategies, LLC; Chair, State of Rhode Island: Distributed Generation Standards Contracts Board

  • Courney Bourns, Executive Director, Grantmakers Council of Rhode Island

  • Priscilla De La Cruz, Director of Sustainability for the City of Providence; Co-Chair, Climate Jobs RI

  • Erin Donovan-Boyle, President and CEO, Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce

  • Annie Lydgate, Founder, Yes And Strategic Communications; ELM Action Fund Board Member

  • Sam Ross, Director, Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors

OSCA’s focus areas include solar and battery storage, offshore wind, decarbonization, and climate resilience. The organization plans to release a Rhode Island Climate Opportunity Roadmap later this year and is building a Business Council that will give companies direct input on OSCA’s legislative priorities and advocacy.

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About the Ocean State Climate Alliance

The Ocean State Climate Alliance (OSCA) works to accelerate Rhode Island’s climate progress by building a broad coalition of business, civic, and government partners to clear barriers to implementing climate solutions. The organization partners with state legislators and officials to enact practical, near-term solutions that meet the Act on Climate’s goals, lower energy costs, and grow Rhode Island’s economy. Learn more at oceanstateclimate.org.