PROVIDENCE –– Governor Carcieri Wednesday issued an executive order that he said was needed to allow operations to continue at the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation, which operates Johnston’s Central Landfill. The governor said that without his order, operations at the landfill could have ceased.

In a statement, the governor said he took the action because six of the Resource Recovery’s eight board positions are vacant, leaving the board without the ability to constitute a quorum. Without a quorum, Carcieri said, the board is unable to properly approve the corporation’s 2008-09 budget, which took effect on Tuesday.

The governor criticized the state Senate for failing to approve the names of nominees to Resource Recovery’s board that he submitted earlier this year.

“This order is a direct result of inaction by the state Senate to approve the names of RIRRC board appointees I submitted on March 17, 2008, giving the Senate more than enough time to approve the individuals and has put the health and well-being of Rhode Islanders at risk,” Carcieri said in a statement.

The executive order remains in effect for 30 days or until the Senate confirms appointments, according to a press release from the governor’s office.

“I strongly urge the Senate to reconvene immediately to address this issue and approve the submitted board names,” the governor said.

A spokesman for Carcieri said the governor submitted six names: Carole Bell, Cranston; Brad Gorham, Foster; Douglas Jeffrey, Johnston; Michael Quinn, Warwick; Sue Sheppard, Lincoln; and John Ward, Woonsocket.