PROVIDENCE, R.I. –Governor Gina Raimondo, Providence Mayor Jorge Elozra and Department of Environmental Management Director Janet Coit joined together today to celebrate Earth Day by awarding $3.3 million in grants that will improve water quality throughout Rhode Island. Rhode Island's Governor for a Day, Khatima Bulmer, also attended the grant announcement.
"Investing in clean water projects throughout our state will lead to healthier communities and a healthier economy," said Governor Gina Raimondo. "Many of these water quality improvement projects engage the services of local businesses and put people to work and, at the same time, preserve and improve the condition our rivers and bays."
"Protecting and improving the quality of our water is important for the environment and also a component to building a strong, sustainable city where people and businesses can grow and thrive," said Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza. "Grants like these help fund critical projects that protect the future of numerous natural resources throughout Providence and the state."
"Taking care of our waters is critical and vital to maintaining Rhode Island's assets, infrastructure, and quality of life well into the future," said DEM Director Janet Coit. "These grants will help cities and towns across Rhode Island lessen the impacts from storm water and protect local waters to ensure continued economic investment and activity throughout the state."
The grants will be used for 23 local water quality protection and restoration projects that abate nonpoint sources of pollution and improve storm water management. Funding for the grants includes $2.8 million from the Narragansett Bay and Watershed Protection Bond Fund, along with $543,268 from the federal Clean Water Act Section 319 program.
Today's event took place in Providence on the Roosevelt Lake Walking Path in Roger Williams Park. The path is adjacent to a site where the RI Department of Transportation (RIDOT) will construct the Roger Williams Park/Route 10 Storm Water Retrofit project, which involves the construction of green infrastructure best management practices at two locations that will treat the captured runoff from a portion of Route 10 and the on and off-ramps located at the northeast junction of Route 10 and Elmwood Avenue.
"EPA New England is pleased to join Governor Raimondo and Mayor Elorza in announcing the recipients of this year's nonpoint source grants," said US Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator Curt Spalding. "Together, Newport, Warren, and the Rhode Island State Conservation Committee are receiving over half a million dollars for innovative projects using source reduction and green infrastructure instead of costly end of pipe fixes. These kinds of approaches are the next generation of water quality restoration, and it is the local leadership we see here that will move them from demonstrations to standard operating procedure. We look forward to seeing more and more of these projects from Rhode Island."
DEM encouraged grant applications from collaborative projects that address nonpoint source pollution abatement on a watershed or regional basis. Highest priority was given to projects that implement regional actions that result in watershed-based solutions to abate nonpoint source impairments that have been characterized by a water quality restoration plan, and those that result in the development of sustainable funding mechanisms for storm water management.
These projects will also provide opportunities for a variety of businesses including environmental engineering firms and consultants, construction companies, and material suppliers including nurseries supplying planting materials for green infrastructure practices.
A list of all the funded projects follows.
2014-2015 Bay & Watershed Restoration Fund Grant Awards
Town of Barrington: $21,005 to address erosion into Brickyard Pond which has been identified as a contributing source of water quality degradation in the pond.
Town of Bristol: Up to $174,984 for the purchase of a vacuum-assisted street sweeper and a clam shell boom-style catch basin cleaner for enhanced storm water pollution management practices.
City of East Providence: $47,200 for the design and construction of the first phase of storm water pollution abatement best management practices at Sabin Point Park adjacent to the Providence River.
Groundwork Providence: $40,560 for the construction of storm water pollution abatement best management practices incorporating green infrastructure at the confluence of the Moshassuck and Woonasquatucket Rivers.
Town of Hopkinton: up to $55,000 for the purchase of a vacuum-assisted street sweeper.
Town of Lincoln: up to $115,000 for the purchase of a vacuum-assisted street sweeper.
Town of Middletown: $100,500 for the design and construction of storm water pollution abatement best management practices incorporating green infrastructure at the Aquidneck Corporate Park.
Town of Narragansett: $518,300 for the design and construction of storm water pollution abatement best management practices incorporating green infrastructure within the Narrow River watershed.
City of Newport: $250,000 for the design and construction storm water pollution abatement measures to demonstrate green infrastructure in the Almy Pond watershed.
City of Newport: $142,000 for the purchase of a vacuum-assisted street sweeper.
Town of North Providence: $193,750 for various storm water pollution abatement activities including the design and construction of best management practices incorporating green infrastructure to reduce pollutant loadings to the Woonasquatucket River.
City of Pawtucket: $30,000 for design and construction of storm water pollution abatement best management practices incorporating green infrastructure at Slater Park Pond.
City of Pawtucket: $175,000 for a vacuum/jet truck for enhanced catch basin cleaning capabilities.
City of Providence: $71,750 for design and construction of storm water pollution abatement best management practices incorporating green infrastructure and other storm water management measures in the Pleasant Valley Stream watershed.
RI Department of Transportation: $74,620 design and construction of storm water pollution abatement best management practices incorporating green infrastructure at Roosevelt Lake in Providence.
Town of South Kingstown: $310,300 for the purchase of a vacuum-assisted street sweeper and the design and construction of storm water pollution abatement best management practices incorporating green infrastructure within the Narrow River watershed.
Stone Bridge Fire District Water Department: $180,500 for the design and implementation of an alum treatment project to abate excess phosphorus in Stafford Pond located in Tiverton.
Town of Tiverton: $155,395 for the purchase of a vacuum truck for catch basin cleaning and other storm water pollution abatement activities.
Town of Warren: $39,500 for the design and construction of storm water pollution abatement best management practices incorporating green infrastructure along Serpentine Road adjacent to the Kickemuit Reservoir.
Town of West Greenwich: up to $115,000 for the purchase of a vacuum-assisted street sweeper.
Federal Clean Water Act Section 319 Funds Grant Awards
City of Newport: $279,863 for a green infrastructure pilot project to design and construct storm water best management practices in the City-owned roadway and right-of-way along Hillside Avenue.
RI State Conservation Committee: $35,405 to educate residents on the impacts to water quality from resident Canada geese and actions that can be taken to mitigate the impacts on private and public property.
Town of Warren: $228,000 for the second phase of a project to improve water quality at the Warren Town Beach by designing and installing storm water pollution abatement practices for the Water Street neighborhood.