RI Department of Environmental Management

RI Open Government Transparency Portal
DEM Sets Five Priorities for Performance Improvement

DEM Announces Free Freshwater Fishing Days May 3 and May 4

DEM announces that Saturday, May 3 and Sunday, May 4 are free fishing days in Rhode Island. During those two days, all Rhode Islanders and visitors can fish in freshwaters without a fishing license or trout conservation stamp. The free fishing weekend does not apply to saltwater fishing or saltwater licenses. (More info)

DEM Issues Expedited Citations to 29 Property Owners in Violation of RI Cesspool Act Requirements

DEM's Office of Compliance and Inspection has issued an Expedited Citation Notice to 29 property owners who are in violation of requirements under the Rhode Island Cesspool Act of 2007. (More info)

DEM Recruiting Certified Lifeguards for State Beaches and Parks

DEM is continuing its efforts to fill certified lifeguard positions in Rhode Island for residents 16 years of age or older. (More info)

DEM Announces the Re-Opening of Shellfish Waters in Bristol Harbor Beginning at Sunrise on April 12, 2014

DEM has announced that the emergency closure of the waters of Bristol Harbor and waters in the vicinity of Hog Island that were closed to shellfishing due to high flows and high fecal coliform levels in effluent discharged from the Bristol Wastewater Treatment Plant are scheduled to re-open at sunrise on April 12, 2014. (More info)

RI's Wildlife Action Plan Update: List of Species to Conserve Has Been Updated

Over the course of the last year, many of our state's highly respected natural resource and wildlife specialists worked diligently to determine the Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) in Rhode Island... Thanks to the additional input from the Scientific Review Team, a diverse group of 125 conservationists (individuals and organizations), the final list for Rhode Island's 2015 WAP is confirmed! (More info)

DEM to Hold State Arbor Day Ceremony at Meeting Street on Friday, April 25

DEM announces that the Rhode Island Arbor Day ceremony will be held this year on Friday, April 25 at Meeting Street located at 1000 Eddy Street in Providence. (More info)

DEM Announces Two Pesticide Disposal Events in April

DEM's Division of Agriculture will hold two collection events in April for businesses to properly dispose of obsolete pesticides. (More info)

DEM Accepting Grant Applications for Boat Pump-Out Facilities until May 7^th

DEM announces that it is now accepting applications from public and private marinas, yacht clubs and municipalities to construct, replace, retrofit and maintain marine pump-out boats and land-based pump-out facilities. (More info)

DEM Cautions Anglers About Cold Water Danger and Urges Them to Put Safety First on Opening Day of Freshwater Fishing Season and Throughout the Year by Wearing Their Life Jacket

With the freshwater fishing season opening on Saturday, April 12, DEM reminds anglers – particularly those fishing from a boat – that even on a warm day water temperatures can hover in the low to mid 50s. According to a U.S. Coast Guard report, a boating accident is five times more likely to be fatal if the water is colder than 60 degrees. (More info)

DEM Announces New Emergency Closure of Shellfishing Areas in Point Judith Pond and Potters Pond as a Result of Excessive Rainfall and Runoff

DEM announces that due to anticipated unacceptable water quality resulting from this weekend's. 5.26" of rainfall, all approved waters of Point Judith Pond and Potters Pond will be closed to shellfishing beginning at noon on Monday, March 31... these coastal ponds will remain closed until further information and/or test results indicate these waters are safe for shellfishing. (More info)

DEM, NBC Announce Temporary Closure of Phase I Combined Sewer Overflow Tunnel in Order to Complete Connection of the Woonasquatucket CSO Interceptors

As a part of construction related to Phase II of the Narragansett Bay Commission's (NBC) extremely successful federally-mandated Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Abatement Program, the NBC will temporarily cease operation of the Phase I CSO tunnel. (More info)

DEM Announces Availability of Up to $5 Million in Open Space Grants for Land Preservation Projects

DEM is now accepting applications from municipalities, land trusts, and non-profit land conservation organizations for Rhode Island Local Open Space Matching Grants. A total of up to $5 million is available during this round of the grant program. (More info)