RI Department of Environmental Management

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

Westerly to Apply Mosquito Larvicide to Swamp Areas on Thursday, April 24 in Yearly Routine

The Town of Westerly, as it has done on a routine basis each year since 1997, will apply granules of mosquito larvicide by helicopter to 500 acres of swamp to control mosquito breeding. (More info)

DEM Congratulates Recipients of the Prestigious Regional EPA Environmental Merit Award

DEM congratulates three outstanding Rhode Islanders who were honored on Tuesday, April 22 in Boston's Faneuil Hall at the Environmental Protection Agency's annual Environmental Merit Awards for 2014. Prominent among the New Englanders recognized this Earth Day, were award winners Jane Austin, Kristen Swanberg, and John Howell. (More info)

Fish Stocking Suspended at Carolina Trout Pond Pending Dam Repairs

DEM's Division of Fish & Wildlife announces that the stocking of trout will be suspended at the Carolina Trout Pond, Richmond, until dam repairs can be made. (More info)

Celebrate Earth Day 2014 This Week!

DEM encourages Rhode Islanders to celebrate Earth Day - Tuesday, April 22 - by joining a local clean up, taking easy steps to improve the environment or simply getting outdoors and enjoying nature in a state park or management area. (More info)

Earth Day Activities at Lafayette Trout Hatchery

DEM's Division of Fish and Wildlife will be hosting a hatchery open house at Lafayette Trout Hatchery from 10AM - 2PM, Thursday - April 24, 2014. (More info)

DEM Asks Public to Look Out for Invasive Forest Pests as Part of Earth Day Celebration

DEM encourages residents to acknowledge Earth Day by checking for signs of invasive forest pests such as tree-killing insects like the Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB) and Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). (More info)

DEM's Second Round of Free Pesticide Disposal Program for Businesses

DEM's Division of Agriculture will be hosting two obsolete pesticide collection events as another way to participate during Earth Week 2014. The program, called the Obsolete Pesticide Collection Program (OPCP) provides farmers and other commercial entities with a no cost alternative to dispose of obsolete pesticides. (More info)

DEM Issues Wetlands Permit for T.F. Green State Airport

DEM has issued a Permit to Alter Freshwater Wetlands to the RI Airport Corporation (RIAC) for a runway safety improvement project at T.F. Green State Airport in Warwick. (More info)

DEM & RIRRC Earth Day Grant Helps Fund Community Works RI Cleanup Project

In celebration of Earth Day - April 22, 2014 - DEM partnered with the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation to offer grants to organizers of local Earth Day 2014 cleanup projects. (More info)

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)

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 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, 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)