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News Release RI Department of Environmental Management 235 Promenade Street, Providence, RI 02908 (401) 222-2771 TDD/(401) 222-4462
NOAA, STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS LAUNCH NEXT PHASE OF NARRAGANSETT BAY DEBRIS CLEANUP BRISTOL - Department of Environmental Management officials, Rhode Island's Congressional delegation, officials of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, joined with Clean the Bay, Save the Bay and the Rhode Island Marine Trades Association this morning at Bristol Marine in Bristol to highlight a revitalized program to rid Narragansett Bay of marine debris and to launch the third phase of the comprehensive cleanup initiative.Sarah Morison, NOAA's Marine Debris Program Coordinator, presented DEM and Clean the Bay with a grant to fund the next phase of Project Clean Sweep. The $174,000 grant is a tribute to the monumental work that this public-private partnership has already accomplished. Following on the success of its first sweep and a second sweep in progress, Clean Sweep III will expand the cleanup of large, medium, and small debris from an additional 80 miles of shoreline in Portsmouth, Middletown, Little Compton, Tiverton, Narragansett, and North Kingstown. "Narragansett Bay is one of our greatest treasures and one of our state's most important resources," said Governor Donald L. Carcieri. "I commend DEM and our partners NOAA, Save the Bay, Clean the Bay, the Rhode Island Marine Trades Association, and the thousands of volunteers for their unending passion and work they have done to ensure the Bay and our shorelines are clean and safe for all to enjoy." Since it began in August 2006, Clean the Bay has removed more than 588 tons of debris from nearly 120 miles of shoreline, and the project has involved some 3,662 volunteers. In 2005 DEM and Clean the Bay teamed up to apply for federal grant funds to address the problem. In the past three years, NOAA awarded DEM and Clean the Bay $320,000 in total grants for the first and second phase of the cleanup. Clean Sweep I focused on three priority Bay areas: Greenwich Bay, Metro Bay, and the Bay Islands and West Aquidneck Island shoreline, while Clean Sweep II focused on removing debris from Aquidneck Island; southern Jamestown; remaining portions of Greenwich and Metro Bays; and the East Bay. "The cleanup of nets, fishing equipment, abandoned vessels and other debris is very important to our coastal ocean life and their habitats," said Pat Montanio, Director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Habitat Program. "As nets floats in coastal waters, what people may not realize is that they continue to 'ghost fish' endangering area fish, turtles and mammals." DEM Director W. Michael Sullivan noted that 2008 was an important transitional year for Clean The Bay. One of the original co-founders resigned due to illness and the other re-located. A new team, consisting mainly of members from the Rhode Island Marine Trades Association, assumed leadership of the organization. Director Sullivan said, "We commend the members of Rhode Island Marine Trade Association who stepped up to the plate to reinvigorate Clean the Bay and to keep Project Clean Sweep going. Without their leadership, the project may have ended." The new five-member board now includes a host of leading figures in Rhode Island's marine community: Robert Batting, President; Michael Keyworth, Secretary; Chris Ruhling, Treasurer; Curt Spaulding, former Executive Director of Save the Bay; and Andy Tyska of Bristol Marine. The specially equipped 58-foot mechanized landing craft has been tuned up and redeployed as well as the addition of a new, smaller landing craft to make faster, more efficient work of marine debris removal operations. Clean the Bay's President Robert Batting said, "The newly energized organization is deeply committed to continuing the important work of Clean the Bay and looks forward to strengthening the public-private partnership that underlies Project Clean Sweep". DEM and Clean the Bay have also formed a new partnership with Save the Bay to conduct volunteer shoreline cleanups for Project Clean Sweep and to provide administrative services to Clean the Bay. Save the Bay has extensive experience organizing shoreline clean ups as well as an extensive pool of volunteers, which will allow DEM to meet the volunteer commitments of the NOAA grant. This partnership has allowed Clean the Bay to focus its full efforts on marine debris removal. "The overwhelming public consensus that we keep the Bay clean fuels this powerful community collaboration," said Save the Bay Executive Director Jonathan Stone. "Last year, Save the Bay's Community Cleanups sponsored by Wal-Mart resulted in 718 volunteers removing 13, 136 pounds of trash from 27 shoreline locations. Our partnership with Clean the Bay now extends this great effort. But we will take to a higher level. With a $25,000 grant from the Rhode Island Foundation, Save the Bay is using the Clean the Bay partnership as a model for other collaborations, partnerships and mergers that benefit the environment. "This approach makes us all stronger," Stone said. "And that boosts the energy level high among thousands of people who want what's best for the Bay and its future." After a brief speaking program, Clean the Bay Captain Joe Mariani and his crew demonstrated marine debris removal operations. Marine debris impacts the use and enjoyment, as well as the ecology of shoreline areas. In addition to being unsightly and potentially dangerous to beachgoers, fishermen, and other shoreline users, marine debris degrades coastal habitats and can endanger fish and wildlife. Also, items such as docks or other floatable, large debris may get re-suspended or set adrift during storm events, posing hazards to boaters. The NOAA grant that helps fund Clean Sweep is one of several community-based marine debris prevention and removal grants for marine debris projects around the nation. NOAA's Marine Debris Program provides financial and technical assistance to local groups to clean marine debris and to prevent new debris from damaging the marine ecosystem. Project Clean Sweep involves a growing list of partners from the public and private sectors. Those partners include the towns and cities along the bay where cleanups take place, the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation, which waives tipping fees for debris, the Coastal Resources Management Council, local universities and youth groups. -30- |
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