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News Release
RI Department of Environmental Management
235 Promenade Street, Providence, RI 02908
(401) 222-2771 TDD/(401) 222-4462
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For Release: |
October 21, 2004 |
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Contact: |
Gail Mastrati 222-4700 ext. 2402
Stephanie Powell 222-4700 ext. 4418 |
DEM ANNOUNCES THAT GRANT FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE FOR WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT AND PROTECTION
Workshop on Application Process to be Held on Thursday, October 28
PROVIDENCE - The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management is pleased to announce the availability of approximately $900,000, including about $100,000 in state bond funds, for nonpoint source management; wetlands protection and restoration; bay watershed action; and marine pumpout facility grants.
DEM's Office of Water Resources will hold a public workshop on Thursday, October 28, to review the grant process and explain the request for proposals to potential applicants. The workshop will be held from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. in DEM's third floor cafeteria at DEM Headquarters, 235 Promenade Street in Providence.
Funding is available under the following grant categories in amounts as indicated:
- Water quality restoration grants to support projects for improving water quality or aquatic habitat will be available to state, local and regional government agencies as well as nonprofit agencies in amounts ranging from $25,000 and $200,000 and will require 40 percent matching contributions.
- Water quality management demonstration grants to establish the utility of innovative approaches to solving water quality problems will be available to state, local and regional government agencies as well as nonprofit agencies in amounts ranging from $25,000 to $200,000 and require 40 percent matching contributions.
- Onsite wastewater management planning grants for plan development will be available to municipalities in amounts up to $10,000 and will require 40 percent matching contributions.
- Onsite wastewater management implementation grants to assist communities in implementing DEM-approved onsite wastewater management plans will be available to municipalities in amounts ranging from $10,000 to $25,000 and will require 20 percent matching contributions.
- Wetlands protection and restoration grants will be available to nonprofit organizations, state, regional, and local governmental entities, and universities in amounts ranging from $5,000-$25,000 and will require 25 percent matching contributions.
- Bay Watershed Action grants will be available to nongovernmental organization (e.g., environmental or community group), state or local government agency, municipality, professional or trade association, school, college, or university within the Narragansett Bay watershed (Massachusetts and Rhode Island) and Rhode Island coastal pond watersheds for up to $13,000 with 20 percent match required. Successful projects will support the ecologic health of the Narragansett Bay Watershed (Rhode Island and Massachusetts) as well as the Rhode Island Coastal Salt Ponds Watershed through riparian restoration for headwater streams, capacity-building for watershed and community groups or municipal planning and implementation needs related to habitat, land use, and low impact development/stormwater abatement.
- Marine Pumpout Facilities grants will be available for up to $15,000 with 25 percent match required for owners of public or private Rhode Island marinas. Successful projects will support projects to construct, replace, retrofit and maintain marine pumpout facilities and pumpout boats.
The deadline for submitting grant applications is Friday, December 10. DEM expects to announce selected projects and begin issuing grant agreements next summer.
Pre-proposals may be submitted to DEM on or before November 12 by applicants who wish to receive feedback prior to developing complete grant applications. DEM strongly recommends that applicants take advantage of the pre-proposal process. For further information, please contact Jim Riordan, DEM's nonpoint source program coordinator, at 222-4700 ext. 4421.
A copy of the request for proposals and a fact sheet summarizing the nonpoint source pollution grant program are available on DEM's website at www.dem.ri.gov, under "Grants" on the "Topics" page.
Grants will be funded by EPA Clean Water Act section 319 and section 104(b)3; US Fish and Wildlife Service Clean Vessel Act; the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program; and the State of Rhode Island under the Clean Water Act Environmental Trust Fund.
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