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News Release
RI Department of Environmental Management
235 Promenade Street, Providence, RI 02908
(401) 222-2771 TDD/(401) 222-4462
For Release: February 20, 2008
Contact: Gail Mastrati 222-4700 ext. 2402
Stephanie Powell 222-4700 ext. 4418

DEM, EPA ANNOUNCE NEW THREE-YEAR PERFORMANCE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT TO BOOST STATE'S ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

PROVIDENCE - The Department of Environmental Management and the US Environmental Protection Agency, New England Region, announce a three-year performance partnership agreement worth nearly $8 million that gives Rhode Island's environment a major boost.

"The agreement and associated funding are critical to maintaining our core programs for environmental protection in the state," said DEM Director W. Michael Sullivan, Ph.D. "They include long-standing programs to protect our air and water resources, ensure the proper management of hazardous wastes and pesticides, and ensure the proper operation of underground storage tank systems."

"By reaching a three-year agreement on funding of these important environmental programs, we are better able to make strategic, long-term decisions that provide better protection for the health of citizens and our environment," said Robert W. Varney, Regional Administrator of the U.S. EPA's New England regional office.

The agreement dedicates $7.9 million for environmental protection; of that amount, EPA has awarded the state about $5.1 million to implement clear environmental goals over the next year, with $2.8 million as the state match. The partnership agreement between EPA and DEM focuses on clean air, protecting the state's water resources, and restoring ecosystems.

Examples of specific, measurable goals set forth in the agreement include:
  • Conducting over 900 inspections of regulated facilities that require environmental permits including underground storage tanks, wetlands, solid waste management facilities, facilities that discharge in waterbodies, and facilities that use or sell pesticides;


  • Re-issuing 11 major RI Pollution Discharge Elimination System (RIPDES) permits and re-issuing general permits for four existing discharge categories that include stormwater construction, non-contact cooling water, gasoline-contaminated groundwater, and #2 fuel oil-contaminated groundwater;


  • Completing 37 studies that will identify potential water pollution sources and corrective actions in Rhode Island watersheds; and,


  • Conducting 140 pre-application meetings for people needing assistance with environmental permits.
The partnership agreement also includes financial help for communities, such as a total of $700,000 for retrofitting vehicles to reduce emissions from diesel fumes and $440,000 for nonpoint source water pollution control projects.

Sullivan noted that a number of performance partnership goals "should help improve our report card" just issued by the policy staff at the state Senate. "Although there is much good news in it," Sullivan said, "air quality and waste recycling are two areas in which improvement is needed.

"Among other provisions of the partnership agreement," Sullivan said, "DEM will continue to monitor water quality conditions in Narragansett Bay, rivers, lakes and coastal waters that will assist in Rhode Island's efforts to identify pollution problems and help move forward with cleanup efforts. The Department will also revise the state's solid waste regulations to promote recycling of commercially generated waste; and revise the state plan to meet the ozone standard, a summertime pollutant that affects lungs."

This is the eighth performance partnership agreement that DEM has forged with EPA. The agreement, in its entirety, can be found on DEM's website, www.dem.ri.gov, by clicking on "Publications" then "Performance Partnership Agreement State FY 2008-2010".

For additional information about the agreement, contact Thomas Getz at DEM, at 222-4700 ext. 2417 or via e-mail at thomas.getz@dem.ri.gov; or David Deegan at EPA, at 617-918-1017 or via e-mail at Deegan.Dave@epamail.epa.gov.

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