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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><img width="83" height="119" style="width:.8645in;height:1.2395in" id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.png@01D3E857.2ACAD110" alt="DEM-logo-small"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:16.8pt"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:#333333">The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (the Department) invites you to participate in a public informational session regarding the Proposed Volkswagen Environmental
Beneficiary Mitigation Plan (BMP) for Rhode Island’s $14.3 million allocation of the Volkswagen (VW) Environmental Mitigation Trust.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:16.8pt">
<span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">The Department along with Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) and Office of Energy Resources (OER) will conduct the informational session. The informational session will
be held at the following time and location:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Date: Thursday, May 17, 2018<br>
Time: 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.<br>
Place: Rhode Island College, Providence - Gaige Hall, Room 200</span></b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:16.8pt">
<span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">At this informational session, staff will discuss:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#333333"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">Background on VW environmental mitigation trust.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#333333"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">Overall goals for the use of funds.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#333333"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">Eligible mitigation action categories to be funded.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#333333"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">Emission reduction quantification and estimates.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#333333"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">Administrative process for implementation.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#0070C0"><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/air/documents/pn/vwmitplan.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color:#0070C0">Draft Beneficiary Mitigation Plan Volkswagen
Environmental Mitigation Trust Agreement</span></a></span></b><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:16.8pt">
<span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">The public will have the opportunity to provide plan specific feedback during a 30-day public comment period. Plan specific comments may be emailed to </span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#0070C0"><a href="mailto:Allison.Callahan@dem.ri.gov"><span style="color:#0070C0">Allison.Callahan@dem.ri.gov</span></a> </span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">through
June 11, 2018.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:16.8pt">
<span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">Final Beneficiary Mitigation Plan – The Department will consider all comments received, review any new or revised requirements the trustee develops, make any relevant revisions, and
post the final BMP on the Department’s </span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#0070C0"><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/air/vwsettle.php"><span style="color:#0070C0">VW website</span></a></span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">.
After revisions, the Department, as the lead agency, will submit the final BMP to the trustee no later than 30 days prior to its first funding request.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:16.8pt">
<span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">Copies of this plan are also available at the Department’s Office of Air Resources, 235 Promenade St, Providence, RI. Any additional requests can be made by contacting the Office
of Air Resources at 401-222-2808, weekdays, 8:30 a.m. </span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">-
<span style="color:#333333">4:00 p.m.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:16.8pt">
<i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">Please note that the RIC campus is accessible via RIPTA. For details, please visit:
<b><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.ric.edu_aboutric_Pages_Directions.aspx&d=DwMFAg&c=tSLbvWYfvulPN3G_n48TUw&r=2Nj5P5Nc4OfNSWpjaNb68z-UL4ZsOEi-13E7IMBXONs&m=VG_O7003qnLRmgE6nmDpMXriFVbkXXJh49ri-yXntcs&s=Wi1tZFYjtGg0zEGSM3yp7xJ2DjjeLlN3mCNKMyONrn4&e="><span style="font-weight:normal">http://www.ric.edu/aboutric/Pages/Directions.aspx</span></a>
<o:p></o:p></b></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:16.8pt">
<b><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">[Attachment – May 10, 2018 Press Release]
<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
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<b><i><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></b></p>
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<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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