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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><img width="83" height="119" style="width:.8645in;height:1.2395in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01D644AC.B21C9690" alt="DEM-logo-small"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Impact",sans-serif;color:#00457A">Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#00457A">235 Promenade Street | Providence, RI 02908 | 401.222.4700 |</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0070C0">
</span><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">www.dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0070C0">
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#00457A">| @RhodeIslandDEM</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0070C0"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT:
</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Gail Mastrati, 401-255-6144<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Wednesday, June 17, 2020
</span><a href="mailto:gail.mastrati@dem.ri.gov"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">gail.mastrati@dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">
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<b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">DEM ANNOUNCES NEW ONLINE TOOL OFFERING CONVIENIENT<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">ACCESS TO CRITICAL PERMITTING DOCUMENTS</span></b><span style="font-size:16.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">PROVIDENCE – The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) announces real-time, online access to Water Quality Certifications (WQC) and Stormwater Construction
(STW) Permits. These permits are issued by DEM’s Office of Water Resources, in accordance the Rhode Island Water Quality Regulations and the Federal Clean Water Act to preserve, protect, and improve the State’s water resources.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">The DEM continues to roll out new enhancements that build upon efforts by DEM to provide digital access to freshwater wetlands permits and onsite wastewater treatment system
(OWTS) records and Certificates of Conformance.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">“We are excited to offer additional water quality permitting information available electronically to customers,” said DEM Director Janet Coit. “This new search tool provides
property and business owners, developers, contractors, engineers, government agencies and others with convenient access to needed information and makes it easier for customers to complete the permitting process and/or retrieve historical files by eliminating
the need to visit DEM offices to access records in person.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">Director Coit noted that while the development of this new tool was initiated pre-COVID-19 as part of DEM’s ongoing commitment to improving customer service, the launch of
the live service was prioritized as part of DEM’s COVID-19 response plan to provide remote access to information for customers and help staff adapt to teleworking.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">The new online search tool, available at
</span><a href="https://www.ri.gov/DEM/wqcsearch/"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">https://www.ri.gov/DEM/wqcsearch/</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">,
<span style="color:black">is updated daily and includes information on permitting activities administered by the State for WQC applications received after 1992 and for STW applications received after 2016. Users may enter search criteria to view historical
information or current permit status for all applications and download approved plans and permit letters for most WQC and STW decisions issued after January 1, 2017.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#44546A"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">The new service was developed by DEM through a partnership with the State’s digital services provider, RI Interactive, and is modeled after DEM’s popular, existing online
services for other Water Resources programs. Customers are encouraged to explore the suite of permit search tools for information and downloadable documents at
</span><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/waterpermits"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">dem.ri.gov/waterpermits</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#44546A">.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">For more information, contact Jennifer Ryan in DEM’s Office of Water Resources via email at
</span><a href="mailto:Jennifer.l.Ryan@dem.ri.gov"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Jennifer.l.Ryan@dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"> or by phone at 222-4700 ext. 7253.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Permit applications and other regulatory forms may be submitted electronically to DEM at
</span><a href="mailto:DEM.PAC@dem.ri.gov"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">DEM.PAC@dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#44546A">.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">Visit
</span><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/water/permits/"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">DEM’s website</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"> to search for information about water and wastewater
permits. In addition to these online services, the DEM website also offers visitors the opportunity to complete a boat registration, apply for
</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">fishing and hunting licenses, conduct environmental site searches and much more. Visit
</span><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/onlineservices"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">www.dem.ri.gov/onlineservices</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"> for a complete list. Follow DEM on Facebook at
</span><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.facebook.com_RhodeIslandDEM&d=DwMFAg&c=tSLbvWYfvulPN3G_n48TUw&r=-h5l4jl6N4VNqvQb28eXkt4hR5K5TbSdLgJ_m08qaaQ&m=NxkghpjGoLUWlpRLijgvod8vaFHoFoh836XYlpAQwnQ&s=eqnVoGsFX1N_TVfSNbP1VRMCzbXULOY1--yXv00NJUc&e=" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandDEM</span> [facebook.com]</a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"> or on Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM) for
timely updates. <span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">-30-</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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