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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 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, DEM: 401-222-4700, X2402<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Monday, March 2, 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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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">DEM ANNOUNCES PUMP-OUT GRANT AVAILABILITY TO HELP BOATERS PROPERLY DISPOSE OF SEWAGE AND KEEP COASTAL WATERS CLEAN<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">Marine and landside pump-out facilities diverted more than 600,000 gallons of sewage from entering Narragansett Bay in 2019. Applications for 2020 grant
funding are due by March 31.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
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Description automatically generated" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_2"><![endif]><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">PROVIDENCE
– The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) today announced grants are available to communities and private businesses that own and/or operate boating facilities available to the public. The grants, funded by the US Fish & Wildlife Service
Clean Vessel Act (CVA), support construction and maintenance of marine and land-based pump-out facilities to assist boaters with properly disposing of sewage. Since 1994, DEM has awarded nearly $2 million in CVA grants.
</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">“We encourage our coastal communities and marinas to apply for these grants to improve pump-out infrastructure around the state,” said DEM Director Janet Coit. “<span style="color:black">Over
the years, projects funded with pump-out grants have been instrumental in helping to reduce a major source of contamination to the state’s coastal waters, including the bacteria that can cause shellfish closures.
</span>Narragansett Bay is the lifeblood of Rhode Island, and each year tens of thousands of boaters venture out to enjoy the beauty, bounty, and tranquility of this precious natural resource.<span style="color:black">” </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">DEM works with partners to reduce pollution into local waters. Boat sewage poses a significant threat to water quality by introducing bacteria and other pathogens and chemicals
that are toxic to humans and marine life. This pollution also is a major factor in harmful algae blooms. In 1998, Rhode Island became the first state in the nation to receive a statewide “no discharge” designation from the US Environmental Protection Agency
that prohibits boaters from discharging sewage into local waterways. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">There are currently 17 pump-out boats and 49 landside facilities located at 66 locations across Narragansett Bay and coastal waters. Many existing facilities require repair
and upgrades as they have exceeded their useful life expectancy since initial construction. All pump-out facilities must be kept fully operational to adequately meet the demand. Some 40,000 boats are registered in Rhode Island, and the state welcomes many
thousands more visiting boats each year. Last year, a total volume of over 600,000 gallons of sewage was pumped out at these locations and diverted from directly entering Rhode Island’s coastal waters. </span><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/maps/mapfile/pumpmap.pdf"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Visit
DEM’s website for a map</span> <span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">
of marine pump-out facilities in Rhode Island.</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">Marinas, yacht clubs, and municipalities are eligible to apply for funding. Projects to construct, replace, retrofit, or maintain pump-out facilities will be considered. Up
to $18,750 is available for land-based projects, and up to $56,250 is available for pump-out boat facilities. A 25% funding match is required. All facilities that receive CVA grants must be open to the public and may not charge more than $5 per 25 gallons
pumped. This is the first year that grants can be given to defray operating and maintenance costs associated with pump-out vessels, provided that the applicant’s financial records establish that such costs exceed fee revenues.<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"><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/benviron/water/finance/clean/pdf/cvagrpro.pdf"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">For more information or to download an application, click here.</span></a><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"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">Applications should be mailed to DEM Office of Water Resources, 235 Promenade Street, Providence, RI 02908 or emailed to
</span><a href="mailto:cindy.hannus@dem.ri.gov"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">cindy.hannus@dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">. All applications are due by 4 PM, Tuesday, March 31, 2020.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Follow DEM on Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM) or Facebook at
</span><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.facebook.com_RhodeIslandDEM&d=DwMFAg&c=tSLbvWYfvulPN3G_n48TUw&r=PNPCCLvWGdSuU1Tdn5Dnfma8bA9iLrs91avOnZ4uMV0&m=A6PsnYBlvn_zfMZDwLkPs0sbDJU_sRiTJTRgyxhqZ9k&s=DHoRP6wAEISa4C_xxnQPVNeykpYBMwNkrcpR9UyzVPM&e="><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandDEM</span> [facebook.com]</a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"> for more information on boating in Rhode Island as well
as other timely updates.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">###<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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