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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><img width="83" height="119" style="width:.8645in;height:1.2395in" id="Picture_x0020_4" src="cid:image005.png@01D870F6.E65E38F0" alt="DEM-logo-small"></span><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p style="margin:0in"><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><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov"><span style="color:#0066FF">www.dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="color:#0066FF">
</span><span style="color:#00457A">| @RhodeIslandDEM</span><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
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<p style="margin:0in"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0070C0"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">CONTACT: FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE: <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Jay G. Wegimont (401) 302-8316 Thursday, May 26, 2022
<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><a href="mailto:Jay.Wegimont@dem.ri.gov"><span style="color:#0066FF">Jay.Wegimont@dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="color:#0066FF">
<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">DEM’S SEASONAL BAY LINE IS NOW OPEN, ALLOWING THE PUBLIC TO
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">REPORT ANY ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS IN NARRAGANSETT BAY</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
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</v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_6" o:spid="_x0000_s1026" type="#_x0000_t75" style='position:absolute;margin-left:255.05pt;margin-top:272.55pt;width:306.25pt;height:229.65pt;z-index:251659264;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:right;mso-position-horizontal-relative:margin;mso-position-vertical:absolute;mso-position-vertical-relative:text;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-width-relative:page;mso-height-relative:page'>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><![if !vml]><img width="408" height="306" style="width:4.25in;height:3.1875in" src="cid:image006.jpg@01D870F6.E65E38F0" align="right" hspace="12" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_6"><![endif]><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">PROVIDENCE,
RI – The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) announces that its seasonal 24-hour Bay Line telephone information line is now open. The Bay Line number, 222-8888, is toll-free within the state. New to the program this year is the option
for members of the public to report concerns through email at <a href="mailto:DEM.bartline@dem.ri.gov">
<span style="color:#0066FF">DEM.bartline@dem.ri.gov</span>.</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Bay Line provides Rhode Islanders with a central point of contact to leave a recorded message about any sign of bay-related environmental problems throughout the summer
season for appropriate follow-up. Its aim is rapid, effective responses to environmental incidents on Narragansett Bay.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Reports of
<span style="color:#0066FF"><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/emergencyresponse/bart/latest.php"><span style="color:#0066FF">water quality conditions</span></a></span> are updated weekly and available on the
<span style="color:#0066FF"><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/emergencyresponse/bart/latest.php"><span style="color:#0066FF">DEM website</span></a></span>. The information is compiled from data provided by a network of monitoring stations in the bay that
measure oxygen, temperature, salinity, pH levels, and, in some cases, water clarity and the presence of algae blooms. DEM, in cooperation with the University of Rhode Island (URI), has completed the seasonal deployment of monitoring instruments and posts water
quality reports on a weekly basis.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">The intent of Bay Line<i>
</i>is to provide an effective means for exchanging bay-related information between the public and the agencies charged with monitoring and protecting it. For instance, the line can be used to provide DEM with early warnings about emerging issues such as algae
blooms, which might serve as precursors to low oxygen events and fish kills.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Bay Line<i>
</i>is an integral part of a series of initiatives undertaken by DEM to protect Narragansett Bay. A related initiative is the
<span style="color:#0066FF"><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/emergencyresponse/bart/latest.php"><span style="color:#0066FF">Bay Assessment and Response Team (BART)</span></a></span>, which is designed to facilitate timely and well-coordinated responses
to any major bay-related environmental emergency. BART includes professional staff from DEM, the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH), and URI.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Rhode Islanders can find a great deal of bay-related information provided by the BART program the DEM
<a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/emergencyresponse/bart/index.php"><span style="color:#0066FF">website</span>.</a> The weekly
<span style="color:#0066FF"><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/emergencyresponse/bart/latest.php"><span style="color:#0066FF">Bay Line reports</span></a></span> also can be found at this location.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">For more information on DEM programs and services, visit
<a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov"><span style="color:#0066FF">www.dem.ri.gov</span></a>. Follow DEM on
<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandDEM__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!Kpi-ZZ1UBZEPB7xP-Uz4_dY18FUl4duR1NU7rHesJ-5MrXWE_SZBjq9Cfys9dCJ0WYqBvkSn2I_d6RqHkD-vJp97OkvXZnfhg4iP$"><span style="color:#0066FF">Facebook</span> [facebook.com]</a><u>,</u> Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM), or Instagram (@RhodeIsland.DEM).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">###<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0078FF">Jay G. Wegimont | Programming Services Officer<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#212121">Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management</span><span style="color:#212121"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#212121">235 Promenade Street, Providence RI 02908</span><span style="color:#212121"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#212121">401-222-4700, X277-2402</span><span style="color:#212121"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#212121">Email: </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0066FF"><a href="mailto:jay.wegimont@dem.ri.gov"><span style="color:#0066FF">jay.wegimont@dem.ri.gov</span></a></span><span style="color:#212121"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#212121">Web:</span><a href="http://%20www.dem.ri.gov/">
<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">www.dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#212121">Facebook/Twitter:
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">@RhodeIslandDEM</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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