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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><img width="83" height="119" style="width:.8645in;height:1.2395in" id="_x0000_i1026" src="cid:image001.png@01D90E1D.3D47DAE0" alt="DEM-logo-small"></span><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><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" style="text-autospace:none"><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-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#0066FF">www.dem.ri.gov</span></a></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;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"><a name="_Hlk86221472"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0070C0"><o:p> </o:p></span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk86221472"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">CONTACT:</span></b></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk86221472"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">
<b>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk86221472"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Jay Wegimont, DEM: 401-302-8316 Monday,
Dec. 12, 2022<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk86221472"></span><a href="mailto:Jay.Wegimont@dem.ri.gov"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk86221472"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">Jay.Wegimont@dem.ri.gov</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk86221472"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk86221472"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;text-autospace:none">
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk86221472"><b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></span></p>
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<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk86221472"><b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">DEM ANNOUNCES GRANTS UP TO $75,000 ARE AVAILABLE TO IMPROVE
<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
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<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk86221472"><b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">BOAT PUMP-OUT FACILITIES TO KEEP COASTAL WATERS CLEAN</span></b></span><b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f">
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</v:shape><![endif]--><![if !vml]><img width="344" height="324" style="width:3.5833in;height:3.375in" src="cid:image003.jpg@01D90E34.EF59FA80" align="right" hspace="12" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_2"><![endif]><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">PROVIDENCE,
RI –The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) today announced that up to $75,000 in grant funds are available to communities and private businesses that own and/or operate boating facilities that help boaters with properly disposing of
sewage. The grants, funded by the US Fish and Wildlife Service Clean Vessel Act (CVA), help municipalities, marinas, and yacht clubs pay for improvements to marine and land-based pump-out facilities. Every year, DEM applies for federal funds to buy or replace
CVA equipment for use by these entities to offer free pump-outs. Since 1994, DEM has awarded over $2.5 million in CVA grants.<s><o:p></o:p></s></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">$B!H(BMost of us know it$B!G(Bs not right to discharge wastewater directly from our boats into Narragansett Bay or the ocean. In fact, it$B!G(Bs illegal
to pump waste within three nautical miles of the Rhode Island coast,$B!I(B said DEM Director Terry Gray. $B!H(BDEM works with municipal and marine trades partners to prevent the discharge of boat sewage, which impairs water quality by introducing bacteria and other
pathogens and chemicals that are harmful to humans and marine life. The support of the US Fish and Wildlife Service Clean Vessel Act helps accomplish this by subsidizing pump-out facilities that empower thousands of Rhode Island recreational boaters to do
their part to keep the bay and coastal waters clean.$B!I(B<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Boat sewage can threaten water quality by introducing bacteria and other pathogens, excess nutrients, and chemicals that are harmful to humans
and marine life. In 1998, Rhode Island became the first state in the nation to receive a statewide $B!H(Bno discharge$B!I(B designation from the US Environmental Protection Agency that prohibits boaters from discharging sewage into local waterways.<o:p></o:p></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" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Marinas, yacht clubs, and municipalities are eligible to apply for funding. Projects to construct, replace, retrofit, or maintain pump-out
facilities will be considered. All grant awards are subject to a 25% grantee (partner) dollar match requirement. DEM will offer a maximum grant award of $22,500 for eligible project costs of new and replacement land$B!>(Bbased facilities, and a maximum grant award
of $75,000 for eligible project costs of new and replacement mobile pump-out boats.
<o:p></o:p></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" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Operators of mobile pump-out vessels can also apply for a maximum grant award of $7,500 for eligible Operation and Maintenance (OM) costs.
OM costs eligible for reimbursement include:<o:p></o:p></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>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="circle">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">hull painting<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">engine, pump, and trailer maintenance<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">insurance of pump-out vessels
<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">fuel and oil<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">winterization and storage<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">launching and hauling<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">boat safety equipment<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">personal protective equipment.
<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<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" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">DEM also offers a maximum grant award of $2,250 to operators of land-based pump-out stations for eligible OM costs. OM costs are eligible
for reimbursement include periodic maintenance, winterization, spring commissioning, replacement parts, and repair of sewer connections. To receive grant funding for operations and maintenance of land-based station pump-out facilities, the operator of the
facility agrees not to charge the boater any fees for pump-out service. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">This year, all applications must be submitted via the state Grant Management System, located
<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://gn.ecivis.com/GO/gn_redir/T/bqb97e7fdzw7__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!OhZ6wzpbIihrUQE0gODhAgWDAHkTEpOYbB3caICrQEhaYIr9hpwotpQekUSTFkl-vtGQs9xj-ZrMBbF2I6qNx-tsGraiOijlPdOW$"><span style="color:#0066FF">here</span> [gn.ecivis.com]</a>. Applications will be accepted for the 2023 season from Nov. 30 through Dec. 30. For more information, please visit
<a href="https://dem.ri.gov/environmental-protection-bureau/water-resources/financial-assistance/boat-pump-out-grants">
<span style="color:#0066FF">our website</span></a> or contact Steven Engborg at (401)-222-4700 x2777259 or by email at
<a href="mailto:steven.engborg@dem.ri.gov"><span style="color:#0066FF">steven.engborg@dem.ri.gov</span></a>.
<a name="_Hlk86219382"><o:p></o:p></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk86219382"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk86219382"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">There are currently 15 pump-out boats and 59 facilities located across Narragansett Bay and coastal
waters. 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.
</span></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">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$B!G(Bs surface waters. Visit DEM$B!G(Bs
website for a <a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/maps/mapfile/pumpmap.pdf"><span style="color:#0066FF">map</span></a> of marine pump-out facilities in Rhode Island.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt">
<o:p></o:p></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" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">DEM has partnered with the San Francisco Estuary Partnership to upload all publicly accessible pump-out facility data to the
<i>Pumpout Nav</i> Application, available on <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ecom.cleanvessel__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!OhZ6wzpbIihrUQE0gODhAgWDAHkTEpOYbB3caICrQEhaYIr9hpwotpQekUSTFkl-vtGQs9xj-ZrMBbF2I6qNx-tsGraiOvw_0E2q$">
<span style="color:#0066FF">Android Play</span> [play.google.com]</a><span style="color:#0066FF"> </span>
and <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id1148752109?mt=8__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!OhZ6wzpbIihrUQE0gODhAgWDAHkTEpOYbB3caICrQEhaYIr9hpwotpQekUSTFkl-vtGQs9xj-ZrMBbF2I6qNx-tsGraiOrKXNsWM$"><span style="color:#0066FF">iOS Apple</span> [itunes.apple.com]</a><span style="color:#0066FF">
</span>stores. This free phone application allows boaters to locate and get directions to the nearest pump-out station, view cost information and hours of operation, and gives them the ability to report any problems encountered while using the pump-out facility.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">For more information on DEM programs and initiatives, visit
<a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/"><span style="color:#0066FF">www.dem.ri.gov</span></a>. Follow
<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandDEM__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!OhZ6wzpbIihrUQE0gODhAgWDAHkTEpOYbB3caICrQEhaYIr9hpwotpQekUSTFkl-vtGQs9xj-ZrMBbF2I6qNx-tsGraiOkesJTAG$"><span style="color:#0066FF">DEM on Facebook</span> [facebook.com]</a>, Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM), or Instagram (@rhodeisland.dem) for timely updates.<o:p></o:p></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>
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<b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">###<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0078FF">Jay G. Wegimont | Public Affairs 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>
<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="https://dem.ri.gov/">https://dem.ri.gov/</a></span><o:p></o:p></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>
<p class="MsoNormal"><img border="0" width="216" height="96" style="width:2.25in;height:1.0in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image004.png@01D90E1D.3D47DAE0"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Vani",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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