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Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management 235 Promenade Street | Providence, RI 02908 | 401. 222. 4700 | www. dem. ri. gov | @RhodeIslandDEM CONTACT: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jay Wegimont, DEM: 401-302-8316 Friday, Dec. 23, 2022 Jay. Wegimont@ dem. ri. gov
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<p class="MsoNormal"><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:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">www.dem.ri.gov</span></a></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">
</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-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">CONTACT:</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">
<b>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Jay Wegimont, DEM: 401-302-8316 Friday, Dec. 23, 2022<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><a href="mailto:Jay.Wegimont@dem.ri.gov"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">Jay.Wegimont@dem.ri.gov</span></a><u><span style="color:#0066FF"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",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">RI PERMANENTLY PROTECTS 575 ACRES OF LAND – WORTH $9.59M –
<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">BY LEVERAGING OPEN SPACE AND FARMLAND BONDS IN 2022<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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Description automatically generated" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_1"><![endif]><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">PROVIDENCE,
RI – Governor Dan McKee and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) announce that the State of Rhode Island has helped permanently protect<b>
</b>575 acres of land by leveraging $3.58 million of voter-approved state bond funds for open space and agricultural land preservation worth $9.59 million in 2022. The now-protected lands, scattered along the state, are protected through the State Land Conservation
Program, Agricultural Land Preservation Commission (ALPC), and Open Space Grant Program.<b>
</b>The programs, funded by voter-approved bond funds, are leveraged with grants from various federal programs, non-profit groups, and local partners.
<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"><a name="_Hlk122522113"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">“Investments in open space and working farmland protect historic and locally significant lands,
</span></a><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk122522113"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">enhance our communities, and strengthen the state’s climate resilience,” said DEM Director Terry Gray<b>.
</b>“</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk122522113"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Today more than ever, we must continue to preserve our state’s valuable open spaces to forge a stronger, greener, healthier Rhode
Island for generations to come. </span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk122522113"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Passage of the 2022 green bond ensures that $5 million more will be put aside to protect
green spaces and help ensure that Rhode Island </span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk122522113"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">remains a wonderful place to live, work, visit, and raise a family. These projects wouldn’t
be possible without our dedicated federal and local partners. We are fortunate to have dozens of deeply engaged and motivated land trusts and other active conservation groups across the state to amplify this important work.”</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk122522113"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk122522113"></span>
<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
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><a href="https://dem.ri.gov/natural-resources-bureau/planning-development/land-conservation"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">State Land Conservation
Program</span></a></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">purchases ecologically valuable land to enhance DEM’s management areas, parks, and forest lands. Funding for these acquisitions is made possible by State Open Space Bonds, with contributions
from municipalities, land trusts, and from various federal programs. More than 100 acres were purchased<b>
</b>by DEM to expand existing wildlife management areas and provide outdoor recreational opportunities. The program works to acquire land to add to DEM’s conservation holdings; it protects the state’s forests and open spaces for public recreational use and
habitat conservation. Since 1985, over 20,000 acres of land have been protected.<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
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><a href="https://dem.ri.gov/natural-resources-bureau/agriculture-and-forest-environment/agriculture/farmland-preservation"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">Farmland
Preservation Program</span></a></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">preserves prime agricultural lands through the purchase of development rights using state farmland bond funds. ALPC leveraged $600,000 from federal and private sources to purchase
development rights on four farms at roughly a dollar-for-dollar match. Since 1985, the program has protected 128 farms spanning 8,240 acres. Protecting Rhode Island’s farmland ensures farms remain vibrant participants in the economy.
<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
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><a href="https://dem.ri.gov/natural-resources-bureau/planning-development/grant-opportunities#ospace"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">Open Space Grant
Program</span></a></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"> administered by the state’s Natural Heritage Preservation Commission provides funding assistance to local communities for the protection of important open space
and public recreation lands. Three hundred and seventy-five acres of land were conserved through this program, which has provided funding for the preservation of nearly 13,000 acres of land across the state since its inception in 1985. DEM has worked with
partners in every municipality to complete 197 easement transactions with land trusts and local communities to date, furthering the mission of preserving Rhode Island’s precious resources and increasing the public’s access and enjoyment of our natural lands.
<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:"Times New Roman",serif"><a href="https://dem.ri.gov/green-bond-2022-green-bond"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">The 2022 green bond, which was Question No. 3</span></a></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">
on the referendum ballot, passed in November. Proceeds from the $50 million proposal will be allocated to significant improvements in municipal resiliency, provide loans to small businesses for renewable energy projects, improve water quality in Narragansett
Bay and the state’s watersheds, improve the health of forests on state properties, remediate contaminated brownfield sites, protect open space, support local recreation projects, and build new educational and outreach facilities at Roger Williams Park Zoo.<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 programs under the State’s Land Conservation Program have collectively protected over 117,000 acres of open space and farmland since 1985. Working with its many partners,
DEM and the ALPC have conserved land in all 39 municipalities, making these projects a part of every Rhode Islander’s community. These natural assets play a big role in the state’s tourism industry by providing opportunities for the public to camp, fish,
hunt, hike, and enjoy the great outdoors, and at the same time bring revenue to the local economy.
</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Rhode Island’s wealth of historic parks, bikeways, and green spaces provide for public enjoyment – along with improving the health of the environment, strengthening the state’s
climate resilience, and supporting the economy. </span><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"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">To read the State Land Conservation Program 2022 Annual report, please visit our
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><a href="https://dem.ri.gov/sites/g/files/xkgbur861/files/2022-12/grants-land-conservation-report22.pdf"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">website</span></a></span><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"><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 initiatives, visit<span style="color:#0066FF">
</span></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">www.dem.ri.gov</span></a></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">.
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Follow
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",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:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#212121">Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#212121">235 Promenade Street, Providence RI 02908<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#212121">401-222-4700, X277-2402<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#212121">Email: </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><a href="mailto:jay.wegimont@dem.ri.gov">jay.wegimont@dem.ri.gov</a><span style="color:#212121"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#212121">Web: </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;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:#212121"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
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