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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_2" src="cid:image001.png@01DA2758.B47E43B0" alt="DEM-logo-small"></span><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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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:blue">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"><span style="font-size:12.5pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0070C0"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><b><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">CONTACT:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">
<b>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: <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">Evan LaCross, 401-799-0100
</span><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"> Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><a href="mailto:Evan.LaCross@dem.ri.gov"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">Evan.LaCross@dem.ri.gov</span></a></span><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">
</span></u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;text-autospace:none">
<b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">DEM ADVISES IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL SNOW DISPOSAL SITES TO<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;text-autospace:none">
<b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">PREVENT CONTAMINATION OF WATER SUPPLIES THIS WINTER<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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</v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_1" o:spid="_x0000_s1026" type="#_x0000_t75" style='position:absolute;margin-left:252.4pt;margin-top:.65pt;width:269.05pt;height:250.55pt;z-index:-251658752;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:absolute;mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;mso-position-vertical:absolute;mso-position-vertical-relative:text;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-width-relative:margin;mso-height-relative:margin'>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><![if !vml]><img width="359" height="334" style="width:3.7395in;height:3.4791in" src="cid:image003.jpg@01DA276B.AD3C11F0" align="left" hspace="12" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_1"><![endif]><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">PROVIDENCE,
RI – With the region’s temperature cooling and snowfall likely in the coming weeks, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is reminding businesses, households, community groups, and state and local government agencies to begin preparations
for snow disposal. DEM has developed updated </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><a href="https://dem.ri.gov/sites/g/files/xkgbur861/files/2023-12/snowdisp.pdf"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">guidelines</span></a></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">
to assist organizations with selecting and preparing snow collection sites to minimize impacts on the environment and public health.
<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;color:black"><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;color:black">Snow collected from roads, parking lots, bridges, and sidewalks may contain harmful contaminants such as road salt, sand, pollutants,
and litter that can compromise water supplies. To minimize the risks, DEM advises organizations to:
<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;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="circle">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;line-height:115%;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3;text-autospace:none">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Locate snow collection sites near or on permeable (porous) surfaces in upland areas away from water resources and wells. This will allow snowmelt to filter into the soil,
leaving behind sand and debris. The latter should be removed as soon as possible, but no later than springtime.
<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;mso-add-space:auto;line-height:115%;text-autospace:none">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="circle">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;line-height:115%;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3;text-autospace:none">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Prepare and maintain snow collection sites to maximize their effectiveness. Installing a silt fence or sediment barriers on the down-sloping side of the site, maintaining
a vegetative buffer between the site and adjacent waterbodies, and clearing away debris before and after using the area for snow disposal are effective preparation techniques.
<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;mso-add-space:auto;line-height:115%;text-autospace:none">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="circle">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;margin-bottom:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3;text-autospace:none">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Under normal winter conditions, store and dispose of snow only in upland areas and not in or near waterbodies or wetlands. DEM’s updated
</span><span style="color:windowtext"><a href="https://dem.ri.gov/sites/g/files/xkgbur861/files/2023-12/snowdisp.pdf"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">Snow Disposal Policy</span></a></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">
includes guidance on emergency disposal of snow under extraordinary circumstances when upland snow storage options are exhausted.
<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;color:black">For more information, please contact Jennifer Stout in DEM’s
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><a href="https://dem.ri.gov/environmental-protection-bureau/water-resources"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">Office of Water Resources</span></a></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">
via email at </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><a href="mailto:Jennifer.Stout@dem.ri.gov"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">Jennifer.Stout@dem.ri.gov</span></a></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">
or at (401) 222-4700 x2777726. <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;color:black"><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;color:black">For more information on DEM programs and services, visit
</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:black">.
Follow us on Facebook at </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandDEM__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!PfyWi90ZQAt5dNqkoIpkH6jA03d_1c69CsThrF83Q7mwZXk0Xx4UG5iuJ2XhNlbnAyKsTVeBCAwVRQCFZNELIM-Gn8O7NVV8yyqo$" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandDEM</span> [facebook.com]</a></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">,
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:11.5pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;text-autospace:none">
<b><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">###<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:#1F4E79;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><br>
Evan LaCross, MPA</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:#1F4E79"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:#1F4E79;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Programming Services Officer, Public Affairs<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:#004678;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#767171;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">235 Promenade Street, Providence RI 02908</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#767171;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#767171;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">401-799-0100 (c)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><a href="mailto:evan.lacross@dem.ri.gov"><span style="font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif">evan.lacross@dem.ri.gov</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:gray;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">
</span><span style="font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#767171;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">(E);
</span><span style="mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/"><span style="font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#767171">www.dem.ri.gov</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#767171;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">
(W)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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