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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: Kim Keough DEM. communications@ dem. ri. gov FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, January 13, 2025</div>
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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><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 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><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">CONTACT: Kim Keough</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:DEM.communications@dem.ri.gov"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">DEM.communications@dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Monday, January 13, 2025</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p align="center" style="margin:0in;text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">WORK TO REMOVE EYESORE IN PROVIDENCE RIVER BEGINS THIS WEEK<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">PROVIDENCE, RI –<span style="color:black"> The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
</span></span><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!Ml4VL3__zv-ZEiZS78xmPe0Xun2TVPGDCBzZ5Pl8LupSPzmWJ7ks27R2TtGcv388Y01qt8a6XKZXFqIOuxBIegUKqW1Qpb1na6YV$"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">Marine Debris Program</span> [marinedebris.noaa.gov]</a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"> and
</span><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://magaziner.house.gov/media/press-releases/ri-delegation-announces-15-million-remove-languishing-sunken-crane-topped__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!Ml4VL3__zv-ZEiZS78xmPe0Xun2TVPGDCBzZ5Pl8LupSPzmWJ7ks27R2TtGcv388Y01qt8a6XKZXFqIOuxBIegUKqW1QpVvmAyfT$"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">the Congressional Delegation</span> [magaziner.house.gov]</a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">
announce that work to remove the derelict, sunken crane-topped barge in the Providence River will begin this week.
</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><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">The removal project is funded by a grant of more than
</span><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/removal/removing-large-debris-improve-providence-s-working-waterfront__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!Ml4VL3__zv-ZEiZS78xmPe0Xun2TVPGDCBzZ5Pl8LupSPzmWJ7ks27R2TtGcv388Y01qt8a6XKZXFqIOuxBIegUKqW1QpfNjQVK6$"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">$1.5 million from the NOAA Marine Debris Program with funding provided by
the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law</span> [marinedebris.noaa.gov]</a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">. The project will remove up to 400,000 pounds of large marine debris from the environment while engaging the community and ensuring a safe, beautiful
waterfront is accessible to all. The sunken steel-hulled barge has been in the river since 2017, presenting a navigational hazard, ecological concerns, and limitations to recreational and economic activities for nearby residents in an environmental justice
community. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">In collaboration with
</span><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.thesteelyard.org/__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!Ml4VL3__zv-ZEiZS78xmPe0Xun2TVPGDCBzZ5Pl8LupSPzmWJ7ks27R2TtGcv388Y01qt8a6XKZXFqIOuxBIegUKqW1QpRUgDh9B$"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">The Steel Yard</span> [thesteelyard.org]</a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">, materials recovered from the barge’s hull will be used
to construct community-informed art and amenities at the Public Street coastal right of way. DEM is also partnering with
</span><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://savebay.org/__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!Ml4VL3__zv-ZEiZS78xmPe0Xun2TVPGDCBzZ5Pl8LupSPzmWJ7ks27R2TtGcv388Y01qt8a6XKZXFqIOuxBIegUKqW1QpVTZXA6r$"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">Save The Bay</span> [savebay.org]</a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"> to host volunteer marine debris cleanups after the barge is removed.
These efforts are deeply rooted to </span><a href="https://dem.ri.gov/about-us/featured-initiatives"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">DEM’s strategic goals</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">
of advancing </span><a href="https://dem.ri.gov/environmental-protection-bureau/initiatives/environmental-justice"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">environmental justice</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">
through community engagement and sustainability through reuse of the salvaged materials.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"> <b> <o:p>
</o:p></b></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;background:white"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">“I’m glad to see that the removal of this sunken barge is moving forward. Removing this eyesore and safety hazard
has been a years-long effort,” <b>said Senator Jack Reed. </b>“Thanks to the role of my colleague, Senator Whitehouse, federal funding is helping to mitigate this hazard, make this area more accessible, and engage community partners who will repurpose the
salvaged materials to create new, exciting works of art.”</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;background:white"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#242424">“Finally getting this sunken barge out of the water is a big deal. I look forward to seeing what The Steel Yard, Save the Bay, and talented Rhode Island
students will do to clean up the Providence River and turn the eyesore into artwork,” <b>said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse</b>, a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee who has sponsored bipartisan legislation to reauthorize NOAA’s
Marine Debris Program.</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;background:white;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"><br>
<span style="border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">“Art and activism often go hand in hand, and this federal funding will be used to not only clean up the ocean but also beautify the community with art from repurposed materials,” <b>said Congressman Seth
Magaziner</b>.</span></span><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#242424;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in;background:white">“I’m glad federal funding from NOAA will be used to bring together state and community organizations to transform
a hazardous eyesore into public art,”</span><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#212121;background:white"> said Congressman Gabe Amo</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#212121;background:white">.<b>
</b>“</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#242424;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in;background:white">Removing this derelict debris is an important step in our collective effort to improve the Providence River and I join my
delegation colleagues in celebrating that this work is underway.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">“We are excited to support the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management and their important work in Providence,"
<b>said Demi Fox, Northeast Regional Coordinator for the NOAA Marine Debris Program</b>. "Not only is this project removing harmful marine debris, but it will also engage the community in transforming materials recovered from the barge into public waterfront amenities
and artwork that raises awareness about marine debris prevention.” </span><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><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">“The crane's removal is long overdue, and I'm excited to see what our state's talented artists and students create to turn this blight into something beautiful,”<b> said Governor
Dan McKee</b>. “This federal funding from NOAA will aid in cleaning up Providence’s waterfront, making it safer for vessels, while also supporting the incredible work of The Steel Yard to empower local artists and strengthen our community.”<b> <o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#242424">"This abandoned barge has long been a safety and environmental risk for our neighbors, and I am thrilled that DEM is moving forward with its removal,”
<b>said Providence Mayor Brett P. Smiley</b>. "This project will not only improve navigation and remove harmful materials from our water, but also create an opportunity for community-driven art, underscoring Providence's representation as the ‘Creative Capital.’
I want to thank NOAA for providing the federal funding that has made this important work possible, helping us transform our waterfront into a safer, healthier and more welcoming space for all."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">“DEM is grateful for the federal funding provided by NOAA’s Marine Debris Program, which will allow us to remove the barge, a priority we’ve had for years,”
<b>said DEM Director Terry Gray</b>.<b> </b>“The removal will not only enhance public access to the waterfront around Public Street, but our partnership with The Steel Yard to repurpose the steel into an art installation is a win-win for the entire community.”
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">Preliminary diving and surveying work by contractor</span>
<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.northstar.com/__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!Ml4VL3__zv-ZEiZS78xmPe0Xun2TVPGDCBzZ5Pl8LupSPzmWJ7ks27R2TtGcv388Y01qt8a6XKZXFqIOuxBIegUKqW1QpV9FFl7X$"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">NorthStar</span> [northstar.com]</a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"> will be followed by the removal of the crane from the derelict barge,
succeeded by lifting the wreck off the seabed and towing it to a local recycling yard for processing.</span>
<span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">Water quality testing will be performed before, during and after removal to ensure no contaminants are released from the barge. A silt curtain will also be in place to keep debris from floating
downstream. A shellfish survey will be performed before removal to assess the habitat of the area. All necessary permits for the project have been acquired. DEM is in close collaboration
</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">the </span><a href="http://www.crmc.ri.gov/aquaculture.html"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">RI Coastal Resources Management Council</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">
(CRMC)<span style="color:black">, the </span></span><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.nae.usace.army.mil/__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!Ml4VL3__zv-ZEiZS78xmPe0Xun2TVPGDCBzZ5Pl8LupSPzmWJ7ks27R2TtGcv388Y01qt8a6XKZXFqIOuxBIegUKqW1QpdMDFlkz$"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">US Army Corps of Engineers</span> [nae.usace.army.mil]</a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">
(USACE), and </span><a href="https://dem.ri.gov/about-us/dem-offices/commissions/rhode-island-derelict-abandoned-vessel-obstruction-removal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">Rhode Island Derelict and Abandoned Vessel and Obstruction
Removal Commission</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"> o</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">n the project.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">For more information on DEM programs and initiatives, visit
</span><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">www.dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">. Follow
</span><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandDEM__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!Ml4VL3__zv-ZEiZS78xmPe0Xun2TVPGDCBzZ5Pl8LupSPzmWJ7ks27R2TtGcv388Y01qt8a6XKZXFqIOuxBIegUKqW1QpcoU483v$"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">DEM on Facebook</span> [facebook.com]</a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">, Twitter/X (@RhodeIslandDEM), or Instagram (@rhodeisland.dem)
for timely updates. </span><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/JKHsVOn/medialist__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!Ml4VL3__zv-ZEiZS78xmPe0Xun2TVPGDCBzZ5Pl8LupSPzmWJ7ks27R2TtGcv388Y01qt8a6XKZXFqIOuxBIegUKqW1Qpdki19Lh$"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF">Sign up here</span> [lp.constantcontactpages.com]</a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"> to receive the latest
press releases, news, and events from DEM's Public Affairs Office to your inbox.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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