ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNAL – Public Asked to Comment on East Providence Project
By Peter B. Lord; Journal Environment Writer
The Army Corps of Engineers is seeking public comment on permits requested for the East Pointe Development project proposed for the Ocean State Steel property in East Providence on the Seekonk River and Omega Pond.
The Geonova Development Co. LLC plans to build 495 residential units, 49,800 square feet of office space and 33,250 square feet of retail and restaurant space on what was a heavily contaminated industrial site at Roger Williams and Bourne avenues.
The developers need a permit because the project would affect navigable waters and would include filling wetlands and waterways.
The developers are proposing to build a 1,600-foot riprap revetment backed by a concrete flood zone protection wall. The revetment would affect 11,149 square feet of coastal wetlands.
The developers also plan to place 542 cubic yards of fill below the high tide line.
To compensate for the impacts, the developers are offering to create a half-acre saltmarsh, which would amount to a two-for-one mitigation.
The Army Corps has determined that the project would affect about a half-acre of essential fish habitat, but the impact would not be substantial.
Public notice of the request can be found at www.nae.usace.army.mil.
Comments will be accepted until Aug. 3 at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, Regulatory Division (Attn. Michael Elliott), 696 Virginia Road, Concord, MA 01742-2751.
Additional information may be obtained by calling Elliott at 978- 318-8131 or toll free at 800-343-4789.
Volunteers needed for cove cleanup
The group that has been removing refuse from Narragansett Bay during the last year is looking for volunteers to help with a shoreline cleanup on Wednesday, July 25, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Brush Neck Cove in Warwick.
Volunteers should meet at the cove near Suburban Parkway. Wear closed-toed shoes and bring sunscreen.
The cleanup is being organized by Project Clean Sweep, an organization that is using a federal grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to remove tires, old boats, docks and discarded Navy equipment from the Bay. So far, it has collected more than 900 tons.
To volunteer or to get more information, call Vanessa Venturini at (401) 222-3434. ext. 4401, or go to www.cleanthebay.org
Woonasquatucket group honored
Citizens Bank of Rhode Island and NBC10 recently named the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council as their third-quarter Champion in Action, an award that includes a $25,000 grant as well as extensive media coverage.
The watershed council has been working to restore the river as a natural, historic, recreational and economic resource for Rhode Island. It supports river cleanups, works on cleaning up contaminated shorelines and is pushing for development of a fish passage on the river as it flows from North Smithfield to Narragansett Bay.
The award was announced recently by Joseph J. MarcAurele, chairman, president and CEO of Citizens, and Lisa Churchville, president and general manager of NBC10.
Along with the grant, the award comes with media coverage on Channel 10, volunteer support from Citizens and NBC10, public relations support aand promotional support at Citizens Banks and ATMs.
Jennifer Pereira, executive director of the watershed council, said the award was an amazing honor that “recognizes the impact of the council on the health of the Woonasquatucket River, and acknowledges the significance of environmental restoration and education on the quality of life in our communities.”
Site to be named for John M. Cronin
The late John M. “Jay” Cronin, a longtime state fish and wildlife biologist, will be honored in a ceremony at 10 a.m. tomorrow when a new public river access site on the Pawcatuck River is named after him.
The site adjoins the river at Route 91, one mile east of its intersection with Switch Road in Richmond. The property, formerly known as the Richmond Fishing Access, was donated by Roy and Kim Dubs of Hopkinton.
The ceremony tomorrow will be a formal dedication by the Wood Pawcatuck Watershed Association.
Cronan worked for nearly 40 years for the state Department of Environmental Management and for a short time with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
After his retirement in 1988, he volunteered with the WPWA and other environmental organizations.
During his career at the DEM, Cronan led efforts to acquire many public access sites and open spaces.
“Jay truly cared about his work,” remember his wife, Barbara, of Hope Valley. “He had such a passion for wildlife and the outdoors. He was very personally connected to what he did professionally.”
Lori Urso, executive director of the association, said Cronan was always ready to help with the group’s work. “Jay played an important role in helping WPWA acquire its headquarters on the Wood River in 1993. So now WPWA has a very fitting opportunity to remember and honor him for his contributions.”
DEM Director W. Michael Sullivan will take part in the dedication, which will include members of the community as well as family, friends and co8workers of Cronan.
Brownfields sites about to assessed
The Department of Environmental Management has scheduled a hearing for 3 p.m. Wednesday at DEM headquarters in Providence on the agency’s plans to allocate $200,000 to finance assessment of contaminated industrial sites in Woonsocket, Pawtucket, Central Falls, Warwick, West Warwick, Cranston and Coventry.
The DEM plans to award money for six assessments of the so- called brownfields sites.
The deadline is Oct. 15.
Copies of successful brownfields grant proposals can be obtained from Cynthia Gianfrancesco at (401) 222-4700, ext. 7126, or Cynthia.gianfrancesco@dem.ri.gov or by going to the state’s brownfields Web site at www.brownfields.ri.gov and clicking on “Documents.”
Plans for Route 1 aired Thursday
Plans for revising the Route 1 Corridor in South County will be presented to the public at 8:30 a.m. Thursday at the Kettle Pond Visitor Center on Route 1 in Charlestown.
The Washington County Regional Planning Council is sponsoring a study of the corridor and its impact on residents.
The recommendations are based on the goals of preserving scenic landscapes, developing design practices that can be followed by the five towns in the corridor, investigating traffic safety and studying inter-modal transportation options. For information call (401) 874-6493.
plord@projo.com / (401) 277-8036
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This artist’s rendering shows the project proposed by Geonova Development on the Seekonk River in East Providence. The Army Corps of Engineers is seeking comments on the plan, which would bring housing, office space and shops to the waterfront.
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