City of Providence Receives $200,000 Environmental Protection Agency Grant

City of Providence Receives $200,000 Environmental Protection Agency Grant
1 of 19 Communities Selected for Brownfields Area-Wide Planning (AWP) Program

PROVIDENCE, RI – Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza today announced that the City of
Providence has been selected to receive a $200,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency as part of the Brownfields Area-Wide Planning (AWP) program. The
City will use grant funds to develop a vision, market study, and an area-wide plan
for redeveloping contaminated brownfield sites along the Woonasquatucket River, just
west of downtown Providence.

«I’m excited that Providence has been selected for this opportunity that will allow
us to continue to revitalize such a historic section of the city,» said Mayor
Elorza. «The redevelopment of this area will expand economic development
opportunities, create jobs, and further strengthen the corridor’s role as the
industrial center of activity for the City.»

Providence was selected as 1 of 19 communities to receive approximately $3.8 million
in total funding to assist with community revitalization through the planning for
cleanup and reuse of Brownfield sites. The City has a long history of coordination
with the U.S Environmental Protection Agency focusing on the redevelopment of
contaminated industrial sites in the Valley and Olneyville neighborhoods along the
once heavily contaminated banks of the Woonasquatucket River.

Over the past two years, Mayor Elorza has renewed efforts to build upon the private
sector investments being made in the Valley and Olneyville neighborhoods, most
recently securing over $5 million dollars of State funds for the design and
development of a biking and walking path along the river just west of downtown.

The City expects to begin to engage stakeholders and the public in the planning
process in March and release a vision, market study, and an area-wide plan next
winter.