BOSTON – The R.I. Department of Environmental Management will receive $129,000 over two years as part of a pollution-prevention grant being awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA New England announced Nov. 22.
Pollution-prevention grants fund programs that reduce the environmental footprints of businesses through projects that curb or eliminate pollution prior to recycling or waste cleanup.
Under this project, DEM will begin a new initiative that targets facilities with above-ground storage tanks containing hazardous materials or petroleum products in flood-prone coastal communities, for assistance on pollution prevention and risk preparedness.
“By identifying and mapping the tanks … we can better protect our precious waters and support our state’s fisheries, marine trades and tourism industries,” DEM Director Janet Coit said in a statement. •
