EPA allots $1.25 million in Brownfields funds
PROVIDENCE – The state of Rhode Island and the city of Providence have been awarded $1.25 million in Brownfields assistance funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to finance site assessment and a statewide cleanup loan program. One-million dollars has been awarded to the state Department of Environmental Management and the state Economic Development Corporation for a state revolving loan fund to help pay for site cleanups. Included among those are the Rau Fastener site in Providence, Royal Mills in West Warwick and the landfill site in East Providence. Providence was awarded $250,000 for site assessment work at the Narragansett Landing site, a 642-acre area off Allens Avenue, considered a key element in the city’s so-called New Cities Initiative.
House panel retains RI third track funds
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Facing cuts in next year’s appropriations bill in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rhode Island’s Third Track Project was restored to its full $17 million funding by the House Appropriations subcommittee on transportation. The final spending bill must still be approved by the Senate. The Third Rail Project involves ading a third rail freight link to existing rail lines in the state linking Quonset Point/Davisville to main freight lines north, west and south. The report on progress of the transportation funding bill was filed by the office of Rep.Robert Weygand.
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Defense bill favors Raytheon, Electric Boat
WASHINGTON, D.C.–A defense spending bill that has passed the U.S. House of Representatives includes authorization for a new Virginia class submarine to be built jointly in fiscal year 2001 by Electric Boat in Groton and Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia. This is part of the Defense Department’s wish to accelerate the production process for the attack submarines, according to Congessional sources and the Providence Journal. The defense authorization bill has moved to the Senate. In addition to the submarine program, the bill includes a total of $85 million in funds authorization for three defense programs at Raytheon’s plant in Portsmouth. They involve radar replacement aboard several Navy and Coast Guard vessels, a joint tactical combat training system for the Navy and Air Force, and the next generation of towed mine-hunting sonar for both helicopters and surface ships. Congressmna Patrick Kennedy’s office also reported that $3.7 million had been authorized for a military hospital research program to reduce errors. Rhode Island Hospital is participating in this research.
R.I. Foundation gets $1.28 million in grants
PROVIDENCE – The Rhode Island Foundation has announced two grants from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation totaling $1.28 million. The grants, for leadership development, $780,000, and the model classroom, $500,000 are the first given by the Gates Foundation to Rhode Island. They are part of the Gates’ three-year $350 million commitment to helping students in the classroom. Under the leadership development program, all 520 of the state’s public and private school leaders and public school superintendents will be asked to participate in seven days of training on the use of technology for school or district improvement planning. It will begin this summer with 80 leaders in a pilot program that will then be used to train the remaining 440 leaders during the following two years. Under the model classroom program 112 classrooms in 56 Rhode Island schools will be set up with computers -one for every four students–that will be linked with each other and tied into the Internet.
FISH EXPO 2000 moving to R.I.
PORTLAND, Maine – The FISH EXPO is moving to Providence this year. The EXPO, which draws commercial fishers, seafood processors, workboat operators and builders and related equipment will feature the introduction of the WorkBoat Atlantic. The EXPO is scheduled for October 12-14 this year at the Rhode Island Convention Center and is expected to attract 300 exhibitors using 400 booths.
Citizens ties in with Internet consultant
PROVIDENCE – Citizens Bank has brought in a consultant, Zefer Corp. of Boston, to help smooth its progress into the growing e-commerce market. Zefer will also help Citizens’ Internet division, e-Business introduce a new venture capital scheme to be called CiFi e-Ventures Catalyst. This unit will seek new companies developing online financial services products and offer access to those products for an ownership stake. Citizens is paying $12 million for Zefer’s services in a three-year contract, along with an unspecified equity stake in the company. Zefer was formed two years ago with 20 employees and has grown to have more than 600 employees around this country and in London. It claims more than 100 clients, including Burger King. The company reaped $55 million in revenues last year.
Navy to renovate housing units
NEWPORT – The U.S. Navy has awarded $24.5 million in construction contracts to renovate nearly 250 units of housing for the officers at the Naval Station in Newport. The Nutmeg Companies of Norwich, Conn. Won a $15,687,020 contract to renovate 150 units at Greene Lane in Newport and 10 units at Rainbow Heights in Portsmouth. Volmar Construction, Inc. of Brooklyn, NY was awarded an $8,832,000 contract to rebuild 88 units at Melville Housing in Portsmouth.
