Tiverton seeks economic plan

The economic-development group, along with the Newport County Chamber of Commerce, will commission the study, which will seek to identify ways to diversify Tiverton’s commercial tax base while maintaining its historic and rural character.

The study will include a market analysis; a review of the town’s public-infrastructure needs; and a review of best practices of four similar New England communities. Also, a 24-question survey will be mailed to 600 business owners in town, soliciting input on the pros and cons of doing business in Tiverton.

Two public meetings also are planned to discuss the town’s economic climate. The first will be 7 p.m., Sept. 24 at the Sakonnet Bay Manor, 1215 Main Road in Tiverton.

Filtration aimed at protecting Pawtuxet River

PROVIDENCE – The state broke ground recently on a $755,000 construction project aimed at preventing contaminated stormwater runoff from flowing into the Pawtuxet River.

The project includes an advanced filtering system that will remove sediment from the runoff that comes from a nearly 90-acre watershed that includes sections of Interstate 95 and Route 10 in Providence and Cranston.

In all, three separate systems will remove sediment, nitrogen, phosphorus and other contaminants such as oil and grease. The project is a cooperative effort between the Rhode Island Department of Transportation and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.

The projects partly are in response to this summer’s frequent beach closures and thousands of dead fish in Greenwich Bay from stormwater runoff, according to a press release from Gov. Don Carcieri’s office. The governor also announced that he has assembled a team of scientists to study pollution in Narragansett Bay and recommend plans for the bay’s protection.