PROVIDENCE, RI - U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) today joined with Save The Bay's new Executive Director, Jonathan Stone, and Anthony B. Simeone, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Clean Water Finance Agency, to discuss over $116 million in federal aid to reduce pollution, improve our energy efficiency, create green jobs, bolster our clean-water infrastructure, and preserve the Ocean State's coastal and marine resources. This federal funding includes over $71.3 million for clean water projects throughout the state and $45 million to make Rhode Island more energy efficient.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which Senator Reed supported and President Obama signed into law, invests more than $20 billion in a cleaner, greener economy, including $500 million for green job training. It also contains a number of important investments that will improve Rhode Island's water quality and energy efficiency, and create green jobs throughout the state, including:

• $26.5 million to repair and replace aging sewer lines and waste water treatment plants and upgrade storm water control infrastructure;
• $23.96 million to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy projects to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels;
• $20.07 million to help low-income Rhode Islanders weatherize homes and modernize heating and air conditioning equipment that will save energy and reduce utility bills; and
• $19.5 million to build and modernize drinking water facilities.

Additionally, the Fiscal Year 2009 Consolidated Appropriations Bill, which was passed earlier this month also provides federal aid for Rhode Island clean energy and water projects, including:

• $12.7 million in clean water and drinking water funds;
• $8.4 million that Senator Reed and members of Rhode Island's Congressional delegation secured for a variety of energy and water projects throughout the state, including dredging, wastewater, and flood protection funding that would help prevent soil erosion and pollution run off from streets and parking lots that flow into local streams and the Bay;
• $4.2 million that Senator Reed and members of Rhode Island's Congressional delegation secured to study, monitor, restore, and protect the Bay and support environmental education efforts by non-profit groups like Save The Bay; and
• $1 million in funding for weatherization assistance.

"We can protect the environment while creating economic growth and job creation. This federal funding will help create green jobs and preserve the Bay. We are investing over $47.7 million in clean water infrastructure so that our cities and towns can scale back pollution that would otherwise reach the Bay. This is labor intensive work that will help create construction and civil engineering jobs for unemployed and underemployed workers throughout the state," said Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee. "This bill will also help make our state more energy efficient. By investing in new, clean energy technologies today we will help consumers, businesses, and taxpayers save on their energy bills for years to come and decrease our dependence on foreign oil."

"This federal funding would not have been possible without the forceful support of Rhode Island's congressional delegation," said Save The Bay Executive Director Jonathan Stone. "Save The Bay has worked closely with Senator Reed to advocate for these specific investments. Each of these initiatives is part and parcel of Save The Bay's long-term focus on water quality, environmental stewardship, climate change, science education, habitat restoration and environmentally sound economic development."

"The RICWFA is certainly grateful to Senator Reed for all of his hard work in providing us with stimulus monies to further improve water quality in the State of Rhode Island. We will be able to leverage those sums to over $100 million for water pollution abatement and drinking water projects," said Anthony B. Simeone, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Clean Water Finance Agency.

Reed also noted that the economic recovery package includes $170 million in competitive grants that will allow non-profit environmental groups to fund habitat restoration projects through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).