R.I. Coastal Regulator Receives Passing Grade from Federal Government
WAKEFIELD, R.I. — The state’s coastal regulatory agency has received a passing grade from the federal government. Federal officials from the Office of Coastal Management in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have deemed the Coastal Resources Management Council to have successfully achieved many of the mandated actions required by the agency’s previous evaluation in 2019. This means the state won’t see a decrease in or withholding of funds as a result of the evaluation alone. Thirty-four states, including Rhode Island, are allowed to regulate development via a federal law and policy known as the National Coastal Zone Management Program. Coastal agencies in participating states receive federal funding to help run their coastal programs, providing both a carrot and a stick for states to ensure they meet federal requirements. CRMC receives around half its total budget, somewhere between $2.5 million and $3.5 million, from federal allocations. The 2025 evaluation lists eight separate accomplishments deemed satisfactory by NOAA officials, ranging from navigating through a series of retirements, to updating penalties for coastal violations, to designating more rights of way.
RIDOT Says Too Many Trees Removed from Highway Site
PROVIDENCE — Contractors hired by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation cleared more trees in an area near routes 1 and 10 than originally intended, according to the agency. Some residents complained in early March when a field of stumps appeared where RIDOT is working on a bridge and street project, saying the number of cut trees seemed excessive. At the time, RIDOT said it had intentionally cleared the trees, but ABC 6 reported later in March that RIDOT said the contractors had cut trees without permission. “We looked into this further with the contractor and determined they did exceed what they were approved to do. And we’re currently working with them to resolve the matter,” RIDOT spokesperson Charles St. Martin wrote in an email to ecoRI News. The ABC 6 story also reported that the excessive tree clearing could cause flooding and erosion, which St. Martin refuted. “All erosion and sediment controls are in place on the site,” he wrote. “We are still discussing that with the contractor, but the contractor would be responsible for the costs.” RIDOT is working in the area to improve the Hunting Viaduct over Elmwood Avenue and Interstate 95. The improvements are a part of Rhode Island’s The I-95 15, a project aimed at fixing or removing 15 bridges in poor, nearing poor, or fair condition in RI, built over the highway.
Experts Predict Intense Allergy Season in New England
Allergy experts and meteorologists alike are predicting a longer, more intense allergy season this year, thanks in part to global heating and the climate crisis. Climate change is leading to higher pollen concentrations and longer pollen seasons, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There was 20% more pollen in 2024, and the season is roughly three weeks longer than in 1990, according to the CDC. This year pollen counts are forecast to spike at levels higher than the historical average at times across parts of 39 states, according to AccuWeather. Residents of the Pacific Northwest and New England can expect the worst when it comes to grass pollen. “You can blame wet and warm weather patterns expected later this year for pollen levels that will reach levels higher than the historical average in many places,” said Alan Reppert, senior meteorologist and allergy expert for AccuWeather. “Millions of people living with seasonal allergies will be struggling with more intense symptoms that will likely stick around longer this year in many areas.” In southern New England, the plants that commonly cause seasonal allergies are wind-pollinated, according to University of Rhode Island plant sciences professor Brian Maynard. The pollen of those plants is tiny and hangs out in the wind, causing the running noses and itchy eyes so common in early spring.
RIDOH Launches Interactive Map of Drinking Water Lines to Assess for Lead
PROVIDENCE — The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) has launched an interactive map of drinking water service lines in the state that shows whether the pipes contain lead. The dashboard shows whether the lines are made of lead, non-lead, or unknown material. Residents can check the materials on both the public and private sides of the service line on their property using the map. The tool is a follow-up to the notification that public water systems sent to residents and business owners in late 2024 identifying whether they receive water through service lines made of lead or unknown material. “Just having a lead service line does not mean that there is lead in your drinking water,” said Jerry Larkin, state director of health. “Public water systems take many steps to keep drinking water safe from lead, including treatment that reduces corrosion and routine testing, with a focus on homes with lead service lines. However, the replacement of all lead service lines in RI is an important additional step in making RI’s drinking water as healthy and safe as possible.”
The Rhode Island Lead Poisoning and Prevention Act requires all lead service lines be replaced by 2033. It also requires public water systems to systematically collect and submit information to RIDOH about the material of all service lines in their distribution systems for the first time. After these inventories were done in 2024, public water systems sent out their notices. In 2020, the statewide number of first-time lead poisoning cases among children 6 and younger increased to 472, up from 388 in 2019, according to RIDOH. Of those 472 cases, 69% were recorded in four cities — Central Falls (Pawtucket Water Supply Board), Pawtucket (Pawtucket Water Supply Board), Providence (Providence Water), and Woonsocket (Woonsocket Water Division) — where 74% of the youth exposed were children of color, according to RIDOH. •
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