NBC, CRMC celebrate Earth Day with Woonasquatucket cleanup

April 13 , 2006, PROVIDENCE—The Narragansett Bay Commission, along with the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council, and with help from the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council, the RI Department of Transportation, RI Resources Recovery Corporation and the City of Providence, will hold an annual Earth Day clean up of the Woonasquatucket River on Thursday, April 20, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. (The rain date is April 21.)

“I instituted the Narragansett Bay Commission’s Chairman’s Woonasquatucket River Initiative in 2002 in response to the chronic pollution visible on the river,” said NBC Chairman Vincent Mesolella. “It was then, and remains now, our goal to involve Commission employees, local business owners, and members of the community as we reclaim the Woonasquatucket as a valuable community resource. I’m proud to say that over past four years, we have removed hundreds of tons of debris, as well as thousands of tires and shopping carts from the river. With the cooperation of our partners this year, we fully expect the 2006 clean up to be our largest ever.”

The Narragansett Bay Commission (NBC) has been organizing and holding Earth Day cleanup events since the 1990s, and officially established the River Restoration Initiative in 2002 to restore the Woonasquatucket River in Providence.

Those interested in taking part in the cleanup should contact Kimberly Gaudette at NBC, at (401) 461-8848 ext. 391, or email rivers@narrabay.com to register for the event. Participants are advised to wear long pants and long-sleeve shirts, closed toe shoes and a hat to provide sun protection. Waders or boots, gloves, goggles, and other appropriate equipment will be provided at the cleanup, as well as personal protective equipment like bug spray and sunscreen.

In addition to the typical garbage, annual river cleanups have also unearthed other items, from wagon wheels and bottles dating from the 18th century to shopping carts, tires, wallets, coins and syringes.

“The CRMC is proud to be a co-sponsor of the Narragansett Bay Commission’s annual Earth Day Woonasquatucket River Cleanup,” said CRMC Chairman Michael M. Tikoian. “This river is a valuable resource for the City of Providence, and has been the focus of the downtown revitalization efforts to provide public access along the river. The CRMC is in the process of developing the Metro Bay Special Area Management Plan (SAMP) to better manage and preserve this vital river resource. We are proud to add our hands to this event.”

Event Flyer (PDF)