RI Delegation Announces $2.34 Million to Remove Hazardous Former Point Street Bridge Pilings from Providence River

Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Representatives Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo today announced that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has awarded a $2,344,000 grant to the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) to remove toxic and hazardous debris remnants of the old Point Street Bridge from the Providence River.

"This $2.34 million grant will help advance removal of toxic and hazardous debris remnants of the old Point Street Bridge and mitigate the navigational hazards for neighbors, visitors, boaters, and others. Removing this pollution increases safety, supports our local marine ecosystems, and will help further cement Providence's place as an inviting city to live, work, and visit," said Reed.

"Old pilings in the Providence River are more than an eyesore - they create pollution and impede navigation. I am very glad CRMC and the Nature Conservancy have this federal funding to finally clear decaying debris from the gateway to our capital city," said Whitehouse, a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and a longtime champion for cleaning up marine debris in the Ocean State and around the world.

"Removing hazardous debris from the Providence River is good for the environment, the local economy, and Rhode Islanders' quality of life," said Magaziner, member of House Natural Resources Committee. "This new federal funding will make the river safer for boaters and strengthen Providence's waterfront for residents and visitors alike."

"The deteriorating wooden pilings from the former Point Street Bridge pollute the Providence River and impede marine navigation,"said Amo, Ranking Member of the Environment Subcommittee, which oversees NOAA's climate and weather-related work. "In collaboration with our Rhode Island Congressional Delegation, I'm thrilled to celebrate federal funding from NOAA to clear these pilings and restore the ecosystem. I will continue to fight in Congress to support NOAA and ensure Rhode Islanders have clean, easy-to-navigate waterways."

Built in 1927, the old Point Street Bridge spanned 529 feet across the Providence River and was originally protected by a wooden timber fender system. The bridge is no longer operational, and its severely deteriorated wooden timbers remain in place, posing risks to the environment and navigation. CRMC will partner with the Rhode Island chapter of the Nature Conservancy to remove approximately 250 tons of creosote timbers, swing station pilings, and sub-aquatic bridge debris. This cleanup will help restore the ecosystem and result in healthier fisheries across the Narragansett Bay Estuary. The project will also enhance navigational safety and restore the natural viewshed, supporting tourism and recreation in Providence's vibrant waterfront district.

The grant comes from NOAA's Marine Debris Program alongside more than $26.4 million in federal funding for 13 new projects to remove large marine debris in communities across the country. Funding for the Marine Debris Program was included in Democrats' historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Senators Reed and Whitehouse helped pass in 2022.

Whitehouse and Senator Dan Sullivan's (R-AK) bipartisan bill reauthorizing NOAA's Marine Debris Program was included in the Save Our Seas 2.0 Amendments Act, which passed the Senate in May. Whitehouse and Sullivan had previously teamed up on the Save Our Seas and Save Our Seas 2.0 laws, which were the most comprehensive legislation ever passed by Congress to reduce marine debris.