Rhode Island leaders voiced support for investments in clean water, climate resilience, outdoor recreation, green infrastructure farmland and open space.
EAST PROVIDENCE - Senate Finance Committee Chairman Louis P. DiPalma and Rep. Megan L. Cotter joined the Rhode Island Green Bond Initiative today at the Crescent Park Carousel in East Providence for the kickoff of its campaign to gain voter support for $55 million contained in the 2026 Green Bond.
The bond includes funding to improve waterways, farm and land conservation, outdoor recreation and green infrastructure. Key elected officials at the event stressed the importance of preserving Rhode Island’s water, land and quality of life for future generations.
Click here to download photos and video from this morning’s press conference.
“From the conservation of open space and farmland to investments in resiliency, recreation and critical infrastructure, the important initiatives supported through this year’s $55 million Green Economy Bond will help us continue to harness Rhode Island’s strengths while preserving and protecting the physical landscape that defines our state, said Senator DiPalma (D-Dist. 12, Middletown, Little Compton, Newport, Tiverton). “I urge all Rhode Islanders to support Question 5.”
“Just like we need housing, healthcare and affordable food, we need a clean environment and trees that cool the earth and contribute to healthy air and water. Green bonds fund these basic necessities while also improving the quality of life all over Rhode Island and boosting our economy,” said Representative Cotter (D-Dist. 39, Exeter, Richmond, Hopkinton). “The green bond is an investment that provides the cleaner, healthier and more enjoyable environment that every Rhode Islander deserves.”
“This Green Bond is an investment in the Rhode Island we envision for our children and grandchildren – a state where strong communities, a healthy environment, and a resilient economy move forward together,” said DEM Director Terry Gray. “By investing today in the infrastructure, natural resources, and places that define our state, we are creating a stronger foundation for opportunity, protecting what makes Rhode Island special, and building a future where every community can thrive.”
“Many East Providence parks have benefited from the green bond, including Crescent Park beach, which is right across the street,” said East Providence Mayor Bob DaSilva. “Every year, we lose more and more of our shoreline from storms like what we had this past weekend. Through the $1.8 million bond from the 2022 green bond, we will be able to continue to protect that shoreline. We urge everyone to support this bond come November.”
"We are working in Esmond Village, in the town of Smithfield, on a watershed project that will help reduce flooding,” said Alicia Leherer, executive cirector of the Woonasquatucket River Watershed. "The Esmond Village Linear Natural Infrastructure Park project offers many benefits: it will revitalize the commercial center in Esmond, provide recreational space for residents, and improve water quality and flood resilience. With more frequent rain and flooding like what we saw this past weekend, we need to look to the future and be bolder if we truly want to become a resilient state.”
The ‘Yes on 5’ campaign will include paid and grassroots outreach to educate the public on the benefits of the Green Bond and encourage Rhode Islanders to vote yes on the $55 million ballot question in November. In the past three general elections in which a Green Bond question was on the ballot, voters in Rhode Island approved it by more than 65%. This year, the election will be held on Tuesday, November 3. To learn more about the ‘Yes on 5’ campaign, visit rigreenbond.com
The ‘Yes on 5’ campaign is composed of over 10 environmental organizations and stakeholders advocating for voter support of the $55 million Green Bond ballot question. The Green Bond will fund the improvement of waterways, farm and land conservation, outdoor recreation and green infrastructure projects. These investments will protect Rhode Island’s water, land, and quality of life for future generations. To learn more about the ‘Yes on 5’ campaign, visit rigreenbond.com
For more information, contact:
Meredyth R. Whitty, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 222-1923
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