The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management recently announced that it has awarded more than $3 million in grants to local and state governments, non-profit organizations, and community groups. These grants, funded by the Narragansett Bay and Watersheds Restoration Fund, aim to support various environmental projects across the state, including one in Barrington. 

Among the 2024 grant recipients is the Town of Barrington, which received $44,000 for the “Water Way End-of-Road Retrofit” project. 

In partnership with Save the Bay, Barrington will retrofit an existing stormwater management structure to better address stormwater pollution and improve regular maintenance. The project includes installing a tree trench to reduce stormwater runoff and a sediment fore-bay at the end of Water Way.

Some of the grant money comes from the voter-approved 2022 Green Bond, supplemented by additional funding from previous bonds. DEM received more than 30 grant proposals. The funded projects are categorized into three areas: Non-point source and stormwater pollution control, flood prevention and mitigation, and riparian buffer and aquatic habitat restoration.

Eligible projects include floodplain restoration, removal of impervious surfaces, re-vegetation in flood-prone areas, and culvert replacements.