DECEMBER 4, 2015--The NOAA Marine Debris Program (MDP) spoke at a kickoff press event for Clean Bays' new Community-Based Marine Debris Removal Grant.

The event was held at Tockwotten on the Waterfront in East Providence, Rhode Island and hosted by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. Other attendees included Senator Jack Reed, Representative James Langevin, Representative David Cicilline, Larry Mouradjian (Assistant Director, Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, Natural Resources) and Bill Fazioli (East Providence Waterfront Commission). Clean Bays received a FY15 Community-Based Marine Debris Removal Grant of $194,800 to remove large debris from shorelines along the Providence River and within Providence Harbor. The Providence River Project intends to remove 165 tons of debris and will leverage NOAA Marine Debris Program funding to obtain over $360,000 in matching funding. A press release issued by the Rhode Island delegation is available here. For more information, contact Keith.Cialino@noaa.gov. Go back to OR&R Weekly Report.