State Question 3 – Green Economy Bonds

On the November 8th General Election ballot is “Question 3 – Green Economy Bonds”. These are not to exceed $50,000,000 for environmental and recreational purposes.

Charlestown has received money from the Local Land Acquisition Matching Grant Program, funded by open space and green economy bonds, to purchase South Farm, the Patricia Sprague Forest Preserve, Tucker Woods Preserve and other projects. This year, Charlestown received $400,000 to purchase the 100-acre Sawmill Pond Watershed, but moving toward that purchase is currently blocked by Town Councilors Carney and Klinger.

Despite the current opposition to land conservation in Charlestown from Councilors Carney and Klinger, passage of “State Question 3” would allow Charlestown to continue to apply for state funds to purchase land that protects critical and uncommon habitats, supports rare or endangered species, expands other protected land, protects surface water bodies and groundwater for drinking water, and provides public access for passive recreation. It would also provide the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management with funds to do their own land acquisition.

“Question 3” would also allow Charlestown to apply for grants for coastal resiliency and protection of vulnerable coastal habitats, would provide funds to maintain forest and wildlife habitat in Burlingame, and would provide money for local active recreation grants.

Open space and green economy bonds have been consistently supported by 65% to 78% of Charlestown voters in every general election for over 20 years. We hope Charlestown voters will again vote for passage of these environmental bonds and also vote for members of the Town Council who will allow grants received by our town from these bonds to be spent in our own town.

The Question 3 – Green Economy Bonds are to be allocated as follows:

(a) Municipal Resiliency $16,000,000
Provides sixteen million dollars ($16,000,000) for up to seventy-five percent (75%) matching grants to municipalities for restoring and/or improving resiliency of infrastructure, vulnerable coastal habitats, and restoring rivers and stream floodplains. These funds are expected to leverage significant matching funds to support local programs to improve community resiliency and public safety in the face of increased flooding, major storm events, and environmental degradation.
(b) Small Business Energy Loan Program $5,000,000
Provides five million dollars ($5,000,000) for grants for small businesses to remove impediments to clean energy project implementation and would provide zero interest and below market rate loans for clean energy projects.
(c) Narragansett Bay and Watershed Restoration $3,000,000
Provides three million dollars ($3,000,000) for activities to restore and protect the water quality and enhance the economic viability and environmental sustainability of Narragansett Bay and the state’s watersheds. Eligible activities include nonpoint source pollution abatement, including stormwater management; nutrient loading abatement; commercial, industrial and agricultural pollution abatement; and riparian buffer and watershed ecosystem restoration.
(d) Forest Restoration $3,000,000
Provides three million dollars ($3,000,000) to maintain forest and wildlife habitat and infrastructure on state properties, including state management areas.
(e) Brownfields Remediation and Economic Development $4,000,000
Provides four million dollars ($4,000,000) for up to eighty percent (80%) matching grants to public, private, and/or nonprofit entities for brownfield remediation projects.
(f) State Land Acquisition Program $3,000,000
Provides three million dollars ($3,000,000) for the State to acquire fee simple interest or conservation easements to open space, farmland, watershed, and recreation lands.
(g) Local Land Acquisition Matching Grant Program $2,000,000
Provides two million dollars ($2,000,000) for up to fifty percent (50%) matching grants to municipalities, local land trusts and nonprofit organizations to acquire fee-simple interest, development rights, or conservation easements on open space and urban parklands.
(h) Local Recreation Development Matching Grant Program $2,000,000
Provides two million dollars ($2,000,000) for up to eighty percent (80%) matching grants to municipalities to acquire, develop, or rehabilitate local public recreational facilities in Rhode Island.
(i) Roger Williams Park and Zoo $12,000,000
Provides twelve million dollars ($12,000,000) for Roger Williams Park and Zoo for the construction of a state-of-the-art-carbon-neutral education center.

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Banner image is a photograph of a Great Horned Owlet in Charlestown by John Zoldak. Protecting open space allows owls and other wildlife to reproduce and successfully raise their young for continuing generations of wildlife to survive, and for continuing generations of Charlestown residents to enjoy.