WASHINGTON, DC -- In an effort to clean up Narragansett Bay and remove hazardous marine debris from the shoreline, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) today announced a $170,000 federal grant for Rhode Island. This funding, which comes from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), will be used to involve community members in hands-on marine debris removal efforts along the Rhode Island shoreline and educate the public on marine debris issues and prevention.

"I am pleased that Rhode Island and Clean the Bay will receive this federal funding. Marine debris is a major problem in Narragansett Bay. This type of pollution interferes with boating safety, harms coastal industries, kills marine mammals, and poses a threat to human health," said Reed. "This grant will help our communities in the upper Bay restore the watershed for the people, fish, and wildlife that depend on the ecosystem. Clean the Bay is building partnerships across the state and will use this federal investment to remove large debris from our waters and the shoreline."

Clean The Bay is a non-profit organization whose mission is to improve the safety and attractiveness of Narragansett Bay and the Rhode Island shoreline. The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) estimates that there could be 530 tons of debris in the upper Bay.

"Narragansett Bay is an estuary of national significance and provides vital habitat to fish and wildlife. It should not be the dumping ground for marine debris. I hope that the education and outreach provided by this grant will convince everyone to do their part to keep our Bay clean and healthy," concluded Reed.