For Release: March 23, 1999

Contact: Richard Sisson 222-3075

Bob Ballou 222-4700 ext. 4420

George Welly, Acting Director of the Department of Environmental Management, announced today that the Performance Partnership Agreement (PPA) between DEM and the federal Environmental Protection Agency for federal fiscal year 1999 has been signed by John DeVillars, EPA New England Region administrator. The PPA provides the framework for all work performed by DEM with EPA funding. The signed accord qualifies DEM to receive $4.7 million from EPA for fiscal year 1999.

"The PPA reflects the continuing changes in the way we do business at DEM," said Welly. "We used to develop programs on an ad hoc basis, pursuant to many separate agreements and funding sources. Now, all our EPA-funded programs, including air, water, waste, and pesticide regulation, are under the umbrella of one agreement to strategically protect public health and the environment. In addition to being a better-coordinated process, the PPA also serves as a more effective mechanism for incorporating input from the public and the regulated community on programmatic priorities."

Welly added, "The PPA gives us a three-way snapshot of each program it covers -- where we started, what we accomplished in the last year, and where we plan to go. Documenting this information, presenting it to the EPA, and sharing it with the public establishes clear accountability for our efforts."

"This year's PPA shows how much environmental programs at DEM are growing and improving," said Robert Mendoza, Director of Rhode Island programs for EPA's New England Office. "Some of the more significant changes involve the way DEM and EPA work on water issues. The Department is working with stakeholders to draft a new watershed approach that looks at watersheds as dynamic systems in need of integrated management. This approach, already being used in the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed, also involves working cooperatively with communities and non-governmental agencies to develop priorities and strategies to protect watersheds across municipal lines. EPA and DEM will continue to focus on better integration of our programs to achieve environmental results that the public understands and supports."

Other changes in DEM's water resources protection program include the Department's intensified focus on impaired water bodies (those that do not meet current water quality standards) to determine their Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)-the maximum amounts of pollutants that can be discharged into a body of water without violating water quality standards. Determining TMDLs is a complex process, but the data it produces are quite valuable in helping to set environmentally sound discharge limits in permits. The Department recently completed a TMDL study of Stafford Pond in Tiverton. Ten more TMDL studies are planned for this year, as well as restoration plans for five bodies of water.

In addition to bolstering accountability, adopting more holistic approaches, and increasing public participation, DEM is also responding to new scientific advances. Recent research has shown that very small particles in the air, particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, can cause sickness and premature death. In response, DEM has installed six stations to monitor fine particulates, and the Department plans to install up to three more stations this year. This new air monitoring system will produce the data needed to determine the extent of the problem and the actions to be taken to address the problem.

DEM is also working to revitalize urban environments to achieve environmental equity for all citizens and to help maintain a healthy economy. Partnering with the Providence Plan, DEM applied to EPA to designate the Woonasquatucket River Greenway as one of sixteen brownfields showcase communities, earning a $200,000 award to facilitate cleanup and reuse of two contaminated properties. DEM has also been working with rural communities, such as those in the Scituate Reservoir and Wood-Pawcatuck River Watersheds, to develop zoning techniques to protect rural character by channeling development to the most appropriate areas.

A copy of the FY99 Performance Partnership Agreement may be obtained by contacting DEM's Office of Strategic Planning and Policy at 222-3434.