Today, Majority Leader Jo-Ann Ryan (Ward 5) announced that the construction phase of the Pleasant Valley Stream – Stormwater Management Project will begin as early as this week.
The project is the first to use tree filtration systems to clean stormwater and groundwater runoff in the City of Providence. Majority Leader Jo-Ann Ryan joins with partners including the Providence Parks Department, Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council, Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT), Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM), GROUNDWORK Rhode Island, and the Friends of the Pleasant Valley Parkway in bringing this project to fruition. The project first began in 2016 through community discussions and with neighborhood surveys.
“Stormwater mitigation is important to the ecosystem of the Pleasant Valley Parkway and stream,” stated Majority Leader Jo-Ann Ryan, Ward 5 Councilwoman. “As a resident of the Parkway, I know first-hand the challenges that flooding has caused residents living in this corridor. And because the Pleasant Valley Parkway is the largest section of the Woonasquatucket River that makes ground in a residential neighborhood, we must ensure that the area’s stormwater runoff is cleared of contaminants and pollutants. This is not only good for the environment but also benefits the Narragansett Bay cleaning effort. This is yet another step towards making Providence a greener and more sustainable City.”
Since 2016 there has been robust community outreach and engagement to the residents along this corridor. Partners have conducted programming, and have helped neighbors by retrofitting their homes with rain barrels, permeable pavers, and rain gardens. This project does not only include the installation of tree filters, but it also includes other plantings that are both aesthetically pleasing but help to clean and slow the runoff that is caused by heavy rains. These systems that are being installed are designed to purify stormwater runoff, and will work towards keeping one of Rhode Island’s most precious resources clean of pollution and contaminants. In addition to this structural project educational signage, and pet waste collection stations will be installed throughout the Pleasant Valley Parkway.
The city received grant funding from RIDOT and the DEM for this project back in 2016 and has recently received final design approval moving the project forward. The project is estimated to be completed by the end of August of this year.
About Tree Filtration Systems:
Tree filter systems integrate common street trees with stormwater collection to achieve a viable and sustainable alternative to a traditional “end of pipe” system, while still meeting stormwater management and remediation goals. Tree filter systems utilize the principal of “bioretention” – the natural process by which chemicals and sediments are removed from stormwater runoff prior to subsurface infiltration.
City Council President Sabina Matos (Ward 15) and City Council President Pro Tempore Michael J. Correia (Ward 6) co-sponsored a resolution endorsing and urging passage by the General Assembly of House Resolution 2019 H-5665 and Senate Resolution 2019 S-0659. These resolutions request an assessment of the benefits to Rhode Island of enactment of the Green New Deal that was proposed at the Federal level and supported by the Rhode Island delegation.
“For too long, too many people have thought of Climate Change as something that doesn’t affect them, and has no bearing on their daily life or routine,” stated City Council President Sabina Matos. “The Green New Deal does not only have the potential to stimulate the economy but will also help mitigate issues that stem from a changing climate. Including dealing with our rising sea level, which has major ramifications for the city of Providence and the state of Rhode Island. The time is now for us to work to plan for a brighter future for Providence, Rhode Island, and our nation. I believe that the Green New Deal can play a major role in creating jobs, and creating a greener and more resilient planet.”
The Green New Deal (GND) is a proposed federal stimulus program that aims to address climate change and economic inequality. The name refers to the New Deal, a set of social and economic reforms and public work projects undertaken in response to the Great Depression. The GND combines the economic approach instituted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt with 21st-century ideas such as renewable energy and resource efficiency.
Providence City Council to Recognize the Week of April 17 as
Cambodian Genocide Remembrance Week
City Council President Sabina Matos (Ward 15) and City Council President Pro Tempore Michael J. Correia (Ward 6) co-sponsored a resolution which will recognize the week of April 17 as “Cambodian Genocide Remembrance Week” to commemorate the genocide of over two million Cambodians from 1975 to 1979 during the Khmer Rouge Regime.
“Rhode Island is home to nearly 13 thousand Cambodians, and as we just celebrated the Cambodian New Year, it seems fitting that we formally recognize and remember all those who were lost during the Khmer Rouge Regime,” stated Council President Sabina Matos. “As an immigrant, I know how difficult it can be to move to a new country where you don’t speak the language and likely don’t know many people. I can’t imagine what it must have been like for those 140,000 Cambodian refugees that came to the United States in 1979 after losing so many loved ones and leaving everything behind. Recognizing this week every year will be a reminder to take stock of all the sacrifices that were made by so many, and celebrating the contributions that the Cambodian community has made and continues to make to our city and state.”
The resolution calls for the week of April 17 to be recognized as “Cambodian Genocide Remembrance Week” in perpetuity to commemorate the Cambodian genocide that took place between 1975 and 1979, and in honor of this week the Cambodian flag will be flown over Providence City Hall.
City Council to Recognize May 5 – May 11 as Providence Small Business Week
City Council President Sabina Matos (Ward 15) and City Council President Pro Tempore Michael J. Correia (Ward 6) co-sponsored a resolution recognizing May 5, 2019 through May 11, 2019 as Providence Small Business Week.
“Small local businesses like Olneyville New York System, Adler’s Design Center and Hardware, and all of the other bookstores, bodegas, and coffee shops that pepper our 15 wards are collectively our city’s economic engine,” stated City Council President Sabina Matos. “Small businesses are the fastest growing sector in our economy. And when you support a local business, you are supporting that neighborhood, that businesses’ employees, and their families. I encourage everyone to shop local as often as they can, but especially during this week.”
The United States sets aside a week to honor small business owners, advocates, and workers for their important role in ensuring that the U.S. remains the economic leader of the world. The City Council formally recognizes the week of May 5-11, 2019 as Providence Small Business Week.
Council President Matos and Council President Pro-Tempore Correia Introduce Resolution Requiring Sexual Harassment-Prevention Training for Providence Employees and Officials
City Council President Sabina Matos (Ward 15) and City Council President Pro Tempore Michael J. Correia (Ward 6) co-sponsored a resolution that requires all city employees and Providence elected officials to participate in Sexual Harassment-Prevention Training.
“Thanks to many brave women, like Tarana Burke who started the #MeToo movement, many workplaces have begun to examine their policies around sexual harassment prevention. As one of the larger employers in our State, I believe we should be doing the same,” stated City Council President Sabina Matos. “The national dialogue that the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements have created is not only overdue but important for us to address here locally. Times are changing, and things that were once the status quo are no more, and we need to train our workforce to recognize what constitutes sexual harassment and the impacts that it has on victims, so we can all work together to create a safe and healthy working environment.”
Sexual harassment is widespread and impacts our community as reflected in the national estimates that show that:
· 77% of women had experienced verbal sexual harassment.
· 51% had been sexually touched without their consent.
· 41% said they had been sexually harassed online.
· 27% said they had survived a sexual assault.
· 38% of women said they had experienced sexual harassment in the workplace.
The resolution requests that the city’s human resources department offer sexual-harassment-prevention training to all employees and Providence elected officials.
