Providence River Dredging Project Answer Sheet

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What is the purpose of the dredging project? This project consists of two parts that will provide
dredging and create dumpsites for dredged material:

* The first part is a federal project that will increase the depth of an existing shipping channel from
the east side of Prudence Island to Providence Harbor. This portion of the project is being proposed
primarily to benefit commercial shipping interests.

* The second part of the project is for non-federal dredge disposal from various projects around
Narragansett Bay. This will primarily benefit marinas and private ship berth owners.

Where will the dredging take place? The 16.8-mile Providence River federal channel dredging
begins off the southeast part of Prudence Island and continues to Fox Point in Providence Harbor.
The dredging of the marinas and private ship berths will take place in 17 locations throughout the
Bay.

Where will the dredged material be disposed? The Army Corps of Engineers has proposed a
preferred alternative for dredge spoil disposal in a document known as the Draft Environmental
Impact Statement. The preferred alternative includes two disposal sites.

The first disposal site preferred by the Army Corps of Engineers is called a Confined Aquatic
Disposal (CAD) site within the eastern bank of the Providence River next to the bike path and
Watchemoket Cove in East Providence. A CAD site is an underwater area out of which relatively
clean material is removed then replaced with contaminated material (1.2 million cubic yards for this
project). Finally, a cap layer (1-2 feet thick) of clean material is placed on top to seal the CAD and
prevent dispersion of the underlying contaminated material.

The second disposal site preferred by the Army Corps of Engineers is known as Hog Island South.
This area is located between the southwest tip of Hog Island and the east side of Prudence Island.
This area is targeted to receive all of the cleaner material (4.4 million cubic yards) that is not
disposed in the CAD site. This material will cover approximately 430 acres with a 25-foot thick
mound of dredge spoils in the waters of Narragansett Bay.

What are the risks? Dredging and dredge disposal can harm the environment in several ways:

* Short-term risks include temporary sediment plumes that cloud the water and can cause negative
impacts on fish, aquatic plants, and other marine life. When the sediments are dumped on the bay
bottom, it can immediately smother the animals that live there.

* Long-term risks include the permanent physical alteration of bay bottom habitat and the marine life
that depends on it. Although habitat can re-colonize over time, it may never fully recover to their
original condition.

Are there other less damaging alternatives? Yes, there are several alternatives available that may
pose less environmental risk and/or damage. Offshore disposal options pose less risk to the Bay.
Beneficial re-use such as beach nourishment, landfill cover, and converting the dredged sediments
into building materials, including concrete highway barriers or cinder blocks, could reduce the
amount of dredge material that needs disposal.

Can the public submit comments and influence decisions about the dredging project? Yes, the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement is available for public review at the following libraries: Barrington,
Bristol, Cranston, East Providence, Portsmouth, Providence and the URI - Pell Marine Science
Library. Written comments will be accepted until October 20, 1998. Additionally, people can
contact their local, state, and congressional representatives and officials to voice their opinions.

Will there be any public hearings? Yes, there will be two hearings and a workshop.

* The first Public Hearing is scheduled for October 8th , 7:00 p.m. at East Providence City Hall.

* The second Public Hearing is scheduled for October 9th , 2:00 p.m. at the Corliss Auditorium at
the University of Rhode Island Bay Campus.

* An informational workshop is being planned to take place in Bristol but has not yet been
scheduled. Please call Save The Bay at 272-3540 for updates.

When will a final decision be made regarding the project? The Army Corps of Engineers will
respond to submitted comments about the Draft Environmental Impact Statement after the close of
the public comment period. The comments received may result in a change in the preferred
alternative or may result in the release of a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement that
will contain additional information. The end result of the process will be the issuance of a Final
Environmental Impact Statement that will reflect any changes from the original report and will
determine the final dredge disposal site.

What is Save The Bay's position on this issue? Save The Bay supports dredging projects that have a
demonstrated need and do not degrade the ecological health of Narragansett Bay. The Corps
should be commended for making every effort to segregate the contaminated dredge material and
keeping it out of the Bay. Confined Aquatic Disposal has been used successfully in other dredging
projects. Save the Bay will make every effort to ensure that any CAD if chosen is properly sited and
designed to protect the Bay. We are presently reviewing the Draft Environmental Impact Statement
and will submit written comments and provide statements at the public hearings. Save The Bay is
deeply concerned about the Hog Island South site because of the potential negative impacts on
Narragansett Bay habitat.

Save The Bay recommends that the Army Corps of Engineers:

* Maximize the beneficial re-use of dredged materials for beach nourishment, salt marsh creation,
and use as building materials.

* Reduce the amount of material dredged to the minimum amount possible.

* Avoid disposal areas that are known as valuable habitats and migratory routes for commercially
and recreationally important species of fish, lobster, and shellfish.

* Avoid disposal areas that are important to existing recreational and commercial users of the bay.