In Business for the Blackstone, developed by Massachusetts Audubon, promotes good management for stormwater at stores and offices.  A brochure describing steps such as keeping dumpster closed, washing vehicles responsibly, cleaning storm drains, and diverting run-off to landscaped areas, forms the basis for our conversation and further work with businesses. 

According to the R.I. Department of Environmental Management, the Blackstone is out of compliance with copper, cadmium, and bacteria that can be deposited by stormwater.  Thus, Audubon participates to improve water quality and aquatic habitat

Watershed Counts is a broad coalition of agencies and organizations who have committed to work together to examine and report regularly on the condition of the land and water resources of the Narragansett Bay Watershed Region. In 2011, we have started with five key indicators (climate change, impervious cover, beach closures, fresh water flow and invasive species). Additional indicators will be added during the next several years. These indicators will be used to describe the condition of the watershed region and communicate this information to the public and decision makers.

RIPTA to Hold 10 Public Hearings on Proposed Service Reductions

The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA ) will hold public hearings on proposed service reductions in all five Rhode Island counties on July 26th – July 28th, August 1st, and August 2, 2011. The Authority announced that the reductions in service statewide are due to a $4.6 million shortfall for FY 2012 (which begins on July 1st) that is caused principally by a reduction in revenue from the state gas tax and the high cost of fuel to operate the system.

The proposed cuts would affect thirty-five (35) communities, thirty-nine (39) bus routes, Flex zones and Park n’ Ride service and include the following changes: eliminating routes or route segments; decreasing service frequency; ending service at 10 pm on weekdays on many routes; and shutting down service at 10 pm on weekends on many routes. RIPTA is also proposing to eliminate all Holiday Bus Service, all Flex Service in Narragansett and some Park n’ Ride service.

Additionally, because American Disability Act (ADA ) service is offered within a ¾ mile corridor of fixed-route service, the Paratransit ADA service that RIPTA provides through the RIde Program may also be reduced wherever there is elimination of a route or segment of a route.

“This is a very painful undertaking for RIPTA. However due to current funding constraints we have no other choice but to consider cuts to service. RIPTA will be diligent in ensuring that these cuts cause minimal impact to our riders,” said RIPTA CEO Charles Odimgbe.

Pawtucket service will be greatly impacted by these proposed service cuts. Five of Pawtucket’s routes may be completely shut down on Saturday; four routes may cease to run on Sunday.

The proposed service reductions include the elimination of routes, or route segments, or service can be found HERE .

Our grandchildren will see a different shoreline, a different forest, and a different array of birds than we see.  We are familiar with cardinals, titmice, red-bellied woodpeckers and opossums that were not here in our grandparents' era.

When I first moved to Rhode Island in the early 1970s, seniors commented that outdoor skating, formerly possible by Thanksgiving, was often not safe in January. We haven't seen winter irruptions of redpolls and evening grosbeaks since the 1980s. Last year, cherry trees in Providence bloomed in late December.  Yes, the climate in Rhode Island is changing.

Early blooming is becoming more common.  Among the plants studied in Boston's Arnold Arboretum, flowering times have moved forward over the decades, with the plants flowering eight days earlier on average from 1980 to 2002 than they did from 1900 to 1920. What has influenced this early flowering? Primarily temperature, says Richard Primack, a Boston University biology professor and head of the research team.  According to Bio-Medicine, Boston's mean annual temperature has increased since 1985 by 1.5 degrees Celsius or nearly 3 degrees Fahrenheit, and those temperatures are correlated with earlier blooming.

The Chipuxet River in South Kingstown is in crisis. The river is "stressed" in its streamflow.  This means that its low flows are getting lower and becoming more frequent. Research from URI has shown that water supply and irrigation demands are sufficient to dry up the Chipuxet River at times.

Audubon is continuing to monitor this situation while advocating that all Rhode Islanders adopt sound water conservation practices.