Trash clean up – Clean the Bay Rhode Island

A Green Spotlight… Clean The Bay

1 Patrol Road
North Kingstown, RI 02852
Website: cleanthebay.org
Email: info@cleanthebay.org
Phone: 741-8749 or 413-3236
To Volunteer use the contact information above.

Clean the Bay is an organization that, until recently, I never even knew existed.  I became aware of this organization from a radio talk-show and checked out their website at cleanthebay.org.

In 2005, Capt. Alan Wentworth and Capt. Ed Hughes decided to take action based on concerns about the amount of trash that has accumulated along the Narragansett Bay shoreline. The two captains showed their survey report to anyone that would listen. As a result, ridding the Bay of debris has become a priority for local/state/ federal agencies and officials.

In 2006 Clean the Bay teamed up with the DEM to apply for federal grant funds and secured a $150,000 grant for what was to be called Clean Sweep I.  This first phase cleanup began in August 2006 and focused on three priority Bay areas: Greenwich Bay, Metro Bay, and the Bay Islands, and West Aquidneck Island shoreline.  More than 1,000 tons of debris were removed – including three barges, more than 18 derelict boats, over 100 lobster pots, yards of abandoned fishing gear, many telephone poles and other debris.

In October of this year, Clean the Bay started on the second phase of this cleanup initiative by securing a $170,000 grant. This grant is the second largest community-based marine debris prevention and removal grant in the nation.  Clean Sweep II will expand the cleanup of large, medium, and small debris to include an additional 86 miles of shoreline. Theses additional areas include Barrington, Bristol, Warren, and areas of Warwick, East Providence, Jamestown, Newport, Middletown and Portsmouth.

Volunteers play an important role in meeting the goals of Clean The Bay.  Contact info@cleanthebay.org for more information about volunteering and to receive email alerts of upcoming events (see contact info above).