Rhode Island

September 29, 2009 -- The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) today issued the following statement by AWEA CEO Denise Bode welcoming the expansion of the Governors’ Wind Energy Coalition and the nomination of Rhode Island Governor Donald L. Carcieri as the Coalition’s new vice chairman:

"The appointment of Rhode Island Governor Donald Carcieri as the new vice chairman of the Governors’ Wind Energy Coalition is a further step in the right direction.    » read more »

September 30, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Rhode Island’s Congressional Delegation today announced over $22 million in federal funding for Rhode Island to support cutting-edge medical research. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will distribute 91 federal grants to eligible grantees throughout the state. These grants were funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which the delegation supported.    » read more »

September 15, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. - Rhode Island's Congressional Delegation today announced over $10 million in federal funding for Rhode Island to improve energy efficiency, reduce fossil fuel emissions, and create local clean energy jobs. The funding is part of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program established earlier this year by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which the delegation supported. To date, the State of Rhode Island has received over $31.6 million in energy funding under ARRA.

"This funding will help spur economic growth, create green jobs, and encourage the use of more energy efficient equipment that is better for the environment and will save Rhode Islanders money in the long run," said Reed.    » read more »

Carcieri hails Deepwater Wind Rhode Island lease agreement at Quonset Business Park

June 1, 2009 -- Rhode Island Governor Carcieri today hailed the Quonset Development Corporation Board of Directors’ approval of a development agreement to lease 117 acres to Deepwater Wind Rhode Island, LLC in the Quonset Business Park for the development of the company’s regional manufacturing facility and its regional development headquarters.    » read more »

Cites "major flaws"

June 1, 2009 -- Rhode Island Governor Donald L. Carcieri today transmitted, with signature, the FY 2010 budget, citing he had no other choice with more than $200 million at stake.

In a letter to Speaker William H, Murphy, Governor Donald L. Carcieri voiced his disappointment with the budget stating, “My signing this budget is not an endorsement of it in its entirety. I had intended to allow this budget to become law without my signature, however it was delivered to my office too late to do so. I am signing for this reason: over forty million dollars of state funding, plus hundreds of millions in Federal FMAP funds are at risk if the budget does not become law before July 1st.”    » read more »

Rhode Island Senator Discusses Legislation to Crack Down on High Interest Rates

June 8, 2009 -- Providence, R.I. - On the heels of sweeping credit card reform legislation recently passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) met today with Rhode Islanders affected by unfair credit card practices at the John Hope Settlement House in Providence. Whitehouse heard from consumers and small business owners about the impact of high interest rates and other tricks and traps on their families and businesses.    » read more »

June 4, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – In an effort to create jobs, restore habitats, and mitigate flooding along the Pawtuxet, Pocasset, and Meshanticut Rivers, Rhode Island’s Congressional Delegation today announced that the state will receive over $2.3 million through the federal Recovery Act for flood protection projects in Cranston and West Warwick. The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Rhode Island will receive over $1.95 million to purchase easements and conduct restoration at 4 sites and approximately $400,000 to design, engineer, and obtain permitting for these projects.    » read more »

June 1, 2009 -- Rhode Island Governor Donald L. Carcieri joined the RI Department of Labor and Training and the Workforce Partnership of Greater Island in awarding more than $2 million in Workforce Investment Act grants, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, to run 18 youth-employment programs throughout the state this summer. An estimated 900 youth ages 14-24 are anticipated to be served throughout Workforce Partnership of Greater Rhode Island service area, which includes Northern RI, South County, West Bay and East Bay.    » read more »

June 1, 2009 -- Rhode Island Governor Donald L. Carcieri and Commissioner of Primary and Secondary Education Peter McWalters today joined the Common Core State Standards Initiative, a state-led process to develop common English-language arts and mathematics standards. The Common Core State Standards Initiative will be jointly led by the NGA Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO).    » read more »

Advocates for Active State-Federal Partnership

May 21, 2009 -- Rhode Island Governor Donald L. Carcieri today reaffirmed Rhode Island’s role as a leading voice on national climate policy and a champion of energy consumers by signing on to the newly formed 30-state Governors’ Energy and Climate Coalition, which will work with Congress to find common ground for a comprehensive national energy strategy and climate change action.    » read more »

May 21, 2009 -- Rhode Island Governor Donald L. Carcieri today sent a letter to President Obama respectfully urging the Administration to reconsider the Chrysler reorganization plan, citing the economic impact on the State of Rhode Island and its largest Jeep dealer, Tarbox Jeep.    » read more »

May 19, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, today praised President Obama's announcement of a new uniform federal standard to regulate fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks.

"This is an enormous step forward: a national standard that makes cars both cleaner and more efficient, saving consumers money and protecting our environment," Whitehouse said.    » read more »

May 18, 2009 -- Pawtucket, RI – U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today visited a former industrial site in Pawtucket to announce $1.8 million in federal aid they secured to clean up brownfield sites in communities across Rhode Island.

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) and Woonsocket will receive a total of $1.2 million in brownfield funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which Senators Reed and Whitehouse and Representatives Patrick Kennedy and Jim Langevin supported and was signed into law by President Obama on February 17, 2009. East Providence, Glocester, and Pawtucket will receive a total of $600,000 in competitive brownfield grants.    » read more »

May 15, 2009 -- Rhode Island Governor Donald L. Carcieri today joined the other New England Governor’s in a letter to the New England Congressional delegation seeking economic relief to the more than 2,000 farm families in New England with an increase in the USDA’s Milk Income Loss Contract Program (MILC) payment level to dairy producers. MILC, administered by the Farm Service Agency's (FSA), compensates dairy producers when domestic milk prices fall below a specified level.    » read more »

May 12, 2009 -- The Rhode Island Governor’s Office of Economic Recovery and Reinvestment and the RI Department of Labor and Training announced today that up to 2,600 unemployed Rhode Islanders who were deemed ineligible for State Extended Benefits may now collect benefits under this program, due to an option offered by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.    » read more »