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Providence Program Priorities
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Improve Urban Environment and Public Health Issues
Over the last few years, Providence has suffered from a significant decline in urban populations due to poor environmental and economic conditions within city neighborhoods. Providence residents experience lead poisoning, asthma, and other chronic illnesses due to a wide variety of environmental hazards including polluted rivers and wetlands, and contaminated urban vacant lots.
- Combat Lead Poisoning Among Children
35,779 Rhode Island children under age 6 were screened for lead in 2000. 8.7% of the children screened had a blood level of greater than 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood — enough to cause learning disabilities, hyperactivity, behavior problems , attention deficit disorder, hearing and speech impediments, and loss of intelligence. High levels of lead can cause mental retardation, seizures, comas, and kidney problems. In fact, lead poisoning is the most common childhood disease in the City of Providence. African-American children on average have higher blood lead levels in all age, urban status, income and educational categories. Furthermore, more than half of all housing units in Rhode Island have potential lead paint hazards.
- Improve Ambient and Indoor Air Quality
Ozone levels in Rhode Island have exceeded EPA standards during recent years due to air masses from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. The population density of Providence is 9,402 persons per square mile, and there has been a 1.6% increase in available housing beween 1990 and 2000.
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Clean up and Revitalize Urban Rivers
Rhode Island Senator John Chafee was among several high-level officials who participated in the Woonasquatucket-Blackstone American Heritage Rivers Signing on July 19th, 1999.
Former EPA-Region 1 Regional Administrator John DeVillars addresses the audience at the signing ceremony.
The Woonasquatucket River is the only river in the state that has a fish advisory due to dioxin, PCB, and fecal contamination. Combined sewer overflows (CSO's) cause dangerously high levels of bacteria and sewage in the Woonasquatucket River after heavy rains. In addition, 317 unmarked pipes flow into the Woonasquatucket River. - Restore and Increase Urban Forests and Gardens, Reducing
Vacant Lots
A Providence resident participates in UEP's Urban Earth Day by helping to clean up a vacant lot. Providence has over 4,000 residential vacant lots, each with significant environmental and public health risks to urban residents.