Council Approves EPA Clean-Up Grant Application

Guy Lefebvre, Director of , came to the Nov. 14 Town Council meeting armed with multiple-page documents on five properties he says could be acquired and cleaned up throughout the town of Coventry at a cost of approximately $1.6 million dollars. But he also came with much good news attached.

“Most of these projects will be at no cost to the taxpayer,” Lefebvre said. “It will be paid for by our fair share of development fees, in-kind services and labor by our department (including ‘brownsfield’ work), and by the real estate conveyance tax fee already in place.”

One project includes an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean-Up Grant Application for Historic Harris Mill Park and Anthony Village Boarding House. The other projects involve a Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management recreation acquisition and development grants for Historic Harris Mill Park, and the Hall/Seaman’s Waterfront and Open Space Project.

“The Hall/Seaman’s Waterfront area around Johnson’s Pond has been of interest to the Coventry Land Trust for several years,” Lefebvre explained. “There are over 111 acres of wetlands, woodland and open field that could be used for passive recreation which the Land Trust would be willing to match.”

A vote allowing Lefebvre to proceed on the projects was passed unanimously. He said the deadline to file the applications is Monday, November 28.