EAST PROVIDENCE, RI – In an effort to further improve upon and alleviate stormwater flooding issues, East Providence has been awarded a $225,000 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant.
This grant will be used to conduct a hydraulic analysis to see what changes must be made to avoid flooding in vulnerable parts of the City.
“The proposed project scoping study for flood mitigation in East Providence is a vital and well-justified initiative that strategically targets areas most susceptible to repeated, severe flooding,” RIEMA Planning Branch Chief, Melinda Hopkins said. “This scoping study will serve as a foundation for identifying cost-effective, community-driven solutions to enhance drainage systems and reduce flood risks throughout the City.”
“I’ve been a firsthand witness to some of the incredible flooding that neighborhoods have had to endure because of record rainfalls that are becoming more and more frequent,” Mayor Bob DaSilva said. “It is our administration’s priority to find solutions so that residents don’t have to deal with the financial burden and instability caused by uncontrollable severe weather.
“I would like to thank RIEMA Director Marc Pappas and his team for awarding the City this grant to help further our administration's goal of assisting our residents in any way we can,” DaSilva added.
The BRIC program aims to shift federal focus away from reactive disaster spending and toward research-supported, proactive investment in community resilience.
Furthermore, BRIC aims to support community capability and capacity building by encouraging and aiding innovation, helping partnerships grow, supporting infrastructure projects, and fostering flexibility and consistency.
As part of the grant agreement, FEMA will award $225,000, to the City of East Providence, with the City contributing an additional $75,000 of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.
