Thirteen projects are receiving a combined $2 million in funding from the first round of the 2024 Ocean State Climate Adaptation and Resilience (OSCAR) Fund Program. This financial assistance is for adaptation and resilience projects that protect or enhance coastal or riverine habitats to address the impacts of climate change.

In 2021 the General Assembly adopted legislation establishing the OSCAR Fund as a program jointly administered by the Department of Environmental Management, the Coastal Resources Management Council, and the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank.

Funding was allocated to support the program in 2022.

“Rhode Island is confronting significant and varied impacts from climate change, particularly coastal threats like sea level rise and storm surge along our over 400 miles of coastline,” DEM director Terry Gray said. “These OSCAR grants are providing funding to protect and strengthen the vital functions that coastal and riverine habitats play in mitigating the most severe impacts of climate change in our communities.”

The following is a look at the planning and design projects that received funding:

Bristol, “Low Lane Resilience and Right of Way Improvements” ($257,690): The town will retain engineering and construction services to design and implement site improvements at the Low Lane public right of way that leads to the waters of the upper East Passage of Narragansett Bay. The planned improvements will address severe erosion associated with increased frequency of intense rainfall through improved stormwater controls.

Coventry, “Improved Designs for Mitigating Flood Risks and Improving Aquatic Habitats” ($275,000): The town will retain consultants to design replacements of two undersized culverts that are associated with repeated riverine flooding. The targeted locations involve crossings of the Flat River at Maple Valley Road and at Franklin Road. The new designs will enhance resiliency to the increased frequency and size of rainstorms, will reduce flooding impacts including erosion, and will enhance protection of water quality and aquatic habitat.

Cranston, “Implementing Nature-Based Solutions through Two Pilot Projects” ($225,000): The city, working with consultants, will undertake a two-part, citywide flood study to identify public areas where restoration of degraded wetland habitat and other flood mitigation measures can be implemented. The work will focus on river and stream corridors and lead to the development of conceptual design alternatives for two pilot projects for flood-prone areas associated with Furnace Hill Brook and Bellefont Brook.

DEM Division of Planning and Development, “Enhancing Coastal Resilience and Safe Public Access at Black Point” ($100,000): Within the state-owned Black Point Access Point Property in Narragansett, this project will undertake implementation of work to repair, stabilize, and enhance the resilience of the heavily used shoreline access trail. The site improvements will preserve public access by installation of stairs and will reduce site erosion and enhance protection of the rocky shore habitat.

DEM Division of Planning and Development, “Improving Resilience at Gull Cove Public Shoreline Access Point” ($50,000): The agency will complete planning and design for enhancing the public access site at Gull Cove in Portsmouth by restoring degraded areas, creating safe shoreline access, and minimizing negative impacts to shoreline habitats from human activity. The project will involve minimization of impervious surfaces, redesign of parking to keep vehicles out of flood or erosion prone areas, and re-vegetation of shoreline habitat.

Edgewood Waterfront Preservation Association, “Restoring Resilience of Stillhouse Cove Park” ($59,150): The association, in collaboration with the city of Cranston and other partners, will complete permitting and implementation of a nature-based shoreline stabilization projects aimed at addressing erosion that has worsened because of recent successive storms. The approach, developed in consultation with CRMC, will involve coir logs and native plantings.

Hopkinton, “Restoring Aquatic Organism Passage and Reducing Flooding at Canonchet Road” ($150,000): The town, in partnership with Save The Bay, will retain consultants to design a replacement of an undersized culvert to reduce road flooding and restore stream passage for aquatic organisms in a portion of Canonchet Brook that is designated as cold-water trout habitat.

Jamestown, “Mackerel Cove Dune Restoration and Resiliency” ($199,400): The town will undertake a project to develop and implement a strategy to restore and stabilize the sand dunes at Mackerel Cove to protect Beavertail Road from flooding. The work will also sustain essential habitat for migrating and nesting birds and pollinators.

Newport, “Restoring Marsh Habitat and Public Green Spaces at South Easton Pond” ($150,000): The city, with assistance from consultants, will complete a study to evaluate the site conditions of the drainage channel along South Easton Pond and create a restoration plan that utilizes bioengineering and nature-based strategies to improve erosion control and bank stabilization. The project will also identify an approach to restoring existing marshland habitat and creating new marsh habitat.

North Kingstown, “Town Beach Sea Wall Revetment” ($300,000): The town will procure engineering services to enhance the resilience of Town Beach. The project plan is to relocate and redesign the existing seawall and stormwater controls at the beach. The existing seawall has sustained damage from storms, including overtopping during weather events, scouring creating voids, and shifting of stones. The project builds on earlier work and collaboration with CRMC and Save The Bay.

Pawtucket, “Moshassuck River Urban Restoration Program” ($250,000): The city will retain consultants to complete a study of its portion of the Moshassuck River to address climate and ecological resilience challenges in this urbanized area. The project will evaluate site conditions, identify flood-prone areas, and assess invasive species and public access.

Providence, “India Point Park Shoreline Improvement Project” ($400,000): The city will address the challenges of climate change and shoreline degradation due to increased storm events and tidal inundation at India Point Park, at the confluence of the estuarine Seekonk and Providence rivers. The city will retain consulting services to study and design work for select park shoreline improvement projects that will prioritize nature-based solutions and may include living shorelines, wetland restoration, vegetated buffers, and protective reefs.

Warwick, “Pawtuxet Park Waterfront Improvement Project” ($193,000): Building upon a prior planning and community engagement, the city, with assistance from engineering consultants, will complete further planning, design, and permitting tasks related to improvements that will enhance resiliency and address existing habitat degradation at Pawtuxet Park adjacent to Pawtuxet Cove. Key aspects of the project involve restoring and enhancing shoreline natural habitats including vegetated buffers.