COASTAL REDEVELOPMENT IN THE JEWELRY DISTRICT
- How does brownfields redevelopment fall into waterfront regulatory schemes?
Commercial and residential redevelopment of the Jewelry District’s waterfront brownfields falls under regulation by the Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) Red Book rules, the CRMC Metro Bay Special Area Management Plan (SAMP), and the CRMC Urban Coastal Greenways program (UCG). These documents are meant to work together as a regulatory system. ,
Waterfront redevelopment is defined as construction bordering the water (in this case, the Providence River) within 200 feet . This includes key waterfront brownfield parcels such as Heritage Harbor and Dynamo House, as well as the adjacent vacant lot at 360 Eddy Street. Both of these parcels share power plant land use history, with associated contamination possible. {link to contamination / land use history section}
Given the importance of the waterfront to Providence’s identity and the industrial history along the water, there is reason to be concerned about the effects of redevelopment on natural aquatic ecosystems, the services they provide Rhode Island’s residents, and human health affected by water quality.
The redevelopment of brownfields will likely interact with water quality issues, including the effects of storm water runoff and contaminant leaching through soil and groundwater; ecosystem health immediately adjacent to the Jewelry District and downriver, as a result of contamination; and the effects of storm surges and sea level rise on human development, coastal erosion and increased exposure of estuarine-bound waters to onsite contamination. How does the state address these interactions?
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