Tree planting funded by environmental enforcement action underway in Providence

Published on Friday, November 05, 2021

First of several planned plantings takes place at Juanita Sanchez Educational Complex in South Providence

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Attorney General Peter F. Neronha joined state, community partners, and students Wednesday to plant trees at the Juanita Sanchez Educational Complex as part of an ongoing effort to improve air quality in neighborhoods around the Port of Providence.

Today’s planting is part of a more expansive ongoing tree planting project that is funded by proceeds from a 2019 environmental enforcement action by the Office of the Attorney General and the Department of Environmental Management – the largest penalty ever assessed under Rhode Island’s Clean Air Act.

“This project is a great example of how the Office’s environmental enforcement work pay dividends and spur environmental projects that benefit the people of our state,” said Attorney General Neronha. “Here, my Office, working with DEM, was able to hold a polluter accountable, but also direct funds to address a glaring environmental and public health need in a community that frankly shoulders a significant burden when it comes to environmental and health inequities. I see this as a successful model worth replicating.”

“What motivates anyone who enters public service is being able to see how you can help people and work toward making our communities fairer, stronger, and better places to be,” said DEM Acting Director Terry Gray. “DEM is thrilled to partner with Attorney General Neronha’s Office, the Providence Neighborhood Planting Program, and the students at one of Rhode Island’s great schools — Juanita Sanchez Education Complex — to use the proceeds of a major environmental enforcement action to plant trees in a neighborhood where not enough trees are growing. Urban tree canopy is critical infrastructure that has major impacts on human health, equity, social interaction, and community identity. We look forward to when these native trees are tall and beautiful and providing shade in the summertime and colorful foliage in autumn.”

In total, approximately 170 trees are set to be planted in various locations throughout the Port of Providence area between the fall of 2021 and the spring of 2022. The planting project is led by Groundwork Rhode Island in coordination with the Providence Neighborhood Planting Program.

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