URI Secures $5M Federal Grant for Narragansett Bay Conservation

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The University of Rhode Island announced Monday the launch of its new marine conservation program, funded by a $5 million federal grant to study Narragansett Bay ecosystems and develop anti-erosion strategies. Initially reported by GoLocalProv, the grant targets the bay's fragile habitats, which face intensifying pressures from climate change and urban development. URI's Graduate School of Oceanography will lead efforts to monitor water quality, restore eelgrass beds and address nutrient pollution reductions from wastewater facilities. Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island's economic and ecological heart, spans from Providence to Newport and supports commercial fishing, tourism and wildlife. The program builds on URI's legacy, including partnerships with the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program (NBEP), hosted by Roger Williams University in Bristol, which recently secured $1.1 million in federal funds from Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, and Rep. Seth Magaziner. Those awards, part of the National Estuary Program under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, have restored over 7,500 acres of habitat since 2006 and advanced coastal resiliency projects. Key initiatives include data synthesis for the Providence-Seekonk River region and enhanced storm protection amid sea-level rise. Rhode Island Sea Grant at URI also received 2026 federal funding for related research and education, complementing state efforts like the $3.4 million in grants from the 2022 Green Bond via the Department of Environmental Management. 'This funding positions Rhode Island at the forefront of bay protection,' said URI Coastal Resources Center Director Jen McCann, emphasizing community internships and blue economy growth. Local stakeholders, from Save The Bay to NBEP partners, hailed the grant as critical for sustaining the bay's biodiversity. With URI's $13 million USAID project enhancing global marine expertise, the program equips Rhode Island communities—from Warwick beaches to Jamestown shores—against erosion and habitat loss.