Now that control of the land has been decided, the next step is determining what type of public use and amenities to allow on 120 acres of prime waterfront land that was once home to the former Rocky Point Amusement Park in Warwick. more

BOSTON – Mass. Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan last week announced that companies in the state reduced their use of toxic materials by 75 million pounds in 2009. more

To the Editor: The R.I. Department of Environmental Management is again on record as opposing economic growth and its corollary, jobs. The DEM (an acronym for Delay Economic Momentum) recently objected to a legislative proposal to prevent the expiration of building permits issued to developers by local and state regulatory agencies. more

Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., center with orange jacket, joins Serve Rhode Island volunteers scooping trash from pond shores at Roger Williams Park on April 20. More than 200 volunteers braved wind and rain to join the effort, the sixth organized at the Providence park by the group since October 2008. Every year volunteers fill hundreds of trash bags with bottles, paper, plastic bags and other litter. more

WARWICK – The U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service of Rhode Island is accepting applications for Conservation Innovation Grants to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies. Up to $70,000 will be awarded statewide. more

Whether or not Hurricane Sandy had a connection to climate change, the latter will make future Hurricane Sandys more common, imposing enormous costs on cities. more

BOSTON – The Mass. Department of Environmental Protection is seeking public comment for proposed amendments to agency regulations that deal with wetlands, waterways and water-quality certifications, as well as wastewater-related changes to state-issued permits and operation standards for sewer-treatment works. more

PROVIDENCE – The state has awarded 28 projects a total of $1,524,725 in recreational trail grants from federal transportation funds. more

Bristol’s Mount Hope Farm has 127 acres of fields, woods, streams and ponds for walking, hiking and exploring. It has a year-round farmers market. Executive Director Jennifer Bristol, pictured above, came onboard a year ago, tasked with developing a five-year plan for the nonprofit farm. “I’ve talked to hundreds of people and they all have in their mind this picture of what the farm is to them,” Bristol said. “Marrying the visions of all those people to allow them to maintain the experience and support the future and health of [the farm] is what has to happen on our end.” more

AUSTIN, Texas – Fitch Ratings this month assigned a AAA rating to $49 million in Rhode Island Clean Water Finance Agency’s water-pollution-control, revolving-fund revenue bonds. The rating outlook is stable. more