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R.I.’s next housing secretary job is not yet posted but here are two potential applicants • Rhode Island Current

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R.I.’s next housing secretary job is not yet posted but here are two potential applicants • Rhode Island Current


Two leading women in Rhode Island’s housing sector have signaled their interest in succeeding the state’s housing czar after he steps down this week from his cabinet-level job that pays more than the governor.

After about a year and a half on the job, Housing Secretary Stefan Pryor announced June 27 he would step down from his $238,597-a-year post for an unspecified private-sector job. His last day working for the state is Wednesday when an interim housing secretary will be named, said Olivia DaRocha, press secretary for Gov. Dan McKee. 

“All options will be considered in the search for a permanent Secretary and we will certainly keep you updated on the process,” DaRocha said via email.

In the meantime, the question of who will replace Pryor raises a discussion about the experience and qualifications needed to solve Rhode Island’s housing crisis. Both Brenda Clement, who since 2016 has served as director of HousingWorks RI, and Pawtucket Planning and Redevelopment Director Bianca Policastro believe they have what it takes to do a job they can’t officially apply for yet.

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Each boasts decades of experience in the field but have taken different approaches in making their interest in the job known. 

Clement confirmed her interest after being prodded by reporters. Before taking the helm at Housing Works RI at Roger Williams University, which conducts research and analyzes data to inform public policy on housing, Clement was executive director for the Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association in Massachusetts from 2012 through 2016. Clement’s resume states the association helped push the passage of a $1.4 billion housing bond in 2012 — the largest in the Bay State’s history at the time.

Clement was also the director of the Housing Coalition of Rhode Island and helped found the Housing Network of New England in 1994.

Rhode Island Secretary of Housing Stefan Pryor resigns

“I come from the grassroots,” Clements said in an interview with Rhode Island Current, “and that has shaped the way I like to work, which is collaborative and to not assume that I know all the answers.”

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Policastro first made her intentions public during an interview with WPRO’s Tara Granahan on July 8.

“I’d like to see the momentum that Secretary Pryor built continue regarding consensus and meeting each individual municipality where they’re at,” she told Granahan. “I have that continuity and those relationships. So I was like you know what, I might as well throw my name out there and see what happens.”

“What’s the worst? That they can say no thank you?” Policastro added.

Policastro has served as Pawtucket’s planning and redevelopment director since January 2022. Before that, she was planning and redevelopment director for the city of Woonsocket from July 2021 through the start of 2022. Since 2016, Policastro has also served as vice president of the Policastro Group, her family’s consulting firm that specializes in health, education, workforce and social welfare initiatives for nonprofits and municipalities.

Policastro was also the senior grant writer and director of development and program planning for the Blackstone Valley Community Action Program from 2006 to 2016. 

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“I’ve worked across the aisles — I’ve worked with the providers on all different levels,” she told Rhode Island Current.

Clement served on the General Assembly’s Special Legislative Commission to Study Housing Affordability. The panel’s leader, Rep. June Speakman, a Warren Democrat, was not initially aware of Clement’s interest when she learned of it from a reporter but called Clement “a strong candidate.”

“Brenda is one of the leading experts on housing here in Rhode Island,” Speakman said, who also serves on the advisory board for RI Housing Works.

Speakman was less familiar with Policastro but said the Pawtucket planning director had an impressive resume.

“Those two make sense to me as people who would be interested,” Speakman said. “Others say you need to have fresh eyes from the outside, I’m not sure right now that’s quite a good idea.”

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Pryor’s annual salary is over $75,000 higher than the $163,295 McKee earns as governor. The Housing Department declined to specify what his next move is, though WPRI reported Pryor accepted a position at an out-of-state investment firm that specializes in manufacturing, housing and education.

Pryor was picked by McKee to take over the Housing Department in early 2023, replacing former housing secretary Joshua Saal — who resigned amid criticism over missing deadlines to submit reports required by the 2022 law that set up the department and its cabinet-level leader. Pryor previously led the state’s commerce department after then-Gov. Gina Raimondo was elected in 2014.

In his resignation letter to McKee, Pryor touted the addition of more than 300 shelter beds last winter along with a 30% increase in new residential units permitted to start 2024.

Double standards on ambition

Women walk a fine line when seeking to climb to higher positions of power, said Susan Colantuono, who served as co-chair of Vision 2020 Rhode Island, a nationwide initiative to advance women’s equality ahead of the 100th anniversary of the adoption of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

“While women are encouraged to raise their hands, those who voice ambition can face a double standard of being thought of as aggressive,” said Colantuono, founder of Be Business Savvy, a career development firm that empowers women to advance in their careers.

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“Would a man who goes on the radio and expresses an interest in a job be considered bold?” she said.

As excited as she was to see Policastro and Clement taking the initiative for the cabinet position, Colantuono lamented that women still have to break barriers in 2024.

“This means that they face roadblocks and barriers that aren’t necessarily dealt with by men,” she said.

The Rhode Island Department of Housing is located on the second floor of The Shepard Company building in downtown Providence. (Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current)

Not interested in the job

While McKee’s office remains mum on the search process to replace Pryor, others who are considered highly qualified for the job have made it clear they have no interest in throwing their hat in the ring.

Among them: Jennifer Hawkins, president and CEO of ONE Neighborhood Builders, a nonprofit housing developer that has led or partnered on development of affordable housing projects in and around Providence.

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“It’s flattering that folks have inquired about my interest, but honestly, that’s not a job I’m looking at right now,” Hawkins, who is stepping down from the nonprofit at the end of September, said Monday. “I hope that Governor McKee acts quickly to appoint a permanent Secretary who has a proven track record and is fully committed to resolving Rhode Island’s housing crisis. 

“The Department of Housing is a vital agency and it needs dedicated and stable leadership,” she continued.

Richard Godfrey, the executive director of the Roger Williams University Cummings Institute for Real Estate who led RIHousing for 21 years, also said he had no interest in joining McKee’s administration.

“At this point in my career, I am happy at Roger Williams University seeking to educate and inspire a new generation of professionals who deeply care about creating just, sustainable, and resilient communities, which include housing that is affordable to the extreme variety of household needs and abilities to pay,” he said Tuesday.

A RIHousing spokesperson declined to comment on whether Executive Director Carol Ventura wants to take on the cabinet-level position.

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And McKee’s office declined to say if Deputy Housing Secretary Deborah Flannery expressed any interest in a promotion.

What makes a good housing secretary?

As McKee’s office starts the search for Pryor’s successor, Speakman said she would prefer someone familiar with Rhode Island’s housing sector to be the next secretary.

“Others say you need to have fresh eyes from the outside, I’m not sure right now that’s quite a good idea,” she said.

Advocates such as Housing Network of Rhode Island Executive Director Melina Lodge said it is critical that the new housing secretary be someone with pre-existing relationships with local housing and homeless service organizations.

“Rhode Island’s really lucky in that regard,” she said. “We’re able to really work together because of our small size — in other larger states, people don’t have those same opportunities.”

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But even with organizational support, a new housing secretary will need to make sure Rhode Island’s municipal leaders are on board with meeting the state’s goal to construct additional housing.

“You have 39 cities and towns, all with different needs,” Speakman said. “One size doesn’t fit all.”

Such has been the case with the town of Narragansett, which has pushed back against pro-density housing changes passed by the General Assembly. In May, town leaders approved an ordinance banning multi-family units in high-density areas

Policastro said she understands the hesitancy coming from rural municipalities, but would seek to find some sort of compromise to spur new housing development. To achieve that, she said there needs to be a perception shift among local leaders  — something the state is working to achieve in Bristol and Washington counties via investments from a $3.8 million grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

State awarded $3.8 million federal grant to promote affordable housing development

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“We need to be able to educate and translate it down to a very digestible level,” Policastro said.

Clement said she would like to sit down with municipal leaders to find out where growth makes sense in their communities. But she also had a message for towns who continue to push back against change.

“In a state where one out of three Rhode Islanders are cost-burden, that means there are people in every single community who are struggling to keep a roof over their heads.,” she said.

Balancing short-term fixes to the state’s rising unhoused population and long-term housing projects will also be key.

“You can’t just do one or the other,” Lodge said. “If we’re just focusing on the short-term, then there aren’t resources to build more units. But if we just focus on the long-term, we’re really creating a lot of harm for people that need help today.”

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But that balance can’t be achieved unless the Housing Department gets fully staffed. The department is currently positioned short of filling the 38 that are budgeted, said spokesperson Emily Marshall.

“Without out that being a well-oiled machine, we’re going to continue to struggle with this housing crisis,” Lodge said.

Godfrey said the next housing secretary should have at least 15 years experience in high level and broad-based housing finance experience.

“The person must be able to negotiate a highly fraught political environment and be able to make the toughest decisions when there is only enough money to fund about 20% of our housing needs,” he said. “Each income segment of Rhode Island’s population requires distinct and complex housing finance strategies and, in many cases, additional services and home economics education.”

Whoever the governor ends up picking, that person has the power to greatly shape how the department administers the state’s housing policies, Lodge and Speakman both agreed.

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“We all have an interest in this working out right,” Speakman said.

The governor’s choice would require approval from the Rhode Island Senate.

“The Senate will conduct its diligence through its advice and consent process,” said chamber spokesperson Greg Paré.

A final choice also likely hinges on the support from House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi, who has made housing his top priority as legislative leader. Shekarchi downplayed his influence in a statement to Rhode Island Current.

“It is not my selection to make, however I hope that a full and wide-ranging search is thoroughly conducted because Rhode Island is in the midst of a housing crisis,” he said. “The General Assembly has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in housing initiatives, and this is a critical position that needs to be filled with a highly qualified individual.” 

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What's Up in Newport: Friday, November 15 – What's Up Newp

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What's Up in Newport: Friday, November 15 – What's Up Newp


Good Morning! It’s Friday, November 15. 🗓️ Today is the 320th day of the year; 46 days remain in 2024.

Today, we’re covering the end of Singing for Shelter, a jewelry collaboration involving Snoop Dog, Yacht Rock, an open call to serve in Newport’s legal roles, and more.

Note: We’re aware of an ad appearing on our website asking viewers to watch a video before proceeding to a story or our website. It should not be appearing. We are working on fixing that issue. Thank you to those who have reached out to let us know about it.

Reminder: Do you see something that doesn’t look right on our website or in a story? Reply to any newsletter or email ryan@whatsupnewp.com.

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This story originally appeared in our free daily newsletter, Daily Digest. More than 17,000 wake up to Daily Digest in their inbox. Sign up now to join them!


What’s Up Today

☀️ Weather

Mostly sunny, with a high near 55. Northwest wind 8 to 11 mph.

⚓ Marine

N wind 7 to 10 kt becoming NW in the afternoon. Mostly sunny. Seas 1 ft or less.

🌔 Sun, Moon, & Tide

Sunrise at 6:34 am, sunset at 4:25 pm. Low tide at 12:51 pm. High tide at 6:43 am & 7:08 pm. The lunar phase is a Waxing Gibbous.

🎭 Things To Do

🎶 Live Music & Entertainment

🗓️ Newport County Public Meetings

  • No public meetings are scheduled.

Community Calendar



What’s News Today

News

🏘️ Portsmouth breaks ground on affordable 55+ housing and senior center

On Wednesday, local housing organizations, community partners, and several state officials celebrated the groundbreaking of a new, age-restricted housing development in Portsmouth. Read the story on WPRI —>

Residents can apply for City Solicitor, Municipal Court Judge, and Probate Judge positions by November 19. Read the story on What’sUpNewp—>

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⛽ How Rhode Island’s decreasing gasoline sales compare nationwide

Rhode Island gas consumption falls by 150,200 gallons in 5 years, as nationwide demand drops 5.7%. Read the story on What’sUpNewp—>

⚡ Rhode Island becomes first state to launch Community EV Charging Expansion

$10M available for public, non-profit, and private entities to install publicly accessible EV chargers. Read the story on What’sUpNewp—>

🚨 Newport Police Arrest & Dispatch Log: Nov. 13 – 14

Two individuals were arrested on various charges. Read the story on What’sUpNewp —>

👏 NUWC Division Newport Team Honored for Torpedo Milestone

Successful firing of Mark 48 Mod 4 from U.S. submarine after 20-year gap. Read the story on What’sUpNewp—>

💰 Quonset Port secures $11.25 million for infrastructure upgrades

Port of Davisville project aims to boost cargo transport, security, and future expansion. Read the story on What’sUpNewp—>

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Business & Nonprofit

🎶 Singing for Shelter ends its run – annual fundraising concert will not return this season

But homeless shelters still need your support – We speak with founder Mark Gorman about the legacy of the concert which raised nearly $200,000 for local shelters. Read the story on What’sUpNewp —>

✨ Jewelry designer Carolyn Rafaelian partners with Snoop Dogg for new brand

Lovechild aims to blend craftsmanship, positive energy in Rhode Island-made pieces. Read the story on What’sUpNewp —>

📰 Satire publication The Onion buys Alex Jones’ Infowars at auction with help from Sandy Hook families

The sale price was not immediately disclosed. Read the story on What’sUpNewp —>


Food & Drink

☕ ‘It wasn’t just about coffee’: R.I. cafe owner is growing her brand while boosting other women in business

Entrepreneur Andreea Marin owns three Kaffeology coffeeshops in Rhode Island — in Newport, Portsmouth and Cranston. Read the story on The Boston Globe—>


Life & Culture

🗓️ Out with the Astors, in with the Calders: revisiting Newport, Rhode Island’s 1974 public sculpture extravaganza

Fifty years later, Monumenta’s organisers and attendees reflect on what was arguably the most ambitious school project ever. Read the story on The Art Newspaper —>

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💃 Salve Regina University to present ‘True North’ dance concert

DJD artists join students and faculty for contemporary and jazz performances November 21-23. Read the story on What’sUpNewp —>

🎾 International Tennis Hall of Fame unveils ‘Be Legendary’ youth program

The initiative will teach the rich history of tennis, provide memorable experiences with Hall of Famers and current tennis stars, and showcase what it means to Be Legendary. Read the story on What’sUpNewp—>

🎬 ‘Yacht Rock’ docks in Newport: HBO documentary gets special screening

HBO film exploring soft rock’s cultural impact to screen at newportFILM event with trivia and prizes. Read the story on What’sUpNewp—>


Obituaries

🕊️ Donnell Shea


Opinion

✍️ Letter to The Editor – Dennis Turano: Thank you to Middletown voters for selecting me to represent you

By Dennis Turano, Middletown. Read on What’sUpNewp—>

✍️ We Can’t Wait for Promise of Unproven Nuclear Technology to Save Planet from Roasting

We need a diverse blend of responsibly sited non-fossil-fuel energy, from on and offshore wind to various solar and nuclear technologies. This mix may someday include small modular reactors, but we can’t afford to wait years, perhaps even a decade or more, for this technology. Read more on ecoRI News—>

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People

🕰️ An Auctioneer as Rare as Any Antique

For some, an even bigger draw than the silver, furniture and artwork at Michael Corcoran’s auctions (in Newport) is the 96-year-old auctioneer himself. Read the story on NY Times —>

👉 Gina Raimondo is considering another run for governor of Rhode Island

Former Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo — a Democrat who is facing the end of her tenure as U.S. Commerce secretary due to Donald Trump’s victory last week. Read the story on The Public’s Radio—>


Sports

🏒 Dadonov scores 2 goals, including a penalty shot, as the Stars beat the Bruins 7-2

Evgenii Dadonov scored two goals, including the first successful penalty shot in the NHL this season, and the Dallas Stars beat the Boston Bruins 7-2 on Thursday night. Read the story on What’sUpNewp—>

🏀 Bryant defeats Buffalo 87-64

Rafael Pinzon’s 15 points helped Bryant defeat Buffalo 87-64 on Thursday night. Read the story on What’sUpNewp—>

🏈 Matthew Stafford will be trying to erase bitter memories when Rams visit Patriots

Matthew Stafford remembers what didn’t go right during his last visit to New England, in 2014 when he was still with the Detroit Lions. Read the story on What’sUpNewp—>

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What’s Up This Week + Weekend

🗓️ What’s Up in Newport: Nov. 11 – 18

Newport Classical, Holiday Festival, Steve Hofstetter, Jesse Cook, and more. Read the story on What’sUpNewp —>

🎶 What’s Up Interview: Grammy-winning singer Lucinda Williams, playing The Vets tonight

Iconic performer to present ‘Don’t Tell Anybody the Secrets,’ a show based on her recently published book. Read the story on What’sUpNewp—>

🎭 Theatre Review: ‘Mamma Mia!’ continues to delight audiences with standout performances and energetic dance numbers

Popular jukebox musical runs through Sunday at Performing Arts Center. Read the story on What’sUpNewp—>



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In Central Falls, a sneak peek at what appealing affordable apartments can look like • Rhode Island Current

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In Central Falls, a sneak peek at what appealing affordable apartments can look like • Rhode Island Current


CENTRAL FALLS — Surrounded by chain link fencing, the three-story building on Central Street in Rhode Island’s smallest city smells of sawdust from the plywood flooring and wall frames that make up the structure.

But by mid-2026, the property’s developer promises 25 units with vinyl tile flooring and wide doorways that will be completely solar powered — all with rents starting as low as $800 for a one-bedroom apartment.

“Central Street is an innovative development — it’s really going to make a great impact on the community and the neighborhood,” Linda Weisinger, executive director for Pawtucket Central Falls Development, told reporters, housing advocates, and lawmakers gathered outside the building Thursday morning.

The project at 44 Central St. which broke ground in May, is part of the Pawtucket-based nonprofit’s plan to create a total of 62 affordable housing units in Pawtucket and Central Falls over the next two years. The property was most recently a parking lot.

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Thursday’s tour was the fourth across the state this year hosted by the Housing Network of Rhode Island, which aims to show how affordable homes can be an attractive addition to any of the state’s 39 municipalities.“While this idea of affordable housing might seem one-size-fits all, it is really anything but,” Melina Lodge, the nonprofit advocacy organization’s executive director, told reporters assembled outside the building. “Every project that our members produce is attempting to respond to a local need by the people and match the feeling and aesthetic of its local community.”

Though he did not join the tour, House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi commended the project during his brief remarks outside the Central Street property.

“This is exactly the type of development that we need more of in Rhode Island,” Shekarchi said. “In the last five years in Rhode Island, the prices of single-family homes have nearly doubled. The rents at 44 Central will be affordable, and that’s fantastic for the 30 new families who will live here.”

House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi, right, speaks in front of the affordable housing complex under construction in Central Falls on Nov. 14, 2024. To his left is Pawtucket Central Falls Development Executive Director Linda Weisinger. (Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current)

The Central Street property will include a mix of units from one to four bedrooms, with rents starting at $800 a month and up to $1,900 for the largest apartments. The average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Central Falls is $1,637 a month, according to the 2024 HousingWorks RI Fact Book.

On the tour, Weisinger highlighted grab bars, lever door handles, roll-in showers and other accessible design features that will be included in some of the apartments. 

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“It’s really going to that next level of something we’ve been really mindful of in the work we do, in trying to make sure residents, if they are here for a long time, can age in place,” Weisinger said.

That note got the attention of Rep. Deborah Fellela, a Johnston Democrat who joined the tour.

“So many developments don’t think of that,” Fellela said in an interview.

The new building will also have two community commercial spaces, one of which will be a homeownership and financial education center on the ground floor run by PCF Development. 

Even in its initial stages of construction, the promise of an attractive building in the heart of the city was enough to captivate Rep. Joshua Giraldo, a Central Falls Democrat.

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“I grew up in a small third-floor unit that was really cramped with not a lot of lighting,” Giraldo told Rhode Island Current after the tour. “To see the detail that has been put into the project makes me really proud.”

The Central Street rentals still have a ways to go until their planned 2026 opening, but Weisinger said applications are already open for those interested in getting on the ground floor — or the following two. For application information, visit PCF Development’s website or call (401) 941-2900.

PCF Development rentals predominantly go to low to moderate income families with single-parent female heads of households, its website states.

Housewrap envelops the 25-unit mixed-use affordable apartment complex under construction on Central Street in Central Falls on Nov. 14, 2024. (Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current)

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Rhode Island Powers Ahead with Phase 2 of National EV Charging Program: $10M Up for Grabs – Newport Buzz

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Rhode Island Powers Ahead with Phase 2 of National EV Charging Program: M Up for Grabs – Newport Buzz


Rhode Island is on the road to a cleaner future. Governor Dan McKee, alongside the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources (OER) and the Department of Transportation (RIDOT), announced the launch of Phase 2 of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program—a game-changer for electric vehicle drivers across the Ocean State. With $10 million in competitive funding on the table, this phase aims to roll out more EV charging stations across communities, making it easier than ever to “plug in and go.”

For Phase 2, the state is opening applications for public, private, and non-profit entities who are ready to step up and contribute to the state’s clean energy vision. The program offers federal funding covering up to 80% of the project cost, with up to $1 million available for DC Fast Charger sites, $250,000 for Level 2 chargers, and a cool $1.25 million for sites offering both. To get in on the action, applicants need to pony up a 20% match—but bringing a little extra to the table could score some bonus points.

Governor McKee sees this initiative as a bold leap forward, cementing Rhode Island’s reputation as a leader in sustainable transportation. “Rhode Island continues to be a leader across the nation in clean transportation,” he said. “This program is crucial to supporting the adoption of EVs and creating an equitable and accessible future for Rhode Islanders.”

The state is looking to install at least 10 DC Fast Chargers and 100 Level 2 chargers, with the rollout starting on November 14, 2024. Rhode Island’s approach focuses on community-driven needs, making sure the chargers are installed where people need them most. This means accessible, reliable, and fast-charging options for drivers in every corner of the state.

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Rhode Island’s Phase 1 rollout, completed in the summer of 2024, saw the state become the first in the nation to build out the Alternative Fuel Corridor along I-95, with chargers installed in key spots like Ashaway and Warwick. This achievement earned high praise from federal heavyweights, including Acting Federal Highway Administrator Kristin White and Joint Office of Energy and Transportation’s Executive Director Gabe Klein.

“Rhode Island being the ‘first-in-the-nation’ has a nice ring to it,” said Congressman Gabe Amo, adding that this next step “brings us closer to reaching our state’s ambitious emissions targets and building a robust electric vehicle charging network.”

Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse echoed the sentiment, pointing out the convenience and long-term savings EV drivers can now look forward to, thanks to Rhode Island’s expanded charging network. Congressman Seth Magaziner emphasized the health benefits for communities, highlighting cleaner air and a reduced carbon footprint.

For Rhode Island, this isn’t just about chargers; it’s about powering a movement. Acting OER Commissioner Chris Kearns noted the importance of this next step in helping Rhode Island achieve its Act on Climate goals. “The NEVI Phase 2 program will continue to create a more sustainable transportation system for residents, businesses, and visitors throughout the state,” he said.

Rhode Island’s EV Expansion by the Numbers

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  • Up to $10 million in competitive funding for publicly accessible charging installations.
  • A minimum of 10 new DC Fast Chargers and 100 Level 2 chargers statewide.
  • Application period runs from November 14, 2024, through February 28, 2025.
  • Funding covers up to 80% of project costs, with capped amounts per charging type.

The state is taking no shortcuts in making Rhode Island one of the best places in America to own and drive an EV. With Phase 2 officially underway, the Ocean State is charging full-speed ahead toward a future where clean energy and convenient charging stations go hand-in-hand. Applications and more details are available at www.energy.ri.gov/rinevi.

 

 

 


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