Planning and Community Development

The Broad Street Regeneration Initiative is a partnership between Cumberland, Central Falls, Pawtucket, RIDOT, the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, the Rhode Island Foundation and a number of other private and public organizations, focusing on maximizing best design practices and economic development opportunities for the $16.5M road reconstruction project slated to start in March, 2020. Click here for more information.

The Town has secured a RIDEM grant of $150,000 to hire an environmental consultant to investigate the site to determine how to permanently and safely remediate, cap and close the landfill. The grant also will fund a legal investigation to try and secure Potentially Responsible Parties (PRP’s) to help share the remediating, capping and closure costs. The Town also intends the feasibility of converting the landfill into a solar farm. Typically a municipality enters into a 20 or 25-year integrated Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with a solar energy developer. The town derives a revenue stream from leasing the site, and can lock in a fixed below market price for its use of the energy. In Cumberland’s case, it is hoped this income can significantly reduce or eliminate entirely the Town’s share of the cost of remediating, capping and closing of the landfill. For more information, Click here.