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WHEREAS, portions of Newport's North End lie within FEMA-designated 100-year and 500-year floodplains and are vulnerable to recurrent flooding during both routine and severe storm events; and
WHEREAS, flooding within the Elizabeth Brook watershed has resulted in impacts to public infrastructure, residential properties, commercial properties, and transportation corridors within the North End neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, Flood management & mitigation of the Elizabeth Brook Watershed was identified as a High Action Priority mitigation measure in the 2025 Aquidneck Island Regional Hazard Mitigation and Flood Management Plan, adopted by the City Council through Resolution No. 2026-17; and
WHEREAS, the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Program supports projects that reduce disaster risk and strengthen community resilience; and
WHEREAS, the Elizabeth Brook Daylighting and Flood Resiliency Project – Phase III Scoping will advance planning, engineering, environmental review, and alternatives analysis necessary to reduce future flood risk and improve the resilience of Newport's North End. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT
RESOLVED: that the City Council hereby authorizes the Grants Office within the Department of Resilience & Sustainability, in collaboration with the Department of Utilities, to submit an application to the Federal Emergency Management Agency requesting $1.425 million through the FY 2026 Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Project Scoping Program for the Elizabeth Brook Daylighting and Flood Resiliency Project – Phase III Scoping; AND BE IT
RESOLVED: that the City Council acknowledges the required 25 percent non-federal cost share, estimated at $475,000, as identified in the Department of Utilities and authorizes the Director of Finance to take all necessary actions to allocate and reserve such funds.
IN COUNCIL
READ AND PASSED
JUNE 24, 2026
LAURA C. SWISTAK, CMC
CITY CLERK