The new funding program gets technical support from the Rhode Island Habitat Restoration Team, a group of academic, legislative, and stakeholder groups and state and federal agencies. The Northeast Region's Southern New England ? New York Bight Coastal Program plays an integral role on this team by providing biological, ecological, and coordination expertise. The Coastal Program worked closely with the state of Rhode Island and other partners to prioritize projects for the 2005 funding cycle.

In 2005 alone, over $4,000,000 will be leveraged with $250,000 in state funds. Projects to be funded include eelgrass monitoring, saltmarsh restoration, and fish passage projects, all of which contribute directly to the health of Narragansett Bay and the natural resources of Rhode Island. With a significant statewide reliance on coastal resources by means of tourism, commercial and recreational fisheries, and ?the Rhode Island way of life,? the state's commitment to this fund is an important step forward.