Preserving the Port of Providence

The Port of Providence plays a key role in bringing stability to Rhode Island. The Port of Providence doesn't simply move cargo, it is responsible for hundreds of millions of dollars in economic impact. The Port provides thousands of jobs for Rhode Island and its surrounding states. The port also supplies the resources needed for the regions heating and energy, a fact that is significantly undervalued.

Recently the longevity of the Port of Providence has been threatened. The City of Providence wants to make substantial zoning changes to the area where the Port resides, disrupting the normal functioning of the Port. The City would like to use this area to build residential condos, hotels, and marinas, in hopes of increasing the city's property tax revenue. The city's ideas are shortsighted, they need to examine the possible long term effects and understand how this decision will negatively impact the region. The Providence Working Waterfront Alliance is determined to show the city just how indispensable the Port of Providence is.

The Providence Working Waterfront Alliance is a team dedicated to preserving the Port of Providence. The alliance is actively working to educate officials and the public about the vital role the Port plays in sustaining Rhode Islands economy. If the Port of Providence ceases operation thousands of port-related jobs would be lost. Of these thousands of jobs, are blue-collar jobs. The Port is one of the few well paying jobs left for blue-collar workers, losing this could have drastic effects on the economy. Also, since the port is the sole supplier of energy, heating and energy costs would rise significantly due to the cost of transporting these resources from a distant port. The costs to the region if the Port of Providence closes are immense. People and officials don't seem to fully understand the detrimental consequences that would come from loosing such a vital economic resource.