Acting Executive Director’s Message
As we head into the lazy, hazy days of summer, I want to remind you that the Blackstone Valley is a great place to spend your vacation. We’ve got a terrific paddle club with access to beautiful waterways, miles of the Blackstone River Bikeway for you to enjoy, wonderful recreational and cultural facilities like River Bend Farm in Uxbridge and Lincoln Woods in Lincoln, great museums like Slater Mill, the Museum of Work and Culture, Willard Clock Museum and the Worcester Historical Museum and plenty of cultural entertainment, festivals and free walking tours to engage you and your family. To find out the latest happenings at partner sites throughout the valley, visit www.eventblackstone.com or hit the hot link in the right side margin below.

In this edition of our newsletter we update you on the completion and forward progress of a number of important projects and we salute several valley residents who have contributed significant time, energy and creative talents to making the valley special to those of us who live here and for those who visit. I am also pleased to announce that we have rescheduled our reauthorization celebration and we urge you to join us for a great time at Union Station in Worcester on Friday, June 8th with our special guest, Representative James McGovern.

See you around the valley,

Thomas E. Ross
Acting Executive Director

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Commission Votes to Support EPA Requirements for Blackstone River
The Corridor Commission met on Friday, May 18, 2007, to review and discuss the draft Environmental Protection Agency NPDES Permit No. MA 0102369 for the Upper Blackstone Water Pollution Abatement District (UBWPAD) that specifically addresses discharges from the Millbury, MA treatment plant. The Commission voted unanimously to support the requirements of the permit outlined in the draft and expressed its strong support and desire for the EPA to negotiate an aggressive implementation schedule for the UBWPAD to upgrade its treatment plant to meet the requirements of the permit.

The new permit’s phosphorous and nitrogen requirements will go far in decreasing the nutrient load that the river carries into Rhode Island and eventually into Narragansett Bay. It serves as yet another important step forward in the Commission’s legislative mandate to promote and achieve a healthy Blackstone River.

Read the Commission’s letter here.

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Reauthorization Celebration Slated for June 8
The National Heritage Corridor Commission invites you to its rescheduled Reauthorization / Revitalization Celebration with special guest Representative James P. McGovern. The event will be held Friday, June 8, 2007, in Union Station, The Restaurant, 2 Washington Square in Worcester. We will begin at 5:00 p.m. and you are invited to celebrate with us! Hors d’oeuvres generously provided by Union Station The Restaurant and UniBank. Those wishing to attend are urged to r.s.v.p. to Meghan Couture at 401-762-0250 by June 6th.

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Mary Lou Anderson receives Corridor Star Award from Commission Chair Ted Sanderson (right) and Acting Executive Director Tom Ross (left).

Commission Presents Four Corridor Star Awards
The Commission presented four Corridor Star Awards at its May 18th meeting in Blackstone, MA. The Star Awards recognize individuals or partner organizations that have accomplished good works on behalf of, or in partnership with, the National Heritage Corridor including outstanding service to the National Heritage Corridor, its mission, goals, projects and programs.

Mary Lou Anderson
Ms. Mary Lou Anderson has long been active within her hometown of Millville, Massachusetts and the Heritage Corridor. In recent years, Ms. Anderson has taken the lead role in the Blackstone Valley Youth Leadership Academy (BVYLA), a program for 9th and 10th graders that strengthens leadership skills and builds their connection to the Blackstone Valley. Ms. Anderson can also be seen as a Volunteer in Park (VIP) especially on Tuesday nights with the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club.

Cheri Hall, Director, Burrillville Parks & Recreation
In 2006, Ms. Hall coordinated a year long celebration to mark Burrillville’s bicentennial. Also under Ms. Hall’s leadership, grants were obtained and Spring Lake Beach Area was rehabilitated and became property of the Town of Burrillville. Town residents and visitors from around Rhode Island and beyond come and enjoy this beautiful recreational resource.

Frank Geary
Mr. Frank Geary has been a key player in the rebirth of the Blackstone River. Last January, he spearheaded the Blackstone River Coalition’s (BRC) fish ladder project, the number one priority in the Campaign for a fishable/swimmable Blackstone River by 2015. For more than thirty years, many different environmentally minded individuals have tried to have fish passages on the first four dams of the Blackstone, but these efforts have never materialized. The BRC’s fish passage program would bring environmental, ecological and economic benefit to the entire region.

East Providence Historical Society
The East Providence Historical Society has been instrumental in the preservation of the stories, buildings and landscapes of East Providence. Through their well organized museum at the John Hunt House they emphasize the entrepreneurial aspect of the Blackstone Valley, including the story of the invention of Rumford Baking Powder. The East Providence Historical Society has also worked diligently to preserve the buildings of the Rumford Chemical Company. These efforts have recently been recognized by the American Chemical Society with the awarding of the National Historic Chemical Landmark designation to Rumford Chemical Works.

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