A five-acre stretch of state-owned land along the Pawtuxet River in Cranston is slated for restoration as part of $2.3 million in federal environmental funding announced Oct. 14, 2026. The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management will receive $250,000 for the site through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Southeast New England Program, officials said at a gathering in Cranston. The work is expected to remove old foundations and pavement, replant forest and wetland areas, and give the river more room to spread out. Cranston Mayor Ken Hopkins said plans also include a canoe launch, fishing area and walking trail, creating new opportunities for residents to reach the river while the landscape is restored. The funding package also includes $1.2 million for six large-scale Rhode Island restoration projects through SNEP Watershed Implementation Grants. Eleven other Rhode Island organizations will share $78,000 for coastal and watershed stewardship work, according to officials. The announcement did not detail how the remaining portion of the $2.3 million will be allocated. The Pawtuxet River project combines ecological restoration with public access, though officials have not provided a schedule for construction or completion.