CUMBERLAND, R.I. — U.S. Rep. Gabe Amo, D-R.I., joined local leaders Tuesday to mark the completion of a $1.2 million stormwater project along Industrial Road in Cumberland. His office said the project is meant to address chronic flooding in the town's largest commercial area.

Industrial Road is Cumberland's largest business park and is home to more than 30 businesses, according to Amo's office. The office said outdated drainage has contributed to flooding during heavy rainstorms, which it described as increasingly frequent. It said the flooding disrupts business operations, delays deliveries and can keep employees from getting to work.

The project upgrades the area's stormwater system to capture, manage and treat runoff before returning it to the state's drainage system, the office said. Amo's office said the improvements would reduce flooding, protect nearby infrastructure, help businesses keep operating during severe weather and protect water quality.

According to the release, the money came from federal community project funding secured in a fiscal 2023 spending package by Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, both Rhode Island Democrats, and former Rep. David Cicilline, Amo's predecessor in Rhode Island's 1st Congressional District.

Amo credited Cicilline with leading the effort to obtain the money. "This $1.2 million investment led by my predecessor, Congressman Cicilline, is helping Cumberland tackle a longstanding problem for local businesses and workers," Amo said. "By improving stormwater infrastructure, we're helping protect jobs, keep goods moving, and strengthen one of Cumberland's most important business areas."

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