By DONNA KENNY KIRWAN

PAWTUCKET — Thanks to federal grants, Slater Mill is embarking on a $1 million initiative to advance several renovation projects, including a working hydropower exhibit.

Officials from Slater Mill held a press conference on Monday to announce the launch of the Waterway Restoration Project and two federal awards: a $300,000 Save America's Treasures grant supported by  Sen. Jack Reed and a $194,000 appropriation sponsored by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse. The funding is part of a $1 million initiative to restore and improve the Slater Mill building, rebuild its waterway and educate the public about the past and future of green energy.
According to a press release from Slater Mill, the Save America's Treasures funds will be used to protect the mill against the threats of flood, fire and decay by repairing and restoring the mill's headrace and waterworks, doing dredging and masonry repairs and updating the fire suppression system. These improvements will also enhance the landscaping along the riverfront and create greater visitor access to the river.
The 2010 federal funding secured by Sen. Whitehouse will allow the mill to restore two 19th century turbines and rehabilitate one in order to generate hydropower from the Blackstone River. It is expected that this will provide some off-the-grid heat and eletricity to the building. This project is already underway, according to Slater Mill officials.
These turbines ran machinery in the mill until the early 20th century and represent the second generation of hydropower technology that superseded waterwheels. The press release states that the preservation of the two turbines underneath the mill is essential in order to save these artifacts that once enabled manufacturers to harness the river.
According to Janice Kissinger of Slater Mill, the restoration of these turbines will be the cornerstone of a new exhibit that will educate visitors about the history of Rhode Island ingenuity and innovation, the power of the river, and the future of green energy. The exhibit will also include a planned fish passage, which is scheduled to be built on the other side of the Slater Mill Dam over the next two years.
This initiative will provide economic, environmental, educational and cultural benefits for all of Rhode Island and the surrounding region, Kissinger stated.
Additional funding for the project has come from the Ida Ballou Littlefield Memorial Trust, The Champlin Foundations, the City of Pawtucket and the Community Development Block Grant, along with individual donors and private foundations.