PROVIDENCE – The Environmental Protection Agency has completed comprehensive five-year reviews of four sites in Rhode Island that have been designated federal “Superfund” contamination sites and cleanup efforts at those sites will continue, the agency announced.
The sites are the Central Landfill in Johnston, the Picillo Farm in Coventry, Western Sand and Gravel in Burrillville, and the Davisville Naval Construction Battalion Center in North Kingstown.
Established in 1980, the federal Superfund program investigates and cleans up the most complex, uncontrolled, or abandoned hazardous waste sites in the nation and endeavors to facilitate their return to productive use, the EPA said.
The program forces the parties responsible for the contamination to either perform cleanups or reimburse the government for EPA-led cleanup work. When there is no viable responsible party, Superfund gives EPA the funds and authority to clean up the contaminated sites, according to the EPA.
As part of the program, five-year reviews of the contaminated sites are required.
“Completing five-year review evaluations at Superfund sites is a critical part of the Superfund cleanup process,” Alexandra Dunn, EPA regional administrator for New England, said in a statement. “It ensures remedies remain protective of public health and the environment.”
The announcement did not include details of the status of the cleanup efforts at the four sites.
However, R.I. Department of Environmental Management Director Janet Coit indicated that progress has been made.
“Since Congress passed the Superfund law, many of the worst hazardous sites in Rhode Island and the nation have either been cleaned up or brought under control, but EPA’s five-year review evaluations remind us that even cleaned-up sites remain works in progress,” Coit said. “We are grateful for EPA’s vigilance monitoring these four Superfund sites to ensure that their cleanup continues to protect public health and the environment.”
The EPA said it is involved in Superfund studies and cleanups at 13 sites in Rhode Island, including federal facilities. Under the Trump administration, according to the agency, the Superfund program has “re-emerged as a priority.”
Scott Blake is a PBN staff writer. Email him at Blake@PBN.com.
