EPA Looks Outside Johnston for Contaminated Soil Burial Sites

After local residents and Mayor Joseph Polisena opposed a plan to bury contaminated soil from Woonasquatucket River on properties in Johnston, the federal Environmental Protection Agency announced on Oct. 10 that it is considering other locations for so-called Upland Confined Disposal Facilities.

In a statement released Wednesday afternoon, the EPA noted that it "continues to believe the upland Confined Disposal Facility... is the best approach to address contaminated sediment/soil" from the shoreline of the Woonasquatucket.

However, following the local opposition, the federal agency decided to look beyond Johnston for a site "that addresses most or all of the concerns raised by the public."

Back in January, 2012, on the eve of a scheduled hearing at Sarah Dyer Barnes School, Polisena announced that he would not allow the EPA to bury the contaminated soil on the property of the town Department of Public Works on Irons Avenue.

At the time, Polisena also said he wanted to prevent property owners from accepting the material.

"We're going to fight any effort if someone tries to sell (EPA) their land and put it on their land," Polisena explained.

The EPA estimated the cost of the clean-up — which includes removing tons of soil contaminated with Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxin — at $104 million.

An EPA official told JohnstonPatch in January that the material is "the least contaminated of the soil," and explained that the Confined Disposal Facility process includes sqeezing water out of the soil before storing it underground in what is essentially a lined pit.

Johnston officials are in the early stages of a project to renovate Cricket Field, located along the river, and install pedestrian- and kayak-friendly features along the Johnston border.

In June, the EPA issued a warning for residents along the river not to swim, fish, or eat wildlife or plants in the area.

Read the entire clean-up plan online at the EPA's Centredale Manor Restoration Project web page.