14-R325

2014 -- S 3074

06/10/14

S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THAT THE HONORABLE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE

OF RHODE ISLAND HEREBY AUTHORIZE THE DIRECTOR OF THE RHODE ISLAND

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT TO CONDUCT A

COMPREHENSIVE SITE INVESTIGATION AND APPROPRIATE ENVIRONMENTAL

MITIGATION RESPONSE TO COMPLETELY ADDRESS AND FULLY REMEDIATE THE

HAZARDOUS POLLUTION FROM A LANDFILL SITE IN WARWICK

  Introduced By: Senators Walaska, McCaffrey, and Lynch

  Date Introduced: June 05, 2014

   WHEREAS, The health, safety and welfare of the citizens of the State of Rhode Island

are matters of paramount importance to the General Assembly; and

   WHEREAS, A landfill was operated in the City of Warwick, that was located on land

which is currently owned by the state; and

   WHEREAS, The former landfill has long been identified as a hazardous waste disposal

site containing analytes/hazardous compounds that are summarized in a preliminary site

investigation report dated September, 2008. This hazardous site is surrounded by wetlands on

three sides; and

   WHEREAS, The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) no

longer takes borings of the areas surrounding the landfill to determine if the size and limits of the

underground pollution plume has changed and further migrated away from the original site; and

   WHEREAS, The DEM inspected and installed a temporary cap to the landfill site at least

once since the flood of 2010, but has not authorized funding to proceed with the four-step process

to fully test and mitigate leachate patterns and the adverse impacts that the landfill is having on

the surrounding area, including groundwater leachate; now, therefore be it

   RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

hereby respectfully requests the Honorable Governor of the State of Rhode Island to authorize the

Director of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management to conduct a

comprehensive site investigation and appropriate environmental mitigation response to

completely address and fully remediate the hazardous pollution from the landfill site in Warwick

in accordance with federal and state laws; and be it further

   RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Honorable Lincoln Chaffee, Governor of

Rhode Island, and Janet Coit, Director, Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.

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LC005870

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