BOSTON (Dec. 20, 2023) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has completed required comprehensive site cleanup reviews, or Five-Year reviews, of four National Priority List Sites (Superfund Sites) across Rhode Island.
"Continuing to monitor Superfund sites after our primary cleanup work is completed ensures that site remedies are continuing to protect human health and the natural environment, and that communities who had been burdened by concerns of contamination can rest easier," said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "By completing these reviews of the cleanups every five years, EPA can continue to keep communities in the know, and information up-to-date."
As required by law, EPA conducts reviews at Superfund sites after cleanup remedies have been implemented every five years. This comprehensive review of previous work helps ensure that EPA continues to evaluate the performance of cleanup efforts and determines whether any further action to protect human health or the environment is required.
The Superfund Sites in Rhode Island where EPA has completed Five-Year Reviews during the 2023 Fiscal Year, are listed below. The following links provide access to each Superfund Site page where you can find their Five-Year Review report(s). The Five-Year Review at each of these sites concluded that the remedies continue to effectively protect peoples' health and the environment and made recommendations for follow up actions where needed.
Completed Rhode Island Five Year Reviews in Fiscal Year 2023:
Central Landfill, Johnston, Rhode Island
Picillo Farm, Coventry, Rhode Island
Western Sand & Gravel, Burrillville, Rhode Island
Completed Rhode Island Five Year Reviews for Federal Facilities in Fiscal Year 2023:
Davisville Naval Construction Battalion Center, North Kingstown, Rhode Island
Background
The Superfund program, a federal program established by Congress in 1980, investigates and cleans up the most complex, uncontrolled, or abandoned hazardous waste sites in the country and endeavors to facilitate activities to return them to productive use.
Throughout the process of designing and constructing a cleanup at a hazardous waste site, EPA's primary goal is to protect public health and the environment. At many sites, EPA continues to ensure it remains true to EPA's mission, by requiring cleanup reviews every five years. It is important for EPA to regularly check on these sites to ensure the cleanup remedy is working properly. These reviews identify issues (if any) that may affect the protectiveness of the completed remedy and, if necessary, recommend action(s) necessary to address them.
There are many phases of the Superfund cleanup process including considering future use and redevelopment at sites and conducting post cleanup monitoring of sites.
More information:
For more information about EPA's Superfund program, visit www.epa.gov/superfund
from EPA News Releases https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-completes-reviews-four-rhode-island-superfund-sites