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EPA Announces Its Preferred Cleanup Option for Floodplain Areas Along Woonasquatucket

Release Date: 10/03/2000
Contact Information: Peyton Fleming, EPA Press Office (617-918-1008)

BOSTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced the agency's preferred plan for cleaning up floodplain areas along the Woonasquatucket River, Allendale Pond and Lymansville Pond in North Providence. The cleanup plan, which is subject to a 30-day public comment period, involves excavating about 2,500 cubic yards of dioxin-contaminated sediments and bank soils as well as restoring Allendale Dam.

"Now that we've taken short-term measures to stop the spread of contamination, we've focusing our attention on the long-term restoration of the floodplain areas and Allendale Dam, beginning next summer," said Mindy S. Lubber, regional administrator of EPA's New England Office. "The cleanup plan we're unveiling today brings us another major step forward in reclaiming the Woonasquatucket River as a resource for the community. We look forward to hearing from the public on this next big step in erasing dioxin contamination from the river."

EPA and the Woonasquatucket River Management Action Committee will hold an open house from 4 to 6 p.m. and a public informational meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, October 10, to summarize the results of the agency's preferred cleanup plan, known formally as an Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis (EE/CA). The analysis included an evaluation of various cleanup options. A public hearing will be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, November 1, for interested citizens to submit written statements and offer verbal comments. Both meetings will be held at the North Providence Town Hall, 2nd Floor, 1000 North St., North Providence.

The 30-day public comment period runs from October 3 through November 3.

EPA's preferred cleanup alternative for the floodplain areas includes excavating contaminated residential soils and floodplain sediments to meet EPA's cleanup criteria and restoring the Allendale Dam. The plan calls for sending the contaminated sediments and soils, estimated to be 2,500 cubic yards of materials, to an off-site treatment / disposal facility.

Following the excavation, the floodplain and riverbed will be restored using materials similar to the existing materials in the floodplain and riverbed. Wetland and riverbank restoration will be performed to repair any damage created by the removal activity.

During the comment period, the public is invited to review the EECA and the administrative record file, which includes documents that will form the basis for EPA's selection of a cleanup plan. The information is available at the following locations: