Lead Excavation a Success at Smithfield, R.I. Location

(Boston, Mass, - Dec.5, 2008) - EPA's work to remove lead contaminated soil at the Providence Barrel Location in Smithfield, R.I. is winding down. As expected, all activity has concluded for the season, both on schedule and under anticipated costs. E.P.A. has been working closely with the Rhode Island Dept. of Environmental Management (RI DEM), local officials and residents throughout the cleanup process.

Excavation of contaminated soils began in May, 2008. In the past 2 weeks all on Location personnel and equipment were demobilized and all seed restoration for this season was completed. E.P.A. will be back in the spring to complete vegetation restoration and repair any damage that has occurred over the winter.

The former Providence Barrel facility, located in a residential neighborhood on Oak Street in the village of Esmond in Smithfield, operated as a barrel reclamation facility from 1972 until 1980. The two-acre Location had been inactive in recent years, but federal and state investigations indicated the presence of soil and potentially groundwater contamination.

The cleanup work was prompted by a Location investigation conducted by Rhode Island DEM, E.P.A. and its Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team (START) contractor in Oct. 2005. Based on these findings and subsequent investigations, in July, 2007, E.P.A. recommended a removal action for this site.

Further investigation conducted during the cleanup found elevated levels of lead related to Location activities on 17 adjacent private properties. The excavation of soil contamination on these parcels was completed by October 8, 2008. Properties that were cleared of contamination were backfilled with clean soil, re-seeded and landscaped to ensure a return to original, but clean, conditions.

Almost 7,000 tons of lead-contaminated soil was removed from the entire site, and all buildings that had existed on the property were removed. The contaminated soils were transported to a treatment facility and then re-used as daily-cover soil at a landfill in New Hampshire.

More information: E.P.A. cleanup and removal work (epa.gov/region1/cleanup/index.html)

Contact Information:
(Media) Jeanethe Falvey, U.S. EPA, (617) 918-1020
(Technical) Ted Bazenas, U.S. EPA, (617) 918-1230
(Technical) Ann Battersby, Rhode Island DEM, (401) 222-2797 x7284

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