United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region I
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

The Kenyon Piece Landfill Site is located off Sand Plain Road near the intersection of Sand Plain Road and County Trail [a.k.a. Rhode Island (RI) Route 2] in Charlestown, Washington County, RI.  The Site consists of an irregular L-shaped 62-acre parcel of land identified on the Town of Charlestown Tax Assessor’s Map No. 25 as Lot No. 94.  The geographic coordinates of the Site, as measured from its approximate center, are 41 26' 21.6" north latitude and 71 38' 19.8" west longitude.  Land use within 1 mile of the property is zoned as mixed residential/agricultural/ commercial.  The 62-acre Site is bounded by Sand Plain Road to the north; RI Route 2 to the east; and residential properties, woodland, and farmland to the south and west.  A right-of-way for overhead electric utility lines traverses the south-central portion of the property in a northeast to southwest direction.

RI DEM had MACTEC Engineering and Consulting, Inc. (MACTEC) performed a Targeted Brownfields Assessment (TBA) and Site Investigation (SI) in 2006.  In the MACTEC January 2007 Data Submittal Report, MACTEC identified 7 test pits with buried drums and containers. Analytical results in the report also identified lead, toluene, ethylbenzene, tetrachloroethene, and naphthalene in the soil and groundwater at levels high enough to support the need for a Federal response.  In August of 2007, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) notified EPA of the presence of buried drums and containers at this vacant property and requested EPA’s assistance in addressing the Site. On November 6, 2007, EPA initiated a Preliminary Assessment/ Site Investigation (PA/SI) which included walking the Site with representatives of DEM, reviewing site background information, sampling of surface soils, and mapping magnetic anomalies using geophysical surveys to verify the areas identified in the TBA.  The PA/SI was concluded, and a action was recommended in a closure memo dated June 20, 2008.

As the removal action has progressed since starting on August 4, 2008, the size of the exclusion zone has increased as we have dug  trenches which led into the trees south, east, and slightly west of the initial zone. Thus, the 7 test pits identified by MACTEC significantly underestimated the extent of the area where buried drums and containers would be found.

Operational Activities

During the period of 4/13/2009 - 6/5/09:

1) Task Order finalized for ERRS SOW, and Purchase Request on 4/14/2009.

2) ERRS and START mobilized to Site on 4/15/2009.

3) Earthen Cap preparation on 4/16/2009.  On 4/16/2009 - 4/17/2009 hay bales, wooden stakes, and silt fence were removed from perimeter of where drums and containers were exhumed.

4) Earthen Cap installation began on 4/20/2009.

5) ERRS subcontract surveyors on 4/20/2009 - 4/21/2009 set out wooden stakes to dictate final soil elevations.

6) Clean fill began being delivered on 4/20/2009.  A total of 10141 ton was delivered by 5/1/2009.

7) Geotextile started being placed on the cap on 4/22/2009. By 5/8/2009 geotextile was placed over 100% of the cap.

8) Clean fill began being placed on the cap on 4/22/2009. By 5/8/2009 geotextile was placed over 100% of the cap.  By 5/8/2009 10141 ton of clean fill was placed on 100% of the cap.

9) Geotextile and crushed stone was placed 5/11/2009 - 5/12/2009 to create a grave road that is centered widewise and travels almost 2/3rds of the lengthe of the cap.

10) 2250 cubic yard of topsoil was placed at a depth of 6 inches over 100% of the cap from 5/13/2009 - 5/15/2009.  

11) The cap was hydroseeded on 5/18/2009.

12) Temporary fencing was staked on 5/19/2009 along the northern edge of the cap in order to restrict trespassers and allow the hydroseed to begin growing.

13) Equipment was cleaned and demobed from 5/19/2009 - 5/22/2009.

14) ERRS equipment operators and laborers demobed on 5/21/2009. The ERRS Response Manager demobed from the Site on 5/22/2009.  

15) The final Site walk occurred on June 5, 2009.  The EPA OSC, ERRS RM, START Contractor, RI DEM Rep, and Town of Charlestown staffers were in attendance.  This formally completed the Site activities.

RI DEM may continue to conduct groundwater sampling during the summer of 2009.