PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Residents continued to express outrage over recent fires at the South Providence scrapyard on Allens Avenue during a community meeting held by Rhode Island Recycled Metals Tuesday night.
The meeting was supposed to outline a site inspection report while providing residents a chance to express their concerns however, the meeting was filled with data that residents say they found hard to understand.
Many people came to discuss the two fires that have happened at the scrapyard this year but the presentation given wasn’t about the fires at all.
Richard Nicholson, an attorney representing Rhode Island Recycled Metals, said they held the required meeting in order for the scrapyard to continue to run a metals recycling facility.
“In 2009, when we started operation, DEM and CRMC didn’t require us to do this,” Nicholson said.
The meeting, part of a Public Involvement Plan, was also to share data with residents and to hear their concerns.
“You presented slide upon slide with text filled with acronyms,” one resident said.
“I actually have two words to say, that’s ‘go away,’” said Linda Perry who’s lived off of Allens Ave. for the last 4o years.
Attorney Nicholson also answered questions at the meeting.
“I think that he was talking alike a lawyer and you know, he listened but I don’t think it was fair, there wasn’t enough dialogue exchanged,” said Nicholson.
In response to residents concerns over environmental and health impacts from the recent fires, Nicholson cited a report shared with the public that found 32% arsenic and 12% lead from 34 soil samples taken from the facility.
“It basically shows that this site shows no risk to the community, it says it in the report,” said Nicholson.
The scrapyard was shut down by a Rhode Island Superior Court judge last month after a fire but Nicholson said he’s hopeful it will be granted the ability to reopen on Wednesday.
“We’ve taken incredible strides towards enhancing our safety plan,” Nicholson said. “Rethinking our pile management but security with infrared really became the focus of this plan.”
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Publish date : 2024-08-06 16:43:00
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