RI DEM renews permit for Portsmouth Island Park dump capping

The RI Department of Environmental Management has renewed the permit for AP Enterprise (APE) to continue work capping the former Island Park dump for another year, according to an e-mail sent to interested parties this morning by RIDEM environmental scientist Mark Dennen.

The document, called a "Beneficial Use Determination (BUD)," spells out the conditions for the site cleanup. DEM promised to post it on their web site, or you can download it here.

The BUD clearly states that existing work has been in compliance, and that one of the main reasons justifying the extension was the slippage caused by the uncompleted Sakonnet River Bridge:

As of this date, the grading and shaping activities, as well as placement of cover material has been in compliance with the BUDA. However, less than half of the site has been covered. A significant factor in this delay, as outlined in the renewal application, is that truck traffic is restricted over the Sakonnet River Bridge due to ongoing repairs that were originally anticipated to be done early in 2012 but is still ongoing.

According to Dennen's e-mail, "[T]here are no changes from previous conditions except that a condition was added to give the Department access when APE employees are not onsite."

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