PROVIDENCE - The Department of Environmental Management, in cooperation with the Resource Recovery Corporation and the Attorney General's Office, has developed a plan to remove 40,000-60,000 used vehicle tires that are being illegally stored in a building located at 77 Pilsudski Street, in the Olneyville section of Providence.

In response to concerns raised by Providence Councilwoman Josephine DiRuzzo, DEM Director Jan H. Reitsma toured the facility last Wednesday, February 23. Reitsma then spoke with Sherry Giarrusso-Mulhearn, Executive Director of the Resource Recovery Corporation, to work out a solution to the problem. The owner of the property, Atlantic Energy, Inc., was anxious to have the tires removed from the site in order to successfully complete sale of the property. However, the attorney for Atlantic Energy, Inc. had indicated that the corporation had no liquid assets to remove the tires.

DEM requested the Resource Recovery Corporation's assistance by allowing the tires to be disposed of immediately, while postponing payment until the sale of the property. Assistant Attorney General Terence J. Tierney proposed this compromise to the property owner, who accepted the plan. Atlantic Energy, Inc. will submit this plan to complete removal of the tires to the Attorney General's office within 10 days. Upon approval by the Attorney General's Office the cleanup will begin immediately, and all tires will be removed from the site by June 15.