News Release
RI Department of Environmental Management
235 Promenade St., Providence, RI 02908
(401) 222-2771 TDD/(401) 222-4462

Superior Court Judge Frank Williams today granted a continuance, until Monday, August 28, in the complaint brought against Robert and Tracey Recchia by DEM Director Jan Reitsma and RI Attorney General Sheldon Whitehouse. The continuance was granted at the request of the defendants, who contended that they were not ready to proceed with the scheduled hearing because their engineer was not available.

The case involves objectionable odors emanating from some 58,000 cubic yards of illegally disposed construction and demolition debris at the defendants' property on Mill Street in Johnston.

At DEM's request, Judge Williams ordered the defendants to install a leachate collection system at the dumpsite by tomorrow, August 24. He also order the defendants to meet tomorrow with DEM, Clean Harbors (the environmental response contractor hired by the defendants), and a "Posi-Shell" representative to assess the appropriateness of installing a Posi-Shell coating at the site. If the parties fail to agree on the appropriateness of this odor containment process, the matter will be taken up by Judge Williams on Friday, August 25.

"The Department continues to maintain that the only effective, long-term solution to the odor problem is to immediately start removing the construction and demolition debris," said DEM Director Reitsma. "With the Attorney General's Office, we will be making that case to the Judge on Monday. In the meantime, the additional abatement measures ordered today should help to reduce the odors at the site."