RI Senate Passes Waste Processing Bill

A bill aimed at reining in the amount of tonnage facilities such as TLA Pond View in East Providence are allowed to process passed the Rhode Island State Senate on Wednesday.

The legislation, proposed by state Sen. Daniel Da Ponte (D), would limit the East Providence recycling facility's processing operations to 150 tons a day. Pond View currently has a license to process 500 tons of waste per day and is seeking to expand its operations to 1,500 tons a day.

The bill was originally considered in the Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture, where it passed unanimously. It passed on the floor of the Senate with a tally of 35 to 0.

In a sit-down interview at the Capitol Building, Da Ponte elaborated on the impact he hopes his bill will have, along with his feelings on the contentious relationship between Pond View and neighboring residents.

"This is about protecting neighboring families from what's going on at the site," he said.

While Da Ponte has been a vocal proponent for regulating Pond View's operations, he said shutting down the recycling plant is not, nor has it ever been, a goal of his.

"I've never called for [Pond View] to be shut down," he said. "The issue is simply that this kind of operation that is close to residences, families, and children be limited in the kind of waste they produce."

Among the  were that of Pond View not holding proper certification to operate, namely from the State Planning Council. Neighboring residents have also complained of persistent dust, sudden respiratory issues and strong odors they say comes from the Dexter Road facility.

Last week, TLA Pond View's Regional Vice President, Jack Walsh,  from the State Planning Council which stated that the classification of the company was "not subject to the State Planning Council review."

Walsh also produced a letter from the city of East Providence which addressed the mounting informal complaints neighboring residents expressed concerning an odor they said has been coming from Pond View. The letter stated that after an investigation from the city, an odor "could not be traced to [Pond View's] operation."

Da Ponte, who represents District 14 encompassing East Providence and Pawtucket, said that he was not aware of the letter of exemption issued by the State Planning Council, but added that his focus was on the larger picture.

"This isn't about calling Pond View out on technicalities," he said. "This is about processing waste of 1,500 tons within 1,000 feet of a neighborhood."

Da Ponte responded to the city's findings that an odor was not stemming from the facility by speculating about East Providence's response procedures.

"What was their response time?" he asked. "Did they check for the particulates in the air?"

Da Ponte conveyed similar skepticism when learning that Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management's high volume of random field inspections on Pond View reported nothing of concern.

"The DEM has limited staff," he said. "If you show up twelve hours after the smell [has been produced], it may not be there. Did the DEM check for air particulates?"

The Senate Bill is now en-route to the House Municipal Government Committee and will go before the House if passed.

Waiting in the House of Representatives is a similar piece of legislation. It is sponsored by East Providence's Rep. Helio Melo (D) of District 64.