• Residents have raised concerns about the project's potential environmental and quality of life impact and a lack of public input by the Quonset governing body.

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• The proposed plant would use a high-heat process called pyrolysis to break down up to 160 tons of sludge per day.

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• North Kingstown officials have retained legal services and have initiated a lawsuit targeting the environmental permitting review untilized by RI Department of Environental Management (and the EPA). 

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• A citizens group called North Kingstown Residents for Clean Air and Water on April 24 filed a lawsuit in Rhode Island Superior Court arguing that “RIDEM and QDC deprived the public of its right to participate in the process of a significant project that will have substantial environmental, health, and safety impacts on the community."  They also have raised concerns about the appropriateness of the environmental approval process.  

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• Legislation championed by our legislative delegation (Reps. Casimiro, Craven and Senators DiMario and Valverde) has paused the project until June of 2027. 

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• In the meantime, a Joint Legislative Commission +, whose work begins soon, will study stateside sludge disposal options for Rhode Island.​ 

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• The commission is slated to come back to the General Assembly by April 1. 2027 with any recommendations regarding sludge handling and disposal.   Their recommendations may be permissive (enabling the plant), a regulated plant (allow some kind of plant with modest restrictions) or prohibitive (provide significant hurdles that may prevent this sludge plant from being built as defined) as it relates to sludge management and disposal.  Any prospective legislation may reflect the recommendations of the commission.   

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• + Note: An analyis of the composition of the commission indicates that the commission appears to be structured as a technical and institutional stakeholder commission, with strong representation from wastewater, biosolids, and government entities, some environmental advocacy representation, and little guaranteed representation for ordinary citizens or residents living near potential facilities.