Site History: Wastes have been deposited in the Rose Hill
Landfill since the 1960s.
Location: South Kingstown, Rhode Island.
Trustees:
Case status: Restoration Planning.
Overview: The Rose Hill Landfill is situated adjacent to the
Saugatucket River in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, approximately five miles
west of Narragansett Bay and nine miles north of the Atlantic Ocean. From
approximately 1948 to 1963, sand and gravel excavation operations were
conducted at the Site. The abandoned sand and gravel quarry was subsequently
used for the disposal of domestic and industrial wastes from 1967 until 1983,
when the landfill stopped accepting domestic and industrial waste. Three
disposal areas were utilized: a 27-acre solid waste landfill, an 11-acre bulky
waste disposal area, and a 15-acre sewage sludge landfill. The Site was placed
on the National Priorities List in 1989.
The Saugatucket River, 200 to 300 feet east of the Site, and Mitchell Brook,
flowing through the Site, are the primary impacted surface water bodies.
Saugatucket Pond, approximately one-half mile downstream from the Site, is a
habitat of particular concern to NOAA. The Saugatucket River provides
substantial spawning and nursery habitat for alewife and blueback herring.
Although some spawning activities may occur in Mitchell Brook and reaches of
the Saugatucket River above Saugatucket Pond, most spawning activities are
likely to occur in Saugatucket Pond and directly downstream from the
impoundments associated with two fishways on the Saugatucket River.
A risk assessment conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) concluded that elevated and toxic concentrations of metals found in the
landfill leachate posed an unacceptable risk to fish and supporting benthos in
the Saugatucket River, Saugatucket Pond and Mitchell Brook. In December 1999,
EPA signed a Source Control Record of Decision (ROD). The selected source
control remedy includes the consolidation of the Bulky Waste Area onto the
Solid Waste Area, containment, leachate collection and treatment during
consolidation, and landfill gas treatment. Although the leachate will be
collected during consolidation, the untreated groundwater will continue to flow
towards the Saugatucket River and Mitchell Brook. Hence, monitoring is
necessary to learn if contamination in the migrating groundwater lessens after
the source control remedy is complete. EPA intends to conduct a long-term
monitoring program consisting of surface water, sediment, groundwater, air and
leachate sampling before, during, and after completion of the remedy. If the
groundwater and/or surface water remains contaminated above acceptable levels,
a Decision Document will be prepared to address management of migration
concerns.
It is expected that these measures will ultimately prevent future injury to
fish and supporting habitat. However, because of the evidence for past and
ongoing injury (toxicity to juvenile fish and alterations to the benthic
community), NOAA and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management
reached a NRD settlement with the Towns of South Kingstown and Narragansett.
The settlement provided funds to the Trustees that will be used for restoration
in the area. The Trustees are currently evaluating restoration options and will
develop a Draft Restoration Plan for public review and comment.
