Plans to finally close Hamilton

Jun 28, 2023

NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. — The North Kingstown Town Council has unanimously approved a plan for the Department of Public Works to enter a $148,000 contract with GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc., of Norwood, Mass., for the design and construction of a cover for the closure of the Hamilton-Allenton Landfill.

Director of Public Works Adam White said the efforts to close the landfill have been going on for over 20 years, as trash hasn’t been delivered there for some time.

“We have been putting other materials up there that are organic in nature, so, nothing other than that,” White said, adding that this is limited to substance such as woodchips and soils.

White said there is no current timetable as to when this closure project will be completed.

“There’s still some permitting pieces that will have to be part of all of this.”

GZA is a multi-disciplinary firm out of Providence, which provides geotechnical, environmental, ecological, construction management, and site/civil engineering services. It is expected to develop a Remedial Action Work Plan (RAWP) and design for the disposal site on Hamilton-Allenton Road.

“They have to do the engineering work for the actual cover and then they’re going to create the construction documents so we can actually build the cover itself,” White said, adding the design process is separate from the bid for the cover’s construction. “They take us from design and engineering of the plans all the way to bid assistance, but the award doesn’t cover the construction oversight.”

White said the town has two basic ways to get its waste out of town — the first being a transfer station for residents only or the use of private haulers, who residents hire to pick their trash up.

“The transfer station is strictly for residents though, it’s not based on commercial operations,” White said.

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) has conducted investigative work, soil testing, groundwater and soil gas monitoring, wetland, and habitat assessments, “as well as hydraulic and hydrologic engineering associated with the re-routing and capping of the existing pipe underneath the landfill,” officials said.

A feasibility study was completed in June, to assess impacts of reuse implementation plans — including solar.

Officials said the town is interested in considering such an avenue.

White said town officials are going to be using “best practices” on the landfill cover to eventually “accept solar.”

“There will be some type of energy preparedness for the future,” White said. “When we cap it, we’re hoping the design of the cap will allow solar to be placed on the hill. We have things to do on our end, to make sure that the land is approved for such, but that is the goal. So, there is (aspirations for) an energy component.”

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