Former IDI Facility Site Investigation
North Kingstown, Rhode Island
The 5.2-acre site was part of the Quonset Point Naval Air Station constructed in 1939 and operated by the Navy until 1973. Reportedly, one building was a bomb depository and the other was the Small Advance Underseas Weapons Shop. Additionally, a Firing Range Backstop exists in the northwest portion of the Site, two former underground storage tanks, and three drywells and one septic system exist in the southern portion of the Site. In November 1979, the State leased the Site to International Depository, Inc. for use as a hazardous waste consolidation facility. IDI operated at the Site until approximately 1989, at which time it abandoned significant quantities of hazardous waste in and outside of the two current Site buildings.
On November 21, 2005, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management issued a Letter of Responsibility to RIDOT, the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation, and the Rhode Island Airport Corporation. In the letter, RIDEM requested that the responsible party (later determined to be RIDOT) conduct a full Site Investigation and to “Fully delineate all known sources and the extent of soil, sediment and groundwater contamination at the Site, specifically with respect to potential impact to Hall Creek and Fry’s Pond.” In order to respond to the letter, RIDOT commissioned BETA to conduct a Site Investigation and prepare for submittal to RIDEM a SI Report.
As part of the investigation, BETA collected sediment and surface water samples from Hall Creek, collected surficial soil samples, and oversaw the advancement of 18 soil borings and installation of seven monitoring wells. BETA submitted sediment, surface water, soil, and groundwater samples for various laboratory analyses including volatile organic compounds, total metals, total petroleum hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, pesticides, and semi-volatile organic compounds. In the report, BETA presented the results of the SI and proposed several remedial actions including No Action, capping, and excavation of impacted soils. Additionally, BETA recommended that underground injection control (UIC) structures at the site be properly decommissioned.
