North Kingstown Town Council Special Meeting – March 31, 2026

The North Kingstown Town Council held a special meeting on March 31, 2026, at a school facility to address community concerns about three Quonset-area industrial developments: Bitumar asphalt operations, a proposed battery storage facility near the Quonset golf course, and a proposed QSS Biosolids sewage sludge pyrolysis facility in West Davisville. Council President Mancini opened by stating that the council's shared purpose was protecting the health and safety of North Kingstown residents. The meeting included the full council, Town Manager Ralph Mollis, Town Solicitor James Callahan, state Senator DiMario, Representatives Casimiro, Craven, and Finkelman, and over 300 residents.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Vanessa Mascaro called for a full and independent investigation starting at the governor's office and said Quonset should not become a dumping ground for the region's dirtiest industries.
• Former State Senator Jim Sheehan said this was not NIMBYism, cited past successful community fights against a proposed nuclear plant, a regional incinerator, and a mega container port, and urged the town to act quickly and strategically.
• Richard Welch criticized the lack of transparency, questioned whether the replacement fire station on the Quonset base would preserve maintenance and town records functions, and called for council attendance at QDC meetings.
• John Dowler noted the proposed site sits in the Hunt River aquifer watershed recharge area and cited failed pyrolysis projects in Sanford, Maine, and Linden, New Jersey; he recommended retaining Earthjustice.
• Teacher Kayla Van Gordon cited health risks from particulate matter, PFAS, heavy metals, and odors, especially for children and families near the proposed site.
• Jenna Steele, who said she has multiple sclerosis and cancer, described risks from PM2.5, hydrogen fluoride from battery fires, and PFAS, and asked officials to prioritize vulnerable residents.
• Sean Taylor said he would file a formal petition with DEM for a declaratory ruling challenging the minor source air permit for QSS Biosolids, alleging factual omissions and attempts to avoid emissions regulations, and he urged the town to secure legal standing and intervene.
• Jim Naughton recounted the 1990s fight against a Quonset incinerator and his Camp Lejeune water contamination experience, warning that children and grandchildren could suffer future harm.
• Joe Tectara called for restructuring the QDC board so North Kingstown and neighboring communities have more voting seats.
• Brian Cooper, a plumber, opposed the sludge plant based on odor and wind patterns, saying surrounding homes and apartments would be affected.
• Randy Wheatman, the current North Kingstown representative on the QDC board, said he would have voted against the QSS approval, called for an emergency response plan, and urged more than two North Kingstown seats on the board.
• Retired EPA toxicologist Walter Berry called the sludge proposal a wicked problem, said unproven technology keeps him up at night, and warned against making the town a test case.
• Tom Seguris spoke in support of the battery storage facility, saying lithium iron phosphate technology is safer than other lithium-ion chemistries and that the project supports offshore wind and decarbonization.
• Other residents raised concerns about the shared public water supply, property values, the dormant Quonset Community Advisory Committee, Quonset's Superfund history, and the need for better public notification.
• Martin Cook, an eighth-grade student at Davisville Middle School, asked how the plant would affect student health and noted that several schools are near the proposed site.

Discussion Items

• Bitumar asphalt facility: The council reviewed complaints received in the prior 24–48 hours, with Councilman Mancini saying he smelled asphalt on International Drive. Senator DiMario reported that DEM committed to a full compliance inspection. Representative Casimiro said she visited Bitumar at noon that day, the odor was prevalent, and the facility was fully operational. DEM is also researching an odor-reducing additive used at a Providence asphalt plant. Bitumar confirmed a community forum in North Kingstown on April 30, 2026.
• Battery storage facility: The facility was approved through a public process, is located away from residences, and was approved by the State Fire Marshal's Office. Councilman Mancini said it is designed with small insulated compartments and is needed for grid stability and affordable energy. Senator DiMario described battery storage as a proven reliability tool that can reduce reliance on fossil fuels during peak demand. One state legislator said initial concern was eased by fire service sign-off.
• QSS Biosolids pyrolysis facility: Town Manager Mollis read a letter from Governor McKee urging QSS Biosolids, the Narragansett Bay Commission, QDC, and town officials to provide transparency through public meetings with qualified experts. Mollis said he asked for a halt to the project, ideally a permanent halt, until public information is shared. Representative Casimiro said the Speaker of the House's study commission on biosolids would seek a moratorium until at least January 2027; she said she had drafted legislation to stop the project and requested an oversight hearing on QDC. Senator DiMario provided historical context on past opposition to pyrolysis facilities and said current law needs changes to prevent projects from advancing without public knowledge. The town manager said he would meet with the town managers of Jamestown and East Greenwich.
• QDC transparency issues: Councilman McCoy acknowledged that the QSS biosolids approval occurred during the public session of the November 19, 2024 QDC board meeting, but details had been discussed in executive session. He said he, Larry Mandel, and Adam Lupino voted against the approval but were outvoted. Town Manager Mollis confirmed, after conversations with QDC and the Secretary of Commerce, that a lease has not been executed. Resident Kevin Hoyle described a June 2025 QDC governance change giving senior staff sole discretion over leases of five years or less without board approval, which he said stripped board powers and reduced transparency.

Key Outcomes

• The council adopted by voice vote, with no audible opposition, a resolution requesting that the QDC rescind its November 19, 2024 vote/approval authorizing a ground lease with QSS Biosolids LLC until public hearings are held; the motion was amended to reference the board's approval rather than an unexecuted lease.
• The council authorized the town manager to look into retaining expert environmental legal counsel, including possibly a nonprofit organization; the motion passed by voice vote.
• Councilman Matt McCoy resigned from his appointed position as North Kingstown's representative on the QDC Board of Directors and accepted responsibility for not fully informing the council and public; a replacement will be appointed.
• Bitumar's North Kingstown community forum was confirmed for April 30, 2026.
• The council will add Quonset as a regular agenda item; the town manager will meet with Jamestown and East Greenwich town managers, respond to the governor's letter, and pursue a one-time informational mailing or insert with tax or water bills.
• DEM is expected to post a public website with permit status, enforcement actions, and communications regarding the biosolids and asphalt facilities.