EDITORIAL: Dirty RIDOT — Time for Alviti to Go (PUBLISHED 1 YEAR AGO TODAY)
EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL: Dirty RIDOT — Time for Alviti to Go (PUBLISHED 1 YEAR AGO TODAY)
After a two year plus year investigation by GoLocal, which sparked both federal and state enforcement action on the dumping of contaminated soil in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Rhode Island, one thing is clear, Peter Alviti must go.
GoLocal's exclusive reporting revealing the contamination at the 6/10 site was first published on Tuesday, September 8, 2020 -- and just two days later, Alviti was on the radio saying statements that were lies.
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The other agenda was a systematic attack by Alviti claiming that James White, the President of Local 57 of the International Union of Operating Engineers — had other motivations.
In November of 2020, after Access to Public Records Act (APRA) requests by GoLocal to both RIDOT and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM), documents showed that Barletta’s alleged illegal activities were done with the knowledge of the RIDOT and Alviti.
Alviti repeatedly failed to take action and went on the radio to try and cover up the allegations. When the contamination was confirmed by testing conducted by RIDEM, Alviti again returned to the radio claiming that the contaminated soil was no more risk than the charcoal on a burger.
Alviti has lied, misled, and been an enabler to the dumping and the trashing of a neighborhood.
When asked about the allegations, he repeatedly defended Barletta claiming the project was “on time and on budget,” but that, too, was a lie. GoLocal unveiled that Barletta received more than $21 million in change orders just through August of 2021.
Today, there is no place for Alviti in Rhode Island’s government. He is an arrogant man, who has repeatedly misled Rhode Islanders.
If it weren’t for whistleblower James White, former Rhode Island State Police Lt. Michael Casey, some vigorous DEM employees, victims of the dumping like the Carmona and the Bonilla families, as well as some vigorous reporting by GoLocal, this trashing and dumping enabled by Alviti never would have come to light and faced justice.
It is time for Alviti to go.