Neronha and DEM to Take Legal Action Against Sewage Discharge After GoLocal Series

Neronha and DEM to Take Legal Action Against Sewage Discharge After GoLocal Series

On Wednesday, Terry Gray, the Director of Environmental Management, and Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha will be announcing that after more than nine months and two closures of the Blackstone River, the state will take action.

GoLocal has written a series of stories uncovering the lack of enforcement to date and pressing Neronha to take action against those responsible for the discharge of untreated waste.

The first incident took place in June of 2020 and forced DEM to declare that the Blackstone was not safe for swimming, fishing or boating.

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Neronha, last Friday, criticized the DEM, Governor McKee’s administration, and GoLocal.

But the statement from Neronha’s office failed to disclose that the office had initiated its own investigation months earlier — directly after the first series of discharges forcing the closure in June of 2022. Neronha sent a 10-page letter to Woonsocket officials in July of 2022.

In the past two weeks, DEM announced that improperly discharged sewage was being released again.

Neronha did not disclose that his office sent the Civil Investigative Demand (CID) letter.  GoLocal was provided a copy of the letter on Monday by a party directly involved who requested anonymity.

Neronha’s office refused to respond to questions about his office's investigation. 

And last week, Save the Bay criticized the state for the lack of enforcement action.

In the letter to the City of Woonsocket, Neronha’s office asserts that under the state’s “Environmental Advocate Statute,” he, in fact, has the authority to conduct an investigation.

Now, after nearly ten stories by GoLocal and by, coverage of other news organizations, and complaints by advocacy groups - Neronha is taking action.