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Residents report asphalt odors at Quonset/Davisville; town to ask DEM for on-site inspection
Summary
Multiple North Kingstown residents told the council they have smelled asphalt emissions and experienced noise and light impacts from a temporary operation tied to Quonset/Davisville. The town manager said staff will draft a letter asking the Rhode Island DEM to inspect the operation and determine whether the emissions are an objectionable odor under state rules.
Several residents from Davisville and Shore Acres told the council they have noticed a strong, recurring asphalt odor and increased noise since a temporary asphalt-heating operation began near Quonset/Davisville.
"I started noticing a really strong asphalt smell," said resident Vanessa Mascaro, who brought maps and a packet of documents to the meeting and urged the town to seek clarity about the operation's footprint and permits. Other residents said the smell traveled far, disrupted sleep, and could reduce property values; Alyssa Knapp said she smelled the odor as far from the site as her gym location.
Town Manager (speaker 7) told residents that the state Department of Environmental Management (DEM) enforces rules on objectionable odors and that the town will request a DEM on-site inspection once operations resume. The manager cited the state's odor regulation during the meeting and said the council can place a draft letter to DEM on the March 23 agenda for ratification.
Manager: "So what we can do is, on behalf of the town, we're gonna be writing DEM and ask that they visit ... to go once it's back up and running, to investigate and determine whether this odor falls under their definition of an objectionable odor." (paraphrased from meeting comments.)
The company operating the site reportedly reached out to town staff and said it wants to rectify the situation; the manager said the administration will follow up and provide an update by the council's March 23 meeting.
What the council can and cannot do: councilors noted that Quonset Development Corporation (QDC) is a quasi-state agency with separate permitting authority; the manager and solicitor said that, under current law, DEM is the primary authority to determine whether an odor is objectionable and that the town's immediate tools are limited to requesting state action and raising public attention.
Next steps: the council agreed to put the town's draft DEM letter on the March 23 agenda and to coordinate with residents who provided information and documents for the town's follow-up.
