Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Stockpile And Permitting topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents urge halt to unpermitted backfilling at Easton's Pond; seek wetlands restoration
Summary
Neighborhood speakers alleged unpermitted backfilling and stockpiling in a former sedimentation basin adjacent to Easton's Pond, called for restoration of wetlands and asked the council for a resolution and oversight of the planned resilience project.
Residents who live near Easton's Pond told the council they have found large stockpiles of soil in a former sedimentation basin and said the material has been accumulating for years. John Walker, who identified himself as a Newport resident at the microphone, said much of the material predated recent water‑main emergencies and that neighbors could not find permits authorizing the backfilling.
Walker and other residents urged the council to stop unpermitted dumping, restore the wetlands and create public oversight for the larger resilience project. "We want the wetlands that were there before restored," Walker said, asking for public engagement and disclosure of engineering plans. Several residents described trucks, nighttime traffic and dust, and one called the site a "dump." City staff said some work had permits for pipe removal and that regulatory agencies (DEM, CRMC, Department of Health) have been or will be involved in review.
Why it matters: neighbors said unpermitted activity affects property values, habitat and neighborhood quality, and they pushed the council to pass a resolution ordering remediation, greater transparency and an oversight commission while long‑term engineering proceeds.
Next steps: council members agreed to craft a resolution reflecting transparency and permitting requirements and staff said they would coordinate with state regulators and make project documents available.
