Introduction of the Assessment Report

INTRODUCTION
This report describes the findings and recommendations of Susan Podziba & Associates concerning the Central Landfill Action Committee, Johnston, Rhode Island.

The Central Landfill Action Committee (Committee) was created at an October 1999 public meeting called by the Mayor of Johnston to address citizen complaints about odors emanating from the landfill. In addition to citizens and town officials, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) and Rhode Island Department of Health (DOH) officials attended the meeting.

From its inception, the committee met bi-weekly through July 2000, when it released a set of 40 recommendations related to odor management at Central Landfill. Though described as consensus recommendations, on the very day of their release, some parties stated that they did not support all of the recommendations.

As a result of a confluence of factors including questions about membership and ground rules, the lack of an organizational sponsor for the Committee, and the facilitator’s departure for reasons of personal health, EPA and DEM decided to undertake an assessment of the existing Committee, in an effort to determine the usefulness of the Committee and if applicable, to identify opportunities for its improvement.
This assessment report is divided into sections on background, feasibility, key dynamics, substantive issues, key stakeholder groups, recommendations, and conclusion.

Complete Report (pdf)