BURRILLVILLE – More than 150 residents turned out for a meeting Thursday night to discuss the installation of a synthetic turf field at Burrillville High School, but members of the town council ultimately took no action on the issue – leaving plans for the field in place – following three and a half hours of testimony from experts, opponents and a few supporters.
Planning for the new facility has been underway for many years with the Burrillville Town Council first voting to install synthetic turf at the high school in January of 2023, and later entering an agreement with contractor FieldTurf.
But as preliminary construction of the field began in May, residents came forward with concerns about the presence of PFAS – or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – in the artificial turf. PFAS pose health risks to humans and animals, and in recent months opponents have questioned if the chemicals could contaminate the town water supply, or pose a danger to student athletes.
“Just about the time we put the shovel in the ground and started the irrigation line we started hearing concerns,” said Public Works Director Jeffrey McCormick on Thursday.
In the time since concerns were first raised, a petition asking the council to halt the project has garnered more than 1,000 signatures.
Organizations with an interest have also weighed in, with the Burrillville Land Trust and the Burrillville Conservation Commission submitting letters of opposition, and the Harrisville Water Department and Pascoag Utility District urging the town to exercise, “due diligence.” Members of the Burrillville School Committee discussed the project in August, with several members stating they are now opposed to the artificial turf.
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management and the Rhode Island Department of Health also submitted a joint letter to Burrillville councilors, noting concern for, “the potential for PFAS from the turf field to contaminate groundwater in the area.”
Proponents, including council members, have argued that the trace amounts of chemicals found in the turf are considered safe, and have pointed to the ubiquitous nature of PFAS already in the environment. And on Thursday, they presented the results of testing on the turf that showed nearly all chemicals in the materials set to be installed in Burrillville were below the detectable level.
“I want to remind you that this process for the field started over nine years ago,” Town Council President Donald Fox said at the start of the meeting. “There have been over 40 public meetings regarding this project. Nothing was done behind closed doors.”
Public Works Director Jeffrey McCormick first gave a presentation of the project, noting the plan includes upgrades to lighting, an ADA-accessible viewing plaza and construction of a 1,000-seat grandstand, surrounded by fencing and a six-foot-wide walking path.
McCormick said the town must use a scientific approach in analyzing the potential for water contamination, and pointed to several other sources of potentially greater concern in the area, including the former Mobil gas station site and the Clear River and Whipple Ave landfills.
“The waste treatment plant does not treat or monitor for PFAS,” McCormick said, noting that the discharge goes into river 600 yards from the proposed field. He noted that recent testing showed that one well by the school already has a high level of PFAS. While it is not used for drinking water, school officials, McCormick said, have been using it to irrigate the old grass field for 22 years.
“Everyone in this town has had a lesson in PFAS in the past couple of months,” McCormick said.
Danielle Agajanian, a compliance and operations manager for Northeast Water Solutions said her company is performing quarterly testing to monitor wells in Burrillville, and that the flow of groundwater in town goes from west to east, with wells used to provide residents’ drinking water located upstream.
A representative from firm TRC discussed the recent testing noting that in just one out of 17 tests, “trace concentrations of perfluoroheptanoic acid. perfluorooctanoic acid, and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid,” were found in the turf carpet, but that the concentrations, “were well below the RIDEM groundwater and surface water criteria.”
The town has created a page dedicated to information about the field, recently adding information on the testing.
“Based on this evaluation, it has been demonstrated that the detection of very low levels of a very limited number of PFAS in the artificial turf does not represent a human health risk to those using the artificial turf ballfields and it does not pose a risk to the environment, the groundwater, the surface water, and the aquifer,” a summary on the testing notes.
Residents, however, have pointed out that the town’s page does not include information supporting the opposition, including items such as the recent joint letter from RIDEM and RIDOH. A separate web page, which also includes a recent letter from the Conservation Law Foundation recommending a change in course to a natural grass field can be found here.
Many spoke against the project Thursday night, while dozens more submitted letters opposition. Others just expressed general concerns and asked questions, such as the town’s remedy plan if PFAS levels do increase, and where they could get their own well testing.
“After seeing some of the data I’ve become more concerned,” said Harrisville resident Pete Gallotello, referencing a diagram showing where in town PFAS are now. “We really don’t know the extent of what the long term chemical reactions will be.”
Suzanne Dumas said that in recent months, she’s spoken to many locals who were well educated on the matter.
“I am in opposition of the proposed artificial turf field at Burrillville High School,” said Dumas. “The idea of a whole upgraded sports complex minus the artificial turf sounds wonderful. Surely, we could find a to build an upgraded sports complex without the turf.”
Resident Timothy Geremia pointed to the increased potential for injuries on artificial turf, noting the he himself experienced one.
“It still haunts me,” said Geremia. “The NFL players union has been petitioning to eliminate the turf field Do we really need to put our children through this. We have a perfectly good football field right there.”
“Research and test results can be viewed differently based on the lens that we look at them through,” said resident Tamara Sylvestre. “Statistics can be skewed based upon your perspective and that goes both ways. I feel there are too many concerns right now about the long term safety of the turf to go forward.”
But not all who spoke were against the project, and Fox said the town also received letters of support.
“I think there’s just a lot more to it,” said resident Nicholas Woods, noting the shingles glued to a house are full of PFAS. “The rain hits our home and goes into the water supply.”
“It’s easy to sort of get up in arms,” added Woods. “I just don’t think the facts are necessarily there.”
Fox had noted at the start of the meeting that the town is now involved in litigation over the field, filed on behalf of resident Roberta Lacey. A status conference on the lawsuit has reportedly been scheduled for Friday, Sept. 13. Fox said that as a result, he could not allow a back and forth between residents and councilors.
Alissa Richardson, an administrator from the Rhode Island Department of Transportation and resident of Warwick, got up to speak, leading to a brief but tense confrontation.
“No. Stop,” said Fox. “No. I want residents only please.”
Marisa Desautel, an attorney from Desautel Browning Law who was hired by town resident and turf field opponent Lacey got up to object, pointing out the Richardson was also speaking on behalf of resident Lacey.
“We requested in writing to your town solicitor weeks ago that we be heard tonight,” said Desautel, adding to Fox. “You seem very emotional.”
Richardson was allowed to return to the podium.
“Never ever in my 32 years of working in water quality have I seen the Department of Environmental Management and the Department of Health come together to write one letter warning the town about how this is going to impact (it,)” said Richardson. “DEM is telling the town that they’re responsible for that clean up if they’re contaminating the water supply.”
Others from out of town were stopped from speaking, and told they could only address the board if there was time at the end of the meeting.
After hearing hours of testimony councilors took no action, effectively leaving the current plan to install the the artificial turf in place. TurfField is scheduled to complete installation by the end of September or early October, according to recent estimates.
“The amount of PFAs in the entire field is the equivalent weight of one drop of water,” said Councilor Dennis Anderson. “You can decide if you think that’s a big amount or a small amount but that’s what it is.”
Norman Desjarlais posted video of the first two hours and 40 minutes of the meeting which can be found here.
When there’s lots of money involved and the padding of pockets. The Town was bullied…told there will be consequences if they DON’T DO IT….
THEY don’t care about us….only their bank account….The Fox is watching the hen house…MORE TO COME.
Not only can you say turf is safe, but all turf made now has NO added PFAS, so this whole thing is not a good argument.
I dont understand why no one does any research at all before talking about this. Synthetic turf is lower in pfas than a natural grass field per the study done in Marthas Vineyard.
What is more intelligent is simply saying no turf field can be bought that is shown to have higher PFAS than in natural grass fields.
Maybe the town should worry about the water in Harrisville that’s unsafe for a lot of people never had this problem before slimy water sucking from the bottom of the well I can’t drink this water
The proponents claiming there is no hard proof that there are harmful levels of pfas remind me very much of the cigarette companies’ claims in the 1960s.