After several years of active science denial from national leaders on the right, our own city council has decided to join them. During the July 26th council meeting, the Newport City Council — led by Chair Xay Khamsyvoravong — chose to ignore science.
Khamsyvoravong, the council, and Newport residents heard directly from RIDEM that an excavation pile created from the Rogers High School construction is safe. RIDEM conducted environmental sampling tests, including 20-25 samples taken since mid-July. RIDEM determined the stockpiled material can be reused on site and doing so is a common construction practice in Newport and throughout the country.
Khamsyvoravong ignored the recommendations of RIDEM and Ashley Blauvelt (PE), an environmental engineer and expert in brownfields and site remediation. Here, clearly laid out are the points that RIDEM made at the meeting: https://dem.ri.gov/media/
The neighbors and children who attend Rogers are not in danger. Our own children will be joining Rogers in a month as 9th graders. This is not an issue we take lightly.
But Khamsyvoravong and the council — save Ward 1 representative Angela McCalla — refused to accept the data from experts. They are demanding more tests which cost money and time, but what outcome are they expecting? Private consultants will follow the same RIDEM methodology and will conduct tests in the same state labs that RIDEM uses. The council isn’t looking “to ease minds.” They are looking for a different answer because they do not like the one already given to them by environmental experts.
The reality is a few abutters do not like looking at the excavation pile, unable to accept that part of being in a functioning society requires infrastructure improvements. No one loves major public works projects when they are in process. They can be noisy, dusty, and pretty ugly to look at. Just ask us: we live in the North End — home of the ongoing Pell Bridge realignment.
The city of Newport is facing serious issues especially regarding housing and education. The Chair is allowing the Ward 3 councilor to give unlimited air to the loudest and wealthiest voices. That is not leadership. While they delay this project — which has dubious legality — and cost the taxpayers more money for no reason other than not liking the answer from the scientific experts, our kids are going to school at an active construction site. We are building a new school to replace an outdated and unsafe building with a modern facility that will set up our kids for success. The new Rogers is something Newport can be proud of.
Words matter. Science matters. Expertise matters. Disregarding evidence is a terrible shift in our council. The excavation pile is safe, and we need leaders who value evidence over emotions. Right now, Newport doesn’t have that leadership.
