Official State of Rhode Island website

State of Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management

March 2025 Enforcement Action Summary

This report includes formal enforcement actions issued or resolved by the Office of Compliance & Inspection (OC&I) for March 2025. This report is intended to inform the public of certain compliance/enforcement activities performed in the preceding month to protect the public's health, safety, welfare, and the environment. Formal enforcement actions are taken to achieve compliance with law/regulations; remediate environmental damage; restore natural resources to appropriate conditions; impose penalties that capture the gravity of the situation and any economic benefit gained by the alleged violator; and deter similar actions in the future. 

Formal enforcement is generally in the form of a Notice of Violation (NOV) that alleges certain facts and violations, contains orders to resolve the alleged violations, contains an assessed penalty with supporting documentation regarding what factors the OC&I used to determine the penalty, and, by law, allows a respondent the ability to appeal or contest the NOV to the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) Administrative Adjudication Division (AAD). Since most NOVs are contested cases, the OC&I does not generally discuss the case with the public while the matter is awaiting hearing or pending negotiated settlement. NOVs are subject to release under the Access to Public Records law in Rhode Island. A copy of an individual NOV may be obtained through the RIDEM's Office of Customer and Technical Assistance. The OC&I often resolve formal enforcement actions through negotiated settlement agreements prior to hearing before
the AAD.

Media Inquiries: Direct questions to dem.communications@dem.ri.gov. File Reviews: Requests for public records should be emailed to Angela Spadoni or visit dem.ri.gov/filereview for more on the APRA request process.

Please note that formal case names appearing in blue text are linked to a PDF version of the unsigned document.

March 26, 2025 – Hazardous Waste File No. OCI-HW-24-42 re: Denison Pharmaceuticals, LLC for property located at 1 Powder Hill Road in Lincoln, Rhode Island.  The property includes a facility used for pharmaceutical research, development, manufacturing, and packaging of products that are FDA approved and DEA regulated, and analytical and microbial laboratory operations (facility). Respondent operates the facility. Respondent is registered with RIDEM as a large quantity hazardous waste generator at the facility.  OC&I alleges that Respondent violated Rhode Island’s Rules and Regulations for Hazardous Waste Management (250-RICR-140-10-1). View the NOV.

March 27, 2025 – Multimedia – Freshwater Wetlands and Solid Waste – File Nos. OCI-FW-20-149 and OCI-SW-18-74, X-ref C98-0039 and A-0401 re: TILLINGHAST HOLDING COMPANY, LLC, Bowdish Lake Camping Area, Inc., and John H. Tillinghast for property within and adjacent to Bowdish Lake Camping 
Area  (“BL Campground”) and the BL Campground office (identified as 40 Safari Road), located approximately 3,100 feet northeast of the campground entrance on Putnam Pike (Route 44) and approximately 2,700 feet north of the intersection of Putnam Pike and Richardson Clearing Trail, with camping areas generally north, south, east, and west of campground roads identified as Safari Road and Safari Trail, Assessor’s Plat 1, Lot 1 (Lot 1/1), Plat 1, Lot 2 (Lot 1/2), Plat 1, Lot 3 (Lot 1/3), Plat 1, Lot 9 (Lot 1/9), Plat 4, Lot 58 (Lot 4/58) and Plat 4, Lot 59 (Lot 4/59) in Glocester, Rhode Island and Assessor’s Plat 225, Lot 22 (Lot 225/22) and Plat 259, Lot 1 (Lot 259/1) in Burrillville, Rhode Island (Property).  BL Campground includes all the lots above except Lot 1/1, Lot 1/3, and Lot 225/22.   Alfred E. Tillinghast and Anna M. Tillinghast (A. Tillinghast) acquired all the lots subject to the NOV, except Lot 1/1 and Lot 225/2, between 1972 and 1980. A. Tillinghast organized TILLINGHAST HOLDING COMPANY, LLC (THC) as a partnership on 1 November 2005 and transferred the lots to THC on 5 December 2005.  The annual reports filed with the Rhode Island Secretary of State (RISOS) for 2007 through 2018 list A. Tillinghast as a member. The annual reports filed with the RISOS for 2019 through 2024 list Jane Sherman as a member. John H. Tillinghast owns Lot 1/3.  John H. Tillinghast acquired the lot on 17 December 2003 from A. Tillinghast for $0. The State of Rhode Island owns Lot 1/1 and Lot 225/22.  Bowdish Lake Camping Area, Inc. (BLCA) operates BL Campground. BLCA was organized as a corporation on 1 June 1973.  At the time the corporation was organized Alfred E. Tillinghast and A. Tillinghast were the president and vice president, respectively.  The annual reports filed with the RISOS for 1975 through 1997 list A. Tillinghast as the president, treasurer, and/or secretary. The annual reports filed with the RISOS for 1999 through 2019 list A. Tillinghast and John H. Tillinghast as the president and vice president, respectively. The annual reports filed with the RISOS for 2020 and 2021 list John H. Tillinghast as the president, treasurer, and secretary. No vice president is listed. The annual reports filed with the RISOS for 2022 through 2023 list John H. Tillinghast as the president.  No vice president, secretary, or treasurer is listed. The annual report filed with the RISOS for 2024 is signed by John H. Tillinghast as the authorized representative.  Upon information and belief, John H. Tillinghast performed or oversaw all the work performed at the Property since at least 1974. OC&I alleges that Respondents violated Rhode Island’s Freshwater Wetlands Act, Refuse Disposal Act, and Rules and Regulations Governing the Administration and Enforcement of the Freshwater Wetlands Act (250-RICR-150-15-3).  View the NOV. 

March 31, 2025 – Underground Storage Tank File No. OCI-UST-24-28-03197 re: My Four Sons Realty, LLC and KING’S SERVICE CENTER, INC. for property located at 800 Dexter Street, Assessor’s Plat 7, Lot 296 in Central Falls, Rhode Island. The property includes an automobile service station and petroleum product storage and dispensing system (facility).  My Four Sons Realty, LLC owns the property.  KING’S SERVICE CENTER, INC. operates the facility.  OC&I alleges that Respondents violated Rhode Island’s Rules and Regulations for Underground Storage Facilities Used for Regulated Substances and Hazardous Materials (250-RICR-140-25-1). View the NOV. 

March 5, 2025 – Multimedia - Hazardous Waste File No. OCI-HW-22-46 and Water Pollution File No. OCI-WP-22-161 re: Elmwood Realty, LLC and Butler Waste Disposal, LLC for property located at 3 Ford Lane (also known as 3 Jefferson Boulevard), Assessor’s Plat 284, Lot 241 in Warwick, Rhode Island.  The property included a waste disposal business at the time the NOV was issued. Elmwood Realty, LLC (Elmwood) owns the property.  Butler Waste Disposal (Butler) operated the waste disposal business.  On December 4, 2023, OC&I issued a NOV to Respondents alleging that Respondents violated Rhode Island’s Water Quality Regulations (250-RICR-150-05-1), Rules and Regulations for Hazardous Waste Management (250-RICR-140-10-1), and Oil Pollution Control Regulations (250-RICR-140-25-2).  View the NOV.  Respondents did not file an appeal of the NOV.  Respondents complied with the Order section of the NOV, but did not pay the administrative penalty assessed in the NOV.  RIDEM referred collection of the administrative penalty owed by Butler to the Department of Revenue.  Prior to referring collection of the administrative penalty owed by Elmwood to the Department of Revenue, Elmwood paid a penalty of $7,055 to resolve the NOV solely as it pertained to Elmwood.  

March 10, 2025 – Underground Storage Tank File No. OCI-UST-17-71-00262 re: Jeha Corp. and MITRI PETROLEUM LLC for property located at 1514 Newport Avenue, Assessor’s Plat 4, Lot 1124 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. The property includes a service station and a motor fuel storage and dispensing system (facility). Jeha Corp. owns the property. MITRI PETROLEUM LLC operates the facility. On January 28, 2019, OC&I issued a NOV to Respondents alleging that Respondents violated Rhode Island’s Rules and Regulations for Underground Storage Facilities Used for Regulated Substances and Hazardous Materials (250-RICR-140-25-1). View the NOV. Respondents filed an appeal of the NOV with AAD. Prior to an administrative hearing on the NOV, OC&I and Respondents executed a Consent Agreement to resolve the NOV. View the Agreement.

March 20, 2025 – Underground Storage Tank File No. OCI-UST-22-24-01509 re: Belmont Road Realty Trust and Shahid 3 LLC for a property located at 139 Legris Avenue, Assessor’s Plat 15, Lots 8 and 9, in West Warwick, Rhode Island. The property includes a motor fuel filling station, and a convenience store and underground storage tanks used to store petroleum products (facility).  Belmont Road Realty Trust owns the property. Shahid 3 LLC operates the facility. On February 24, 2023, OC&I issued a NOV to Respondents alleging that Respondents violated Rhode Island's Rules and Regulations for Underground Storage Facilities Used for Regulated Substances and Hazardous Materials (250-RICR-140-25-1). View the NOV.  Respondents filed an appeal of the NOV with AAD. Prior to an administrative hearing on the NOV, OC&I and Respondents executed a Consent Agreement to resolve the NOV. View the Agreement.

March 28, 2025 – Underground Storage Tank File No. OCI-UST-23-5-01679 re: 5 STARS MANAGEMENT SERVICES, LLC and Johnston Gas, Inc. for a property located at 1209 Hartford Avenue, Assessor’s Plat 20, Lot 32, in Johnston, Rhode Island. The property includes a motor fuel filling station and automobile repair garage and underground storage tanks used to store petroleum products (facility).  5 STARS MANAGEMENT SERVICES, LLC owns the property.  Johnston Gas, Inc. operates the facility. On May 10, 2023, OC&I issued a NOV to Respondents alleging that Respondents violated Rhode Island's Rules and Regulations for Underground Storage Facilities Used for Regulated Substances and Hazardous Materials (250-RICR-140-25-1).   View the NOV.  Respondents did not file an appeal of the NOV. Respondents complied with the Order section of the NOV and paid the full penalty assessed in the NOV. 

March 28, 2025 – Water Pollution File No. OCI-WP-19-33, RIR101385, STW 16-049 and FWW 16-0074 re: Douglas Enterprises, Ltd., Ironwood Land Co LLC, COVENTRY LAND COMPANY LLC, and William Anthony Excavating, Inc.  for a property located approximately 500 feet south of Teakwood Drive (West) and approximately 600 feet southeast of its intersection with Ironwood Drive, Assessor’s Plat 76, Lot 1 in Coventry, Rhode Island. On or about March 28, 2016, Douglas Enterprises, Ltd. (Douglas) applied to RIDEM to construct a 30-unit residential development at the property. On August 12, 2016, RIDEM issued a permit to Douglas for construction of the project. On November 21, 2016, the permit was recorded in the land evidence records of Coventry, Rhode Island. On August 16, 2021, OC&I issued a NOV to Douglas alleging that Douglas violated Rhode Island’s Water Pollution Act, Freshwater Wetlands Act, Water Quality Regulations, Regulations for the Rhode Island Pollutant Discharge Elimination System and Rules and Regulations Governing the Administration and Enforcement of the Freshwater Wetlands Act. View the NOV. Douglas filed an appeal of the NOV with AAD. Douglas advised RIDEM that it sold the property to Ironwood Land Co LLC (Ironwood) on February 17, 2017, and that Douglas was not involved in the project. On January 13, 2022, RIDEM issued an Amended NOV to include Ironwood as a named respondent. View the Amended NOV. Ironwood did not file an appeal of the NOV with AAD.  Through discovery RIDEM learned that COVENTY LAND COMPANY LLC (CLC) entered a contract with William Anthony Excavating, Inc. (WAE) to construct the project.  The contract identified CLC as the owner and WAE as the contractor.  On August 18, 2023, RIDEM issued a Second Amended NOV to include CLC and WAE as named respondents.  View the Second Amended NOV.  Douglas, Ironwood and CLC requested a hearing on the NOV.  WAE did not request a hearing on the NOV and did not pay any portion of the penalty.  On September 25, 2024, AAD issued a Final Order of Default to Ironwood and CLC. Ironwood and CLC did not appeal the decision to Superior Court and did not pay any portion of the penalty. Prior to an administrative hearing on the NOV for Douglas, Douglas paid a penalty of $2,500 to fully resolve the NOV, as it pertained solely to Douglas and Douglas DeSimone individually. RIDEM referred collection of the administrative penalty owed by CLC and Ironwood to the Department of Revenue.  Prior to referring collection of the administrative penalty to the Department of Revenue against WAE, OC&I and WAE executed a Consent Agreement to resolve the Second Amended NOV, solely as it pertained to WAE. View the Agreement. 

None filed this month. 

March 27, 2025 – Hazardous Waste File No. OCI-HW-15-71 and Superior Court Case File No. PC-2024-05922 re: Plaintiff Terrence Gray, Director, RIDEM v. Defendants ERLIN GUERRERO and ALBINO FOLCARELLI for property located at 103 Sayles Street, Providence, Rhode Island. The property includes a facility used for auto body repair services.  On March 11, 2019, OC&I issued a NOV to Defendants d/b/a Sayles Collision Center alleging that Defendants violated Rhode Island's Rules and Regulations for Hazardous Waste (250-RICR-140-10-1). View the NOV.  Defendants did not file an appeal of the NOV with AAD or comply with the NOV.  On January 29, 2024, the property was transferred from ownership by Defendant Guerrero individually to Sayles Collision, LLC. On November 1, 2024, RIDEM filed a complaint in Superior Court against Defendants asking the Court to order Defendants to comply with the NOV. View the Complaint.  On March 27, 2025, by agreement of the parties and permission of the Court, a Consent Order was entered by the Court. View the Consent Order.