Federal delegation secures $1.4 million for Tiverton landfill closure

Published On: July 25, 2025

The town has received $1.4 million in federal reimbursement for closing Rhode Island’s last municipally-owned landfill, U.S. Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Rep. Gabe Amo announced Thursday.

The Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development office transferred the funds to Tiverton this week through the Rural Utilities Service Disaster Water Grants program.

The Tiverton landfill was originally scheduled to close in 2020 but faced delays because of the coronavirus pandemic. In 2022, the town reopened the facility to handle storm debris from severe winter weather, pushing back the closure timeline further.

The winter storms qualified under federal disaster declaration DR-4653-RI, making the town eligible for USDA assistance. The three-member federal delegation worked with Tiverton officials for years to secure the funding and connect the town with technical assistance resources for the application process.

“This was a long time coming and I am pleased to have worked with my colleagues to ensure the federal government reimbursed Tiverton for all eligible costs in closing the landfill,” said Reed, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Whitehouse said the funding “helps make the town of Tiverton whole for its storm recovery efforts and the successful capping of the state’s last municipal landfill.”

Amo called improving Rhode Island’s resilience a key congressional priority. “I’m grateful that I was able to work with my colleagues in the Senate to secure federal funds for the Town of Tiverton, allowing the town to complete its landfill cleanup and closure and protecting Rhode Island’s waterways and soil for generations to come.”

The total project cost approximately $11.4 million and took about a year and a half to complete. J.H. Lynch & Sons Inc. performed the work on the nearly 40-acre site, which included earthmoving, stormwater improvements, groundwater monitoring well modifications, access road construction and landscaping restoration.

The landfill has been capped with soil and turf and converted to green open space for potential future town use.

“We are incredibly grateful for the efforts of our USDA partners and the strong support of Senators Reed, Whitehouse, and Congressman Amo in finally moving this project past the goalposts and scoring a touchdown for the citizens of Tiverton,” said Town Administrator Patrick Jones.