Barletta Heavy Division has agreed to pay an amount of $ 11 million to resolve a civilian case that involves tons of illegal toxic deposit during the construction of a Providence road connector project and is in this regard, announced the Attorney General of Rhode Island on May 21.
In the case of the largest construction roads project in Rhode Island’s history, it has been persistent in the State Supreme Court since 2023, but will now be rejected with the settlement and payment of Barletta received by the State, said Rhode Island’s Attorney General Peter Neronha during a press conference.
“If Barletta learns of this experience, it still has to be seen,” Neronha said about the firm’s nefarious activities about the 60 million $ 610 million connectors construction project, “but they have paid a heavy price for their illegal, irresponsible and misleading behavior, and deserving.”
While the resolution dismisses all criminal and civilian burdens against Barletta, the signature admitted all conduct alleged in the civil complaint according to the terms of Settlement, according to the Attorney General press release announcing the recording, “Specifically, the state claimed that the defendants authorized the disposition of more than 4,500 tons of stone and soil contaminated on the route of the 6/10 exchange construction project.”
Barletta said in a statement that he is “pleased to put this topic behind and hopes to continue our long history of successfully delivering world -class public infrastructure.”
Dennis Ferreira, a former Barletta Superintendent, who directed the 6/10 Connector project, was suspended by the US Department of Transportation by 2023 from participating in all programs and projects funded by federally for its illegal polluting land.
Was found guilty of federal burdens by 2022 and was convicted in 2023 a One year of probation and ordered him to pay a $ 40,000 fine for three counts of false statements regarding a federally funding motorway project. He had faced up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $ 750,000.
In 2023, Barletta declared himself guilty of state burdens, arguing that Ferreira acted independently without his consent. But Neronha said the firm had a legal obligation to bring only the filling department approved by environmental management.
“They knew this was their obligation,” he said, “but they ignored it for their convenience, if they were nothing, and when they faced dowry and DEM, they lied.”
After Barletta agreed to pay a million dollars by 2023 to resolve federal investigation on his false reports to state and federal transport agencies, Neronha’s team was ready to present criminal charges, but had no tests to load corporate barletta officials, said AG.
“I thought something means,” said Neronha, “ten times what the federal government had recovered would be a good place to start.”
Neronha said that the sentence would have been $ 15 million if the case had been in a criminal trial.
A million dollars, less of the settlement, goes to a fund established to help improve the dental and physical health of children who live near the 6/10 exchange. The additional 1 million will cover the legal fees accumulated by the AG office and the State Environmental Management Department.
