The Town Council for Burrillville (Rhode Island, US) has spent over USD 200,000 thus far on research and litigation since questions on a synthetic turf project were raised last May.

The new synthetic turf field at Burrillville High School is already largely concluded.

Final briefs were filed in Providence County Superior Court on Monday, January 6. A decision from Associate Justice Melissa Darigan is expected by the end of the month or in early February.

The suit was filed by a resident in September and focuses on concerns about PFAS and the field’s location over an aquifer. The resident has charged that the field contains chemicals that have the potential to contaminate the town water supply and that the project should have required Zoning Board approval.

Testing ordered by the town has shown only trace chemicals in the proposed field materials, and concluded the installation poses no threat to human health. However, the resident and other opponents have questioned the adequacy of testing methods and laid out concerns and objections, ultimately leading to the litigation.

Installation of the surface was scheduled for October before a temporary restraining order halted the project. Attorneys for the town then filed a counterclaim.

Current court proceedings are expected to determine if the restraining order on the work should be lifted.

The town has published a webpage with information on the field project, which has recently been used for updates on the litigation.

The field is part of a larger effort to upgrade school athletic facilities. It is just one element of improvements that have included lighting, a viewing plaza that is accessible for people with disabilities, a walking path and a 1,000-seat grandstand.

The contract to design, manufacture and install the field was signed with FieldTurf USA in December of 2023.