A settlement tied to illegal dumping in Providence will now fund dental treatment for children in need, state officials said.
Peter Neronha announced that $7.9 million from an $11 million settlement with construction firm Barletta Heavy Division Inc. will be directed to pediatric dental providers serving low-income families. The funds will be distributed through the Rhode Island Foundation.
Neronha said the decision was prompted by a 2024 report highlighting severe dental problems among hundreds of local schoolchildren, including infections and untreated decay. He said the state has a responsibility to address such conditions.
The funding will support clinics that often treat uninsured patients or those covered by Medicaid, which providers say does not fully cover dental costs.
The Providence Community Health Center will receive $2.7 million to expand staffing and services. Additional grants include:
$2.5 million to Tri-County Community Action Agency
$2 million to the Samuels Sinclair Dental Center
$725,000 to Comprehensive Community Action Program
The settlement stems from a case against Barletta for using contaminated fill during construction of the Route 6 and Route 10 connector project, known as the 6/10 Connector. The company admitted it misrepresented testing of the materials.
Despite the violations, Barletta remains licensed in the state and is completing final work on the $343 million highway project, as well as the $84.4 million Henderson Bridge project linking Providence and East Providence.