WOONSOCKET — A bill introduced in the House on Tuesday would prohibit construction of new schools or school additions on property that is toxic. The bill would also prohibit housing aid from being used to pay for remediation of contaminated land.

In Woonsocket, where city officials and parents joined forces to get a bond passed in August to build two middle schools, officials say they do not think the bill will affect the project because the city has worked extensively with the Department of Environmental Management on plans to remediate a portion of the former mill property the city plans to build on.

Rep. Roger Picard, D-Woonsocket, said that he spoke with Rep. David Segal, D-Providence, chief sponsor of the bill who said that the bill would not affect the $80-million Woonsocket school project.

“He said, as it is worded, the bill would not jeopardize the project. If there needs to be verbiage to make sure it does not jeopardize Woonsocket, he said he is willing to do that,” Picard said.

Picard said that contacting Segal was one of the first things he did when he arrived at the House yesterday. “It came to my attention by local officials from the city. I came up on everybody’s radar screen,” he said.

Segal did not respond to inquiries for comment on the intent of the bill.

Rep. Thomas Slater, D-Providence, a sponsor of the bill, pointed to schools in Providence such as the Carnevale Elementary School and Springfield Middle School built on a former dump, and Adelaide High School, which was built on the site of a former jewelry manufacturing plant.

“Sometimes, like in the case of Springfield, Carnevale and Adelaide Avenue, there are still elements in the ground that have not been taken care of. What happens to the youngsters going to these schools years from now? Are these elements causing problems that we should be worried about?” Slater said. He said that exposure to pollutants can cause asthma, cancer, lower IQs and can impede a child’s ability to develop.

It’s also costly to build schools on contaminated sites because sophisticated equipment is required to monitor and prevent occupants of the building from being affected, Slater said. “Too many schools lately have been built on contaminated property. Rhode Island is an old mill state with a lot of mills that used carcinogens. It is very difficult to get rid of these chemicals. It usually takes years. When a department decides to build on contaminated land it should also look at what it’s going to cost them additionally, even removing contaminated soil and replacing it is costly,” Slater said.

The Woonsocket project calls for twin 800-student middle schools to be constructed on a 22-acre site off Hamlet Avenue. The city is clearing asbestos from four buildings on one of the properties. Once the asbestos is removed, the city can raze the buildings and begin remediation, which includes removing soil as deep as 18 inches in three areas to remove number six petroleum contamination that came from oil tanks.

Another part of the cleanup includes PCE, a type of solvent used in manufacturing. The city must remove contaminated areas bounded by Capeway Dye and the ASC property. Some of the solvent has migrated into the Blackstone River. The city and DEM reached an agreement that will require it to treat the areas where the solvent has gravitated by injecting a material that will neutralize it.

Supt of Schools Maureen Macera said that the School Department iscomplying with all remediation requirements and has been given the go-ahead by the Education Department. “We are going above and beyond to comply. At no time is housing aid going to be used for remediation. I would like to think on the positive aspect. I don’t think they have any intention of hurting our project.”

tpina@projo.com