Politicians Renew Support For Cleanup Of Navy-Grumman Plume

BETHPAGE, NY — Local politicians have renewed their calls for the complete cleanup of the Navy-Grumman plume of toxic water that has plagued Bethpage and threatened nearby communities.

Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino and Town and other local officials rallied on Tuesday for Northrop Grumman to step up and take appropriate action regarding the plume.

"For far too long both the Navy and Grumman have dragged their feet with years of testing and no cleanup," Saladino stated. "The time for testing and studying has come to a close and the time to act is here."

In May, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced a New York State plan to fully contain and treat the Navy-Grumman plume at an estimated cost of $585 million. The Department of Environmental Conservation's investigation of the nearly four-mile long and two-mile wide plume confirmed that the construction, long-term operation and maintenance of a full containment and treatment system is viable and could prevent the further spread of toxins.

However, Northrop Grumman recently urged the state to withdraw its plan to clean and contain the contaminated water, calling the proposal "unnecessary, infeasible, and impractical," per Newsday.

The DEC's plan to hold the U.S. Navy and Northrop Grumman accountable includes the construction of 24 groundwater extraction wells, five treatment plants, four recharge basins, and approximately 24 miles of conveyance piping.

Saladino noted that the Department of Environmental Conservation’s amended decision on the best method for remediation calls for the greatest protection for residents.

"Combined with new leadership at the DEC, a collaborative approach to finally containing and treating the plume by working with the U.S. Geologic Survey and utilizing the latest technology has produced a plan that will accomplish what Grumman and the Navy have for years failed to accomplish," Saladino said. “The DEC’s reports have already proven that there is solid and irrefutable scientific data to support that this immense plume could indeed be both contained and the hot spots treated to insure that the contaminants are fully removed."

Senator Kevin Thomas reaffirmed his support of the state's plan on Monday in the wake of Northrop Grumman's push-back, per a press release.

He stated, "Our communities depend on clean, quality drinking water. Containing and treating the groundwater contamination from the Grumman/Navy Plume is of critical importance to the safety of our residents and our way of life. Residents deserve a long-term solution, and polluters must be held accountable."