Town Willing To Condemn Commercial Space To Treat Bethpage Plume

BETHPAGE, NY — Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino and the Oyster Bay Town Board authorized plans to purchase and/or condemn a utility easement for infrastructure to treat the Grumman-Navy Plume, the Town announced.

Current plans by Northrop Grumman recommend a pipeline installation along North Windhorst Avenue in Bethpage, at the right-of-ways in front of residential homes, the Town said. Installing this equipment within a nearby easement, located on Central Avenue in Bethpage, would prevent the disruption of a residential neighborhood, according to officials.

"Although remediation of the Grumman-Navy Plume will require miles of pipeline throughout the Town of Oyster Bay, we will do our part to protect homeowners wherever possible," Saladino said via press release. "In this instance, it makes more sense to move the pipeline off a residential street and into a utility easement. While it may be more expensive for Grumman to do this, we are demanding such and are willing to condemn commercial property to make it happen. The Town will do all it can to protect residential blocks from being dug up as the community has already suffered long enough from this ongoing environmental nightmare."

At a recent meeting held with the local community, Northrop Grumman provided details on a plan to install underground piping and infrastructure to facilitate the groundwater remediation plan imposed upon Northrop Grumman by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) for the plume area, known as RW-21.

The plan includes the installation of three extraction wells and underground piping to connect those wells to a treatment system. An easement exists in an ideal location for this installation; however, a portion of the easement rests on private property owned by King Kullen, with whom Northrop Grumman could not reach an agreement, according to the Town.

"When the community was made aware of Northrop Grumman’s plan to excavate North Windhorst Avenue, the Town of Oyster Bay stepped in," Councilman Lou Imbroto said. "The Town of Oyster Bay will continue to do all within our power to protect homeowners and hold Grumman accountable while the State moves forward with its overall $585 million remediation plan."

The utility easement sought by the Town measures approximately 20 feet in width and 1,400 feet in length. At its Jan. 28 meeting, the Town Board authorized the Town Attorney’s Office to begin condemnation proceedings for access to the property.

New York State approved the $585 million plan to re-mediate the toxic plume and stop the spread of groundwater pollution in Bethpage, Newsday reported in December. Under the plan, millions of gallons of water would be treated every day, state officials said, according to Newsday.

The plume is currently more than four miles long and is spreading roughly one foot per day, News 12 Long Island reported.

It is projected to take 110 years for the cleanup of contaminated water to reach drinking standards, Newsday reported.