By Hank Russell
Soon after Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino called on Northrop Grumman to remove the chemical drums and contaminated soils from Bethpage Community Park, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation came down to the park and also made the same demands to Northrop Grumman.
On April 5, Governor Kathy Hochul directed the DEC to work with federal, state, and local partners to hold Northrop Grumman accountable for the ongoing cleanup of the Bethpage Community Park after the recent discovery of six, 55-gallon drums in a cordoned-off area beneath the former ballfield. Under strict DEC oversight, these actions continue to advance the comprehensive investigation, containment, and cleanup of the U.S. Navy-Grumman groundwater plume associated with historic operations of Grumman’s Bethpage facility and the U.S. Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant. The encased drums were found during the ongoing cleanup of the ballfield area in the town of Oyster Bay.
“New York is a national leader when it comes to addressing legacy pollution and we are advancing a massive effort to clean up the Bethpage Community Park and protect the residents of Oyster Bay,” Hochul said. “I am directing DEC to work with partners to enhance cleanup efforts underway to provide New Yorkers with peace of mind while we continue to safeguard their drinking water and hold polluters accountable.”
As previously reported in Long Island Life & Politics, Saladino — who recently filed a second lawsuit against Northrop Grumman — renewed demands for the company to excavate all contaminated soils at Bethpage Community Park following the recent discovery of six 55-gallon chemical drums buried just seven feet underground near the ballfield and skatepark. These chemical drums are encased in concrete coffins, which is highly uncommon according to environmental experts. LILP also reported that, according to various news reports in 2016, a tipster suggested that drums were buried underground in the park. That claim was deemed unfounded by the DEC, yet chemical-filled drums were discovered buried in the park just this week. Less than a year ago, the town began soil borings to investigate the park more thoroughly due to a lack of urgency by Grumman.
At Governor Hochul’s direction, DEC is calling on Northrop Grumman to enhance efforts already underway and implement further cleanup in certain areas likely to be subject to further construction or infrastructure activities. Northrop Grumman previously committed to removing the upper two feet of soil across the ball field and replacing it with clean fill, which would meet cleanup standards for an active sports field. As part of the cleanup plan to address PCB-contaminated soil, DEC will also call on Northrop Grumman to dispose of all contaminated soil off-site at a licensed disposal facility rather than using this material as backfill in deep parts of the excavation as identified in an earlier plan.
To help keep the project on track moving forward, DEC is also calling on Northrop Grumman to develop a detailed schedule with penalties for not adhering to the timelines and scope of work.
“We are committed to sustaining New York State’s efforts to fully contain and cleanup the Navy-Grumman groundwater plume,” NYS DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said. “This work is a top priority for New York State and today we stand with Governor Hochul to send a strong message to polluters that they will be held to account for the damage they cause to the environment and our communities.”
LILP has reached out to Northrop Grumman for comment and is waiting to hear back from the company.
Saladino said he is taking a wait-and-see attitude on what the DEC will do.
“While these words from the governor sound good and are a step in the right direction, only their actions will prove the state’s commitment to our residents,” Saladino said in a statement. “If they are truly committed to what they’re saying, the State of New York will force Grumman to remove all toxic soils and join the Town of Oyster Bay in its lawsuit against Grumman for their environmental sins of the past. There is no other choice when it comes to protecting the environment and safety of the public.”