The Bethpage Water District Board of Commissioners, William J. Ellinger, John R. Sullivan and Gary S. Bretton, announced to the Bethpage community Northrop Grumman Corp. has agreed to remediate the plume. Efforts by the District, local elected officials and members of the community played a role in pressuring Northrop Grumman to assume their responsibility for cleanup.
“We are grateful for the continued support of our elected officials and community members as we continue to provide the highest quality water to our neighbors in Bethpage,” said Board of Commissioners Chairman William J. Ellinger. “It is time that Northrop Grumman begin contributing toward an effort to remove a plume, they alone created.”
The newly signed order requires Northrop Grumman to submit a report analyzing the functionality of the onsite treatment systems currently working to remediate the plume. Northrop Grumman will also need to provide a report to describe the corporation’s plan to monitor the plume and how it plans to operate onsite treatment facilities.
“Northrop Grumman signing this order is a crucial step in the plume-removal process,” said Bethpage Water District Board of Commissioners Treasurer John R. Sullivan. “With their signature, the Department of Environmental Conservation is now better able to enforce the cleanup plan.”
This new development allows New York State to take legal action in federal court if the aforementioned work is not performed. In addition, Northrop Grumman is required to work with the United States Navy in their efforts to remove the newly found levels of trichloroethylene in Bethpage.
“Although Northrop Grumman’s response is long overdue, it is a step in the right direction to continue serving the Bethpage community high quality water now and into the future,” said Board of Commissioners Secretary Gary S. Bretton. “We will continue to speak on behalf of our community to safeguard our water supply for future generations.”
For more information, please contact the Bethpage Water District at 516-931-0093, visit www.bethpagewater.com or the District’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BethpageWaterDistrict.