In the 1980s and 1990s, Grumman Aerospace and, later, Northrop Grumman, sought to understand how legacy military production operations (which were consistent with America's standard industrial manufacturing practices) may have contaminated soil and groundwater.
Detailed research, funded by Northrop Grumman, found evidence of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), metals, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in soil and VOCs in groundwater at the site.
In the early 1990s, the company funded wellhead treatment at two Bethpage Water District Plants. Northrop Grumman also funded, designed and constructed an on-site groundwater containment and remediation system at the southern border of the former Navy/Grumman facility to contain and treat groundwater at the site.
Approved by the NYSDEC, the system continues to operate today and returns clean water replenishing the aquifers. The company's ongoing evaluation of its data (provided to NYSDEC) shows these systems are effectively capturing groundwater contaminants.
Beginning in 2008, Northrop Grumman funded, designed, constructed and began operating on-site soil vapor and groundwater treatment systems along the southern and western boundaries of the Bethpage Community Park. These systems continue to operate effectively today.
In 2016-2017, the company funded, designed, constructed and installed three wells as part of a NYSDEC-approved off-site groundwater remedial system (known as the RW-21 project) to capture and treat groundwater south of the Park. Northrop Grumman is currently working with the NYSDEC and the Town of Oyster Bay to implement the pipeline installation and construct a treatment facility to support this system.
In 2018, Northrop Grumman funded, designed, and developed a soil remediation plan within specific areas of the Bethpage Park baseball field. The company is working with the NYSDEC and the Town of Oyster Bay to implement this plan currently with the goal of returning this ball field to the community as soon as the NYSDEC-approved work is complete.
In addition to Northrop Grumman's on-site and off-site groundwater remediation and soil remediation activities, the U.S. Navy is conducting its own groundwater activities. The Navy is responsible for treating groundwater contamination at two locations (GM-38 and RE-108) and is funding wellhead treatment for several water districts.
Northrop Grumman is currently implementing three NYSDEC consent agreements under the current state-approved Record of Decision. These activities include ongoing well sampling and data collection as well as the specific remedial projects mentioned above.
