Environmental Investigation And Cleanup Activities At The Former U.S. Navy And Northrop Grumman Bethpage Facility Sites

DEC Community Update following Discovery of Encased Drums During Ongoing Cleanup at Bethpage Community Park

Most Recent Fact Sheet: Bethpage Community Park - April 2024 Community Update (PDF) 

DEC UPDATE ON RECENT DISCOVERY OF UNDERGROUND DRUMS AT BETHPAGE COMMUNITY PARK

Ongoing Cleanup of Historical Contamination is Priority for New York State

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) continues to strictly oversee the cleanup of the Bethpage Community Park in the town of Oyster Bay and is working to protect public health and the environment as part of the State’s comprehensive investigation, containment, and cleanup of the Navy-Grumman groundwater plume. In response to the recent discovery of six, 55-gallon drums beneath the former ballfield area of Bethpage Community Park (the former Grumman Settling Ponds), DEC is working with State, federal, and local partners to ensure actions are taken to safely assess the contents of the containers for disposal and to develop a plan to remove the structures and contents of the drums.

DEC is holding daily coordination calls with Northrop Grumman, New York State Department of Health (DOH), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the town of Oyster Bay to provide updates on work underway, efforts completed, and next steps.

DEC continues to oversee Grumman’s cleanup activities at this location, including use of geophysical techniques, such as ground-penetrating radar, as well as subsurface drilling and sampling to determine the full nature and extent of contamination and the presence of any additional drums buried deep beneath the site. The town of Oyster Bay will remove dense brush and debris in a small area of the former ballfield prior to the second round of ground penetrating radar testing.

To date, lab results for samples collected from the six drums are consistent with initial analysis of the drums’ contents, which found chlorinated solvents and waste oil / petroleum consistent with contamination historically found related to the former settling ponds and the industrial operations of U.S. Navy and Grumman at this site. DEC is directing Northrop Grumman to submit a Health and Safety Plan and a Work Plan for completing the drum removal. The Work Plan, which will be reviewed by DEC, DOH, EPA, and the town, will detail the secure removal and transport of the drums off-site for proper disposal.

As required, Northrop Grumman is conducting air monitoring in the immediate work area and along the margins of the former ballfield to ensure public health is protected. To date, the air monitoring has found no exceedance of action levels. Air monitoring will continue throughout the removal of the drums from this area.

DEC will provide ongoing and rigorous oversight of Northrop Grumman’s efforts during the inspection and removal of the drums, as well as regular updates to the community as additional information becomes available. In addition, DEC is posting the annual and quarterly reports of groundwater monitoring conducted to ensure the success of the ongoing cleanup of the ballfield and other areas in the park. The Annual and Quarterly reports dating back to 2020 are available below.

As part of the broader cleanup of the Navy-Grumman Groundwater Plume, in cooperation with Northrop Grumman, the U.S. Navy continues with a long-term monitoring program and the Public Water Supply Contingency Plan. Directed by DEC, the U.S. Navy and Northrop Grumman installed wellhead treatment at six local public water supplies. This wellhead treatment allows the water purveyors to provide drinking water that meets the New York State Department of Health drinking water requirements.

DEC continues to hold Northrop Grumman accountable for the cleanup of Bethpage Community Park.

Recent Site History

Prior to the site’s donation to the Town of Oyster Bay in 1962, portions of the present-day Bethpage Community Park were operated by Grumman as a series of settling ponds and sludge drying beds. The historic use as settling ponds/drying beds resulted in both soil and groundwater contamination that is currently being addressed in accordance with a Record of Decision with DEC.

To understand the extent of contamination, DEC used the latest science and engineering analysis to carefully design the cleanup goals to fully protect public health and the environment. Based on the ongoing collection of data, the State’s cleanup plan is providing full protection from contamination and will be effective in addressing sources of contamination once complete.

The Former Grumman Settling Ponds is located immediately east of the former 600-acre Northrop Grumman-Bethpage Facility and Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant Site. Cleanup has been occurring in accordance with the Record of Decision under DEC oversight. Following a successful initial thermal remediation program to address site contamination present in deep soil (approximately 35 to 45 feet beneath the ground surface), Northrop Grumman contractors began a second phase thermal remediation program within and adjacent to the former ballfield area.

This includes the drilling of more than 350 thermal/heating wells. During the drilling of these wells the contractor encountered an obstruction at approximately four feet below ground surface. To inspect this obstruction, Northrop Grumman brought an excavator to the site to remove soil and discovered the concrete vault during the week of March 25, 2024. The careful and methodical excavation work subsequently identified six, 55-gallon steel drums encased in reinforced concrete.

The Northrop Grumman environmental cleanup and response contractor continued to expose and sample the contents of the six drums for disposal purposes and determined the concrete sides extended to a depth of 12 feet below ground surface. Northrop Grumman staff immediately notified DEC and staff at the Town of Oyster Bay Department of Public Works on March 27, 2024.

Field crews documented no signs of leakage from the drums. Soil samples were also collected from stockpiles (soil excavated from around the drums) and the excavation side-walls and sent to the lab for analysis. Laboratory results are expected in early April and will be used to determine the proper disposal of the excavated soil. At the conclusion of activities on Friday, March 29, 2024, the drums were covered with plastic sheeting and sandbags within a cordoned off area already secured by chain link fencing to protect the public and ensure the safe continuation of work to construct the thermal remedy. Northrop Grumman is currently coordinating the drum removal with DEC, DOH, EPA, and the town and work is expected during the week of April 8, 2024.

It is not uncommon for DEC to encounter buried underground storage tanks, intact drums, drum carcasses, drywells, tank lines, etc., when investigating and remediating former industrial sites. This sometimes occurs during active redevelopment or site cleanup, as is the case at the Bethpage Community Park. The former ballfield area is the location where the bulk of the disposal took place while the property was owned by Grumman. Cleanup has occurred in accordance with the Record of Decision under DEC oversight and previous claims of buried drums were taken seriously.

DEC continues to closely oversee Northrop Grumman’s efforts, in coordination with the town of Oyster Bay, DOH, and the EPA.

Bethpage Community Park Groundwater Containment System – A Key Piece to Protecting the Long Island Aquifer

This Groundwater Containment System includes four groundwater extraction wells pumping at approximately 200 gallons per minute. These wells have treated more than 1.3 billion gallons of water since operation began in 2009, and the system has removed more than 2,500 pounds of volatile organic compounds (VOC) contamination since startup. The Bethpage Community Park groundwater containment system:  

  • Prevents remaining contamination from continued migration off-site.
  • By removing the site contaminants as part of the overall cleanup of the site, the system is removing contamination from Bethpage Community Park.
  • Protects the Long Island Aquifer System and the downgradient public water supplies.
  • Monitoring has shown that a clean front of groundwater is developing downgradient of the site and the system is successfully preventing the continued off-site migration of site contaminants.

Groundwater Monitoring Reports

NYSDEC Held Availability Session and Formation of a Community Participation Working Group (CPWG)

Tuesday, March 7, 2023, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Bethpage Community Center, 103 Grumman Road West, Bethpage, NY

A community availability session was held on March 7, 2023 for the public to learn more about the formation of a Community Participation Working Group and how the public can become involved with the cleanup of the Navy Grumman groundwater plume associated with the Northrop Grumman Bethpage Facility and Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant (NWIRP) sites and the Former Grumman Settling Ponds (portions of the present-day Bethpage Community Park) associated with the former Northrop Grumman Bethpage Facility located in the town of Oyster Bay in Bethpage, New York. Experts from DEC, DOH, United States Geological Survey, Department of Navy, and Northrop Grumman were available for community members to interact with in a one-on-one format. Multiple stations were set up in the Community Center with representatives available at stations detailing specific areas of interest. NYSDEC released a Community Update on February 22, 2023 (PDF, 5 Pages, 4.8 MB) announcing the March 7, 2023 Availability Session and the formation of a Community Participation Working Group. Posters from the Availability Session can be found at the following links:

Watch a video of progress and environmental cleanup work underway at the Bethpage Community Park on DEC's YouTube channel.

Community Participation Working Group (CPWG)

As part of the legal settlement between DEC and Northrop Grumman, a Community Participation Work Group (CPWG) is being formed to serve as a community liaison with DEC, Northrop Grumman, the US Navy, and other stakeholders to help ensure information is shared with the community in a timely manner. The Navy Grumman Groundwater Plume CPWG is a voluntary, self-governing body - its role will include, but not be limited to, providing a forum for enhancing dialogue, fostering public understanding and encouraging discussion about the cleanup of the Navy Grumman groundwater plume, establishing a schedule, and making recommendations on outreach and public participation. Updates will be provided about current and upcoming cleanup efforts during CPWG meetings. Consensus Building Institute (CBI) was selected to establish the Navy Grumman Groundwater Plume CPWG.

DEC prepared a CPWG report that is available with other site-related documents online through the DECinfo Locator (links below) or at the location(s) identified in the section of the Community Update titled "Where to Find Information."

Link to Citizen Participation Plan with Community Participation Working Group as Addendum A, February 1, 2023 (PDF, 21 Pages, 653 KB).

Community members interested in joining the CPWG can submit letters of interest to CBI at the address below or sign up online.

NYSDEC Announces an Agreement with Northrop Grumman to Hydraulically Contain the Navy Grumman Groundwater Plume

NYSDEC has reached an agreement with Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Grumman) and finalized a Consent Decree regarding the remediation of the Navy Grumman groundwater plume located in Bethpage, New York. A link to the final Consent Decree is included below. The Consent Decree formalizes understandings reached in December 2020 between NYSDEC and Grumman to advance the company's actions to install additional extraction wells, construct and operate treatment plants, and return the treated water to the aquifer system as part of a comprehensive plan to contain and clean up the Navy Grumman groundwater plume. The proposed settlement also requires the company to undertake additional work within the plume and provide compensation to New York State and affected water districts in the form of Natural Resource Damages.

Link to Final Consent Decree: Final Consent Decree between NYSDEC and Northrop Grumman, August 3, 2022 (PDF, 57 Pages, 3.8 MB)

Amended Remedy Selected for Hydraulic Containment of the Navy Grumman Groundwater Plume

NYSDEC issued a Fact Sheet (PDF) on December 20, 2019 announcing the release of the Amended Record of Decision(AROD) (PDF). The selected remedy outlined in the AROD details the construction, long-term operation and maintenance of a full containment and treatment system to effectively halt further spread of the Navy Grumman groundwater plume.

The selection of a final remedy to hydraulically contain the Navy Grumman groundwater plume comes after the release of the Proposed Amended Record of Decision on May 23, 2019 and a 45-day comment period from May 23, 2019 - July 8, 2019. The AROD contains a Responsiveness Summary that includes the Department's responses to over 200 comments that were received during this 45-day comment period.

Documents Related to the Amended Remedy Available Online:

Amended Record of Decision, December 2019 (PDF, 299 pages, 10 MB)

Fact Sheet - Remedy Selected for Full Hydraulic Containment of the Navy Grumman Groundwater Plume, December 2019 (PDF, 4 pages, 1 MB)

Feasibility Study Report, April 2019 (PDF, 236 pages, 7.1 MB)

Proposed Amended Record of Decision, May 2019 (PDF, 58 pages, 3.3 MB)

Fact Sheet - Amended Remedy Proposed for Navy Grumman Groundwater Plume, May 2019 (PDF, 4 pages, 329 KB)

Proposed Amended Record of Decision June 10, 2019 Public Meeting Presentation (PDF, 53 pages, 4.6 MB)

Comments and questions are always welcome:

PROJECT-RELATED QUESTIONS:
Jason Pelton, P.G.
Project Manager NYSDEC
625 Broadway
Albany, New York 12233
(518) 402-9676
[email protected]

HEALTH-RELATED QUESTIONS: 
Jim Sullivan
Project Manager, NYSDOH
Empire State Plaza
Corning Tower, Room #1787
Albany, New York 12237
(518) 402-7860
[email protected]

Site History

From 1942 to 1996, approximately 600 acres of property in the Town of Oyster Bay were used for the manufacture of military aircraft by the United States Navy and the Northrop Grumman Corporation. As shown on the figure to the right, the United States Navy owned approximately 109 acres for the Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant (NWIRP) and the remainder of the 600 acres was owned by Northrop Grumman.

The historic storage and disposal practices during this time period resulted in soil and groundwater contamination at this site. The primary contaminants are referred to as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and were commonly used by industry for degreasing purposes. While the U.S. Navy and Northrop Grumman have taken remedial actions to address this contamination (discussed below), groundwater contamination continues to migrate south toward currently unimpacted public water supplies and unimpacted portions of the Long Island Sole Source Aquifer. The figure to the right shows the locations of the Northrop Grumman Bethpage Facility site and NWIRP sites.

Current Activities

Some of the major site-related activities that are currently being completed by NYSDEC, Northrop Grumman, and the U.S. Navy are summarized below.

Navy Grumman Groundwater Plume

Investigation and Feasibility Study Evaluating Supplemental Remedial Alternatives for the Navy Grumman Groundwater Plume
In February 2017, NYSDEC initiated an expanded and expedited investigation to develop an up-to-date understanding of the groundwater plume associated with the Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant site and Northrop Grumman Bethpage Facility site (Navy Grumman groundwater plume) and an engineering analysis to evaluate cleanup alternatives to address the Navy Grumman groundwater plume. To complete this investigation and engineering evaluation, NYSDEC partnered with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and issued a work assignment to the engineering contractor Henningson, Durham, & Richardson Architecture and Engineering, P.C. (HDR).

Some highlights of the expanded investigation are summarized below:

Vertical Profile Boring Drilling, Monitoring Well Installation, and Groundwater Sampling Program

To help NYSDEC to understand the southern extent of the Navy Grumman groundwater plume, two vertical profile borings (VPBs) were advanced along the distal end of the plume. The borings were installed near the Southern State Parkway and drilled to depths of approximately 1,000 feet beneath the ground surface. To allow for the collection of groundwater samples from these two locations, the vertical profile borings were completed as permanent groundwater monitoring wells. The image to the left shows the equipment used to drill the vertical profile borings.

Comprehensive Groundwater Sampling Results Database Development
Groundwater quality data derived from previous investigations and routine groundwater sampling was compiled into a single comprehensive groundwater database. This database includes over 5,600 groundwater samples collected from over 540 locations for a total of over 200,000 individual records. The database was then used to analyze and evaluate the nature and extent of the Navy Grumman groundwater plume and to prepare up-to-date two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) visualizations of the groundwater contamination. As shown on the 2D plume representation on the figure to the right, the Navy Grumman groundwater plume (pink shading) extends approximately 4.3 miles south toward the Southern State Parkway and to depths of approximately 900 feet beneath the ground surface. At its widest point, the plume is approximately 2.1 miles wide. An example of the Trichoroethylene (TCE) plume in 3D is depicted in the figure below.

Groundwater Flow Modeling Program
In partnership with the USGS, an updated groundwater flow model capable of simulating groundwater flow beneath Long Island was developed. The USGS model was used to evaluate how various groundwater extraction and discharge scenarios influenced plume migration and groundwater containment and was a critical component of the Feasibility Study which led to the identification of a preferred remedy outlined in the Proposed Amended Record of Decision (AROD) for addressing the Navy Grumman groundwater plume.

Engineering Evaluation Included in a Feasibility Study
The engineering analysis and Feasibility Study relied on the results of the groundwater flow modeling to compare groundwater extraction alternatives and quantify the volume of groundwater requiring extraction, treatment, and discharge to achieve remedial action objectives. The primary objective of the engineering analysis is to evaluate technically feasible options to address the Navy Grumman groundwater plume in order to prevent its further expansion and migration and reduce its volume and contaminant concentrations, which is summarized in a Feasibility Study Report (PDF, 236 pages, 7.1 MB). Based on the results of the Feasibility Study, NYSDEC issued a Proposed AROD. The Proposed ROD Amendment identifies the preferred remedy, summarizes the other alternatives considered, and discusses the reasons for the preferred remedy.

Fast-Track Well Drilling Program

To jump-start the Navy Grumman groundwater plume cleanup effort, at the Governor's direction in the 2018 State of the State, NYSDEC fast-tracked the drilling and completion of three of the four groundwater extraction wells in 2018 and the drilling of the fourth extraction well will commence during the spring of 2019. These extraction wells were installed in areas with high concentrations of site contaminants and will ultimately be part of the overall system to remediate the Navy Grumman groundwater plume.

Northrop Grumman Remedial Activities

In accordance with 1995, 2001, and 2013 Records of Decision issued by NYSDEC, Northrop Grumman continues to implement several remedial actions. These include the following:

On-Site Containment System (ONCT)
Northrop Grumman has been pumping contaminated groundwater from five extraction wells since 1998. Following removal, the contaminated water is treated and returned to the aquifer through a series of recharge basins. In total, this system has removed over 200,000 pounds of contamination from the aquifer.

Bethpage Park Groundwater Containment System
Northrop Grumman has been pumping contaminated groundwater from four wells since 2009. Following removal, the contaminated water is treated and returned to the groundwater system through a series of recharge basins. In total, this system has removed over 2,200 pounds of contamination from the aquifer.

Soil Vapor Extraction System
Since 2009, Northrop Grumman has been operating a soil vapor extraction system to reduce soil gas concentrations and prevent off-site migration of soil vapor. Following removal, the contaminated soil vapor is treated and discharged to the atmosphere.

RW-21 Groundwater Hot Spot Area
Northrop Grumman identified an off-site area (RW-21 Area) with high concentrations of site contaminants in groundwater. Three recovery wells were recently installed to remove this contaminated groundwater and Northrop Grumman is developing plans to construct a treatment plant and an underground conveyance system to return the treated water to the aquifer. Northrop Grumman expects this system to be operating in 2020. This system will remove approximately two million gallons of contaminated water from the aquifer per day.

Former Grumman Settling Ponds (Bethpage Community Park)
In early 2019, Northrop Grumman began drilling a series of in-situ (in-place) thermal remediation wells to address VOC contamination that remains in soil in the area of the Former Grumman Settling Ponds (former ballfield area). The in-situ thermal remedy will begin operation in mid-2019 and is expected to be completed by early 2020. While this in-situ thermal remedy is being implemented, Northrop Grumman will be designing a remedy involving excavation and off-site disposal of soil containing PCB and metals contamination present in the Former Grumman Settling Ponds area. This excavation remedy will be performed in accordance with NYSDEC approved work plans and following completion of the in-situ thermal remedy (expected early 2020).

Implementation of a Public Water Supply Contingency Plan
In cooperation with the U.S. Navy, Northrop Grumman continues to implement a Public Water Supply Contingency Plan. This plan involves monitoring groundwater quality in outpost monitoring wells to determine if wellhead treatment, or comparable alternative measures are needed to protect downgradient public water supplies.

Implementation of a Monitoring Plan
In cooperation with the U.S. Navy, Northrop Grumman continues with a long-term monitoring program to evaluate the current remedial activities, to better define the contaminant plume, determine if additional groundwater remediation is needed, and to assess the need for possible wellhead treatment under the Public Water Supply Contingency Plan.

United States Navy Remedial Activities

In accordance with 1995, 2003, 2015, and 2018 Records of Decision issued by the U.S. Navy and NYSDEC, the U.S. Navy continues to implement several remedial actions. These include the following:

GM-38 Groundwater Extraction and Treatment System
The U.S. Navy has been pumping contaminated groundwater from two wells since 2008. Following removal, the contaminated water is treated and returned to the groundwater system through a nearby recharge basin. In total, this system has removed over 10,000 pounds of contamination from the aquifer.

Soil Vapor Extraction System
Since 2009, the U.S. Navy has been operating a soil vapor extraction system to reduce soil gas concentrations and prevent off-site migration of soil vapor. Following removal, the contaminated soil vapor is treated and discharged to the atmosphere.

RE-108 Area
The U.S. Navy identified an off-site area (RE-108 Area) with high concentrations of site contaminants in groundwater. The U.S. Navy is currently designing a groundwater extraction, treatment, and disposal system. The U.S. Navy expects the first phase of the RE-108 system to be operating in 2020. When fully operating, this system will remove approximately two million gallons of contaminated water from the aquifer per day.

Site 1 - Former Drum Marshaling Area
The U.S. Navy began site preparation work in early 2019 in support of a remedy involving the excavation and off-site disposal of approximately 45,000 cubic yards of PCB contaminated soil from the Site 1 - Former Drum Marshaling Area (see figure to left). The excavation, off-site disposal, and site restoration is expected to be completed by early 2020.

Site 4 - Former Underground Storage Tank Area
In late 2018, the U.S. Navy began operation of a steam injection with liquid recovery system to address fuel oil contamination in the area of former underground storage tanks. The system is expected to operate for approximately one to two years.

U.S. Navy Restoration Advisory Board Meetings
The U.S. Navy continues to hold Restoration Advisory Board (RAB) meetings twice annually (typically in April and November). These meetings are open to the public and allow the public to learn about current U.S. Navy activities and to ask questions.

Implementation of a Monitoring Program
As described above, in cooperation with Northrop Grumman, the U.S. Navy continues with a long-term monitoring program and the Public Water Supply Contingency Plan.

The U.S. Navy and Northrop Grumman have provided funding to support the installation of wellhead treatment at six local public water supplies. This wellhead treatment allows the water purveyors to provide drinking water that meets the New York State Department of Health drinking water requirements.

For More Information

Complete copies of the documents listed on this web page and other documents pertaining to the investigation and cleanup activities, are available in hard copy and electronically for public review at the following location:

Bethpage Public Library
47 Powell Avenue
Bethpage, NY 11714
(516) 931-3907

Additional information and documents on the U.S. Navy activities at the Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant can be found at the following link: http://go.usa.gov/DyXF

If you have any questions regarding this site, please contact Mr. Jason Pelton, NYSDEC Project Manager, at (518) 402-9478.
 

Receive fact sheets about the Northrop Grumman and Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant Sites by email:

Sign up at the "DEC Delivers" web page to have fact sheets and other updates about the Sites delivered right to your email inbox. Be sure to sign up for "Nassau County".

Other Available Documents

In 2016 NYSDEC issued a Remedial Options Report (ROR). The ROR evaluated potential remedial options, costs, and timetables to intercept and remediate the groundwater plume associated with the Grumman Aerospace-Bethpage Facility. The ROR can be downloaded in two parts:

DEC invited public comment about the ROR between August 10 and September 9, 2016. Comments were received as follows:

Contact for this Page

Division of Environmental Remediation
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233

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