Saladino Demands "Full Excavation" of Toxic Chemical Drums Plume

By Rupert Deedes

Oyster Bay officials are outraged over the discovery of six 55-gallon drums of highly toxic chemicals found buried under a children’s ball field at Bethpage Community Park.

The drums were placed there – encased in concrete - by the Grumman corporation sometime in the 1950s.

"These drums were put in concrete vaults, coffin-like vaults, which proves to us that they knew they were dealing with something very dangerous," stated Oyster Bay Supervisor Joe Saladino.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) later discovered the presence of a large carcinogenic plume underground that contained Trichloroethylene (TCE). This is the same chemical discovered at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.

Saladino was harshly critical of Northrop Grumman and the DEC for what he described as a "slow and haphazard cleanup of an environmental nightmare."

In the 1950s, before the federal and state governments began to regulate the disposal of toxic substances, manufacturers, including aerospace manufacturers such as Northrop Grumman, routinely dumped toxic materials right into the ground.

Workers were working in the area to treat the soil and remove decades-old contamination, but the unexpected discovery of the six drums outraged local officials.

Saladino noted that, years ago, a whistleblower who had worked for Northrop Grumman informed DEC of the buried drums.

"That claim was deemed 'unfounded' by the DEC, but look where we are today," noted Saladino.

Local residents have often noticed strange smell and taste of tap water, and the water, on several occasions and at great expense, had to be cleaned up.

Residents of Bethpage have said that cancer rates in their community have been higher than in surrounding areas.

"It's a game changer," stated Michael Boufis, the Bethpage water superintendent. "This is a liquid. This would easily travel through the soil and go down into the groundwater and eventually hit a public water supply well,"

In response to inquiries, the DEC said there is no evidence that chemicals from the drums have leaked out, and that the agency will employ underground radar to search the entire park for more drums.

"These compounds are consistent with known historic operations of Northrop-Grumman and the U.S. Navy at this location and the contamination that is the focus of the ongoing remedial action.” stated the DEC.

Saladino demanded that NY Governor Kathy Hochul instruct the DEC to change its approach to the clean-up: rather than treat the soil, Saladino said the DEC should dig it up and get it away from Long Island's water supply - a "full soil excavation" to remove all the contaminated soil.

A spokesman for Northrop Grumman told CBS New York that the company remains "committed to protecting the health and well-being of the community."