Suffolk County is intensifying its independent investigation of contamination linked to the former Grumman-Navy property in Calverton, with County Executive Ed Romaine calling the Navy’s newly announced cleanup plan “inadequate” and criticizing what he described as years of delays and a lack of transparency.
“The Navy plan is inadequate, far too late,” Romaine said following a recent Restoration Advisory Board meeting. “They haven’t addressed the contamination that they caused over the many years.”
The county has already conducted its own groundwater testing and is now expanding its efforts. Romaine said Suffolk will begin testing water at multiple locations along the Peconic River and will also analyze fish to determine whether contaminants have entered the food chain.
The additional testing comes after contamination was discovered in fish from Swan Pond, which was subsequently closed to fishing. Romaine said county officials were frustrated that information about contaminated fish was not disclosed for approximately a year.
“Our tests will be made public,” Romaine said. “We have nothing to hide except to protect the public.”
County officials are particularly concerned about a plume containing PFAS “forever chemicals,” 1,4-dioxane and other contaminants that has been migrating toward the Peconic River for years. The river is part of the Peconic Estuary, one of the nation’s most significant estuarine ecosystems and a vital resource for eastern Long Island.
The dispute has also highlighted growing tensions between Suffolk County and the Navy. Romaine said the county was prevented from presenting its own findings during a recent Restoration Advisory Board meeting, prompting officials to hold a separate public meeting at the Manorville Firehouse where contamination data collected through county testing was shared with residents.
According to Romaine, county testing found contamination in areas including Swan Pond, Day Pond, the Peconic River and surrounding locations. He said the county’s findings raised questions about the scope of the Navy’s testing efforts and the information being shared with the public.
Romaine also criticized the removal of Suffolk County Health Department hydrogeologist Andrew Rapiejko from the RAB process. Rapiejko played a key role in the county’s independent investigation and helped identify contaminants beyond those being examined by the Navy.
“Tell me about transparency again. Tell me about honesty,” Romaine said. “All he’s doing is presenting information from the Health Department.”
The county has also spent millions extending public water infrastructure to communities affected by contamination. Romaine said Suffolk previously brought water mains to 68 homes in Manorville north of the Long Island Expressway, while Riverhead provided service to another 68 homes on its side of the contamination zone. The county is now planning to extend public water to approximately 170 homes in Peconic Lake Estates, where contamination concerns have also emerged.
“It’s costing the county a lot of money,” Romaine said. “But my job is to protect the health and safety of the residents of Suffolk County.”
Additional county testing results from the Peconic River and local fish populations are expected to be released publicly as officials continue to evaluate whether contamination from the former Grumman property is moving farther downstream toward the Peconic Estuary and Peconic Bay.