Schumer Calls On Biden Team To Oversee Cleanup Of Grumman Plume

BETHPAGE, NY — Following the Navy's newfound commitment to stemming the spread of the toxic Grumman groundwater pollution plume in Bethpage, U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) called on President-elect Joe Biden's transition team to oversee the cleanup.

Schumer on Sunday said a course must be charted under a Biden administration for the Navy to contain the Grumman groundwater plume, halt its spread, protect public water supplies and reimburse water providers for their response costs to protect taxpayers.

"This game-changing, course correction by the Navy to contain the Grumman Plume represents years of personal advocacy and collaboration with our water districts, along with undeniable science," Schumer said. "Finally, the Navy admits it has major responsibility for cleaning up the plume. Furthermore, the Navy’s course correction comes amid the transitioning of a new president, President-elect Biden."

Last week, the Navy said it will attempt to capture the plume before it spreads from Bethpage to Massapequa and the Great South Bay, Newsday reported.

Schumer urged Biden's transition team to immediately focus on the Grumman plume and work with the Navy in planning.

"As the Navy shifts gears and prepares for a new administration, the incoming Biden team must study this new stance and speak to Long Island stakeholders for their input," he said. "While the Navy rightfully ended decades of resistance with their changed position, finalizing key details will be up to the new president’s Department of Defense, and requires input from all stakeholders as well as listening to their concerns regarding the new plan, long delayed reimbursements, red tape and more."

Schumer expressed his "full confidence" in a Biden administration's ability to make progress on the cleanup.

The plume contains at least 24 contaminants and is more than 4.3 miles long, 2.1 miles wide and roughly 900 feet deep, Newsday reported.

Democratic Congressman Tom Suozzi, who recently won re-election, noted the plume's contamination has been a public issue for more than 40 years.

"Since coming to Congress, I have worked tirelessly, with my colleagues and fellow officials, on behalf of the people of the Bethpage Water District and surrounding communities, to bring the responsible parties together to streamline, expedite, and to increase funding for the clean up of the Navy/Grumman plume," he stated.

The Navy's recent reversal is a "tremendous step forward" for the Bethpage community, Suozzi said.

"For decades the Bethpage Water District has shouldered the responsibility of cleaning up the plume and with this new agreement, the Navy, (and hopefully soon Gumman) will now act to prevent further spread and clean up the remaining contamination," he said.

In August, Northrop Grumman turned on equipment to warm the soil beneath Bethpage Community Park. The heat will warm the soil over a six-month period to vaporize the chemicals found deep within it.

The contamination was caused by a plume of toxic water due to industrial waste dumping from U.S. Navy and Northrop Grumman manufacturing facilities. The contaminated water led to a New York State Department of Health investigation into several cancer cases in Bethpage, Newsday reported.