Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine and Riverhead Town Supervisor Jerry Halpin on Monday called on the U.S. Navy to “clean up your mess” and undertake a comprehensive remediation of groundwater contamination stemming from the former Navy/Grumman site in Calverton.
Standing outside Riverhead Town Hall alongside local and county officials, Romaine and Halpin signed a letter addressed to Acting Navy Secretary Hao urging immediate action to address contamination that officials said has spread from the former Calverton aircraft manufacturing and testing site into Swan Pond, Donohue Pond and the Peconic River.
Groundwater and surface waters have been “impacted by the contamination the Navy left behind that they did not address,” Romaine said during the press conference. “It’s not getting better.”
The letter cites contamination from volatile organic compounds, PFAS chemicals, 1,4-dioxane, petroleum and chlorinated solvents linked to the former Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant, where Grumman operated an aircraft manufacturing and testing facility from 1954 to 1996.
The officials said Suffolk County testing found elevated levels of contaminants in groundwater and surface waters moving toward the Peconic Estuary.
The letter states that 1,4-dioxane measuring 14.9 micrograms per liter was detected between Swan Pond and Donohue Pond, nearly 15 times New York State’s drinking water standard of 1 microgram per liter. It also states that Suffolk County testing found 11 PFAS compounds in all 21 samples collected, with 12 samples exceeding 1,000 nanograms per liter. New York State’s drinking water standard for PFAS is currently 10 nanograms per liter.
County Health Commissioner Dr. Gregson Pigott said county groundwater monitoring and profile well testing show contamination plumes continuing to move through the area.
“We can study and study and look and look, but at this point, we need a plan to clean this up,” Pigott said.
Romaine criticized the Navy for what he described as a lack of urgency and communication, including its response to Suffolk County Health Department testing and the Navy’s questioning of the validity of the county’s data.
He also criticized the Navy for its plans to hold the next Restoration Advisory Board meeting virtually instead of in person.
“The Navy and its representatives should come and meet in person with the people whose health they’ve affected,” Romaine said.
Navy spokesperson David Todd said the June 9 RAB meeting will proceed virtually, consistent with the format announced in an April 29 press release.
“Public RAB meetings require careful preparation and coordination with stakeholders as well as the broader community,” Todd said in a statement. “This approach ensures that all participants, including community members, technical experts, and agency representatives, can engage fully and effectively in the discussion about Former NWIRP Calverton.”
The county executive also objected to what he said were efforts to remove Suffolk County Chief Hydrologist Andrew Rapiejko from the advisory board after he presented contamination data.
It would be “an unfortunate mistake” if they attempt to remove Rapiejko from the RAB “simply because he presented factual information of where this contamination is,” Romaine said.
Council Member Bob Kern, who is a member of the RAB, said booting Rapiejko off the RAB would be “like throwing the truth in the garbage.”
Todd disputed the claim that Rapiejko could be removed by the Navy.
“The statement in question about Andrew Rapiejko’s member status is unfounded. The Navy has no role in removing RAB members,” Todd said. “Mr. Rapiejko is, and continues to be, a voting member of the NWIRP Calverton RAB.”
Todd said removal of any RAB member would require a formal vote with “overwhelming approval” from all other RAB community members, and said no such vote has taken place.
Halpin said Riverhead officials are seeking action “beyond just the words” from the Navy.
“Protecting the Town of Riverhead’s drinking water is paramount,” Halpin said. “We call upon the Navy to now take action.”
The letter also criticizes the Navy for failing to notify local officials for about a year after PFAS contamination was detected in fish from Swan Pond. According to the letter, the Navy collected and tested fish in 2024, with results validated by a consultant in February 2025, but did not alert Suffolk County or the towns of Riverhead and Brookhaven until February 2026.
Suffolk County subsequently posted “No Fishing” signs at Swan Pond.
Romaine said Suffolk County and the towns of Riverhead and Brookhaven have already spent millions extending public water infrastructure to affected neighborhoods.
“To date, we have put $22 million between Riverhead [and] Brookhaven into water mains for this area,” Romaine said, adding that Suffolk County is preparing to spend an additional $8 million to extend water mains near County Road 94 and Peconic Lake Estates.
Rep. Nick LaLota said he has helped secure federal funding for clean water and infrastructure projects in Suffolk County, including $2.25 million for Riverhead’s water main installation project serving PFAS/PFOA-affected homes in Calverton and Riverhead.
“While a solution at the Calverton site has eluded Long Island for decades, there may finally be new hope through the additional $50 million I’m fighting for above the President’s FY27 budget request to support environmental cleanups at former military sites like Calverton,” LaLota said in a statement.
LaLota said the funding increase passed the Appropriations Committee last month with bipartisan support and is expected to come before the full House this week.
The letter was also copied to U.S. Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, LaLota, state and local officials and state environmental and health commissioners.
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