Bethpage-Tribune_2003-05-16

              ribi Vi-V»W* v ^ r v ^ * O-" Celebrating
0 Years In
ZZ^uu^^" Bethpme
VOL. 41 NO. 20
SERVING BETHPAGE, fSLAND TREES, OLD BETHPAGE, PLAINVIEW, SEAFORD AND PLAINEDGE
FORTY CENTS May 16-22, 2003
Recent DEC Meeting
Addresses Park Soil Testing
NEW YORK STATE
DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL,
CONSERVATION
Recent soil testing has found
elevated levels of polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCBs) in soils at
Bethpage Community Park. The 18-
acre park is located in Bethpage,
New York, on the west side of
Stewart Avenue near its intersection
with Cherry Avenue. The park is
currently owned by the Town of
Oyster Bay and includes a swimming
pool, playground, baseball field and
picnic area.
The Grumman Aircraft
Engineering Corporation
(subsequently purchased by
Northrop-Grumman Corporation
[Grumman] donated the land for the
park to the Town of Oyster Bay on
October 17, 1962.
During environmental
investigations conducted in 1994,
the U.S. Navy collected a soil sample
from the park in which PCBs were
detected at concentrations less than
the applicable cleanup levels. Five
soil samples were subsequently
collected by the Town of Oyster Bay
in 1998. PCBs were either not
detected, or were detected at trace
levels in these samples.
Grumman notified the New York
State Department of Environmental
Conservation (DEC) and State
Department of Health (NYSDOH) of
elevated levels of PCBs found in a
1999-2001 plant closure
investigation of a Grumman access
road immediately south of the park.
At that time, Grumman proposed to
undertake an investigation of soil in
areas of the park where Grumman
had disposed of liquid wastes and
solid fill in the 1950s and 1960s.
Recent Park Sampling
Program
Grumman's recent sampling of
park soil took place in March 2002.
Soil push-probe samples were
collected from 60 locations, primarily
from grass and soil areas at the park.
All but two of these locations were
sampled at the surface (0-2 inch
depth), and all were sampled at
specific intervals down to a depth of
eight feet. A total of 298 soil
samples were taken in this manner.
Surface Samples
Additional surface samples (0-2
inches) were taken at potential
exposure points in the park. These
points include slide landing and
swing areas at the playgrounds, the
infield and baselines of the ballfield
and the horseshoe pits. These soil
samples were analyzed for PCBs
and several metals.
A total of 77 surface soil samples
(0-2 inches) were taken in grassy
areas, in bare soil, under wood chips
and gravel, and near the fence line
of the park. PCBs were detected in
64 of these samples, with the range
of detections being 0.04 to 23 parts
per million (ppm). Most of these
samples had concentrations of
PCBs of less than one ppm. One
ppm is the cleanup value used by
DEC to remediate PCBs in a
residential setting. Elevated levels
of chromium were found in some
surface soil samples, however, the
concentrations were below levels of
health concern.
Special attention was focused on
testing in bare areas because
children are more likely to come into
contact with the soil in these areas
than in areas that are well grassed.
Children may accidentally ingest the
soil if they put their hands in their
mouths or if they eat without
washing their hands. PCBs were
detected in only three of 17 samples
taken in bare areas, with the PCB
concentrations in these three
samples ranging from 0.09 ppm to
0.4 ppm.
The highest surface sample PCB
value, 23 ppm, was found in one
sample in left field of the baseball
field. The area is well grassed and
contact with large amounts of soil in
this area is unlikely. Consequently,
the potential for exposures in the
ballfield, as well as in other areas of
the park is low.
Samples at Depth
The deeper soil push-probe
samples (down to eight feet) had
elevated levels of PCBs and some
metals, particularly chromium.
Approximately 15 percent of the soil
probe samples at depth exceeded
recommended soil cleanup
objectives for total PCBs and/or
metals. The contaminants in
subsurface soil are not an immediate
exposure concern because people
do not come into contact with them
under most circumstances.
DEC, NYSDOH, Nassau County
Department of Health (NCDOH), and
Town officials discussed the sample
results and simple steps that can be
taken to further reduce the potential
for exposure to contaminants
detected at the park. Town officials
stated their intent to work with DEC,
NYSDOH, and NCDOH to ensure
that contamination at the park is
addressed in a manner protective of
public health and the environment.
During the week of May 13,
2002, DEC, the Town and Grumman
collected additional samples to
further define the limits of
contamination and to evaluate
several additional potential
exposure points in the park. The
Town has closed the park until such
time as the additional tests are
completed and the DEC, NYSDOH,
and NCDOH have had an
opportunity to present the results of
the sampling program to the
community.
In addition to the work currently
being done, future efforts will
address soil contamination that has
been found at depth. Under the
guidelines of the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act
corrective action program, this will
likely include one or more phases of
additional investigation, selection of
an appropriate remedial alternative,
and an opportunity for public review
and comment on any potential
remedial activities that may be
proposed.
Sampling at Properties
Near the Park
Soil samples were collected in
1995 from eleven residential yards
southwest of the park and tested for
PCBs. PCBs were either not
detectable or less than one ppm in
these samples. One ppm is the
cleanup value used by DEC to
remediate PCBs in a residential
setting. More recently, NYSDOH
collected five soil samples from
Bethpage High School, across the
street from the park. PCBs were
detected at low concentrations in
these samples. All of the results
from the school samples were less
than the one ppm cleanup value.
The agencies will continue to
identify and test any offsite locations
that require additional investigation.
Groundwater and Water
Supply
There is no evidence that
contamination in park soils has
affected groundwater. The agencies
are reviewing the available data to
determine the need for any
additional investigation in this
regard. All public water supplies in
the vicinity of the former
Grumman/U.S. Navy Bethpage
facility are routinely monitored and
treated, if necessary, to ensure that
drinking water distributed to the
public meets federal, state, and
county requirements.
Document Repositories
Documents related to the
investigation and potential
remediation of contamination at
Bethpage Community Park will be
made available at the Bethpage
Public Library, Powell Avenue,
Bethpage.
What are polychlorinated
biphenyls?
Polychlorinated biphenyls are
mixtures of up to 209 individual
chlorinated compounds (known as
congeners). There are no known
natural sources of PCBs. PCBs are
either oily liquids or solids that are
colorless to light yellow. Some PCBs
can exist as a vapor in air. PCBs have
no known smell or taste, many
commercial PCB mixtures are known
in the U.S. by the trade name
Aroclor.
PCBs have been used as
coolants and lubricants in
transformers, capacitors, and other
electrical equipment because they
don't burn easily and are good
insulators. The manufacture of
PCBs was stopped in the U.S. in
1977 because of evidence they
build up in the environment and can
cause harmful health effects.
Products made before 1977 that
may contain PCBs include old
fluorescent lighting fixtures and
electrical devices containing PCB
capacitors, and old microscope and
hydraulic oils.
What happens to PCBs
when they enter the
environment?
PCBs entered the air, water, and
soil during their manufacture, use,
(Continued on page 10)