U.S. Navy to virtually host its next Calverton RAB meeting on June 9
The U.S. Navy is going virtual for its next Calverton Restoration Advisory Board meeting on Tuesday, June 9, following recently revealed Suffolk County health data that showed startlingly high contaminant levels around the former Grumman site at EPCAL.
The public can tune into the Calverton RAB meeting at 6 p.m. via Zoom. RAB members have served as a liaison among community members, government officials and Navy during the 30-year-long cleanup of the toxic Grumman plume.
The “collaborative forum” is open for Navy officials, regulatory agencies and community members to discuss the “ongoing environmental restoration activities” at the former the Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant, according to the Navy’s news release.
While the meeting is open to the public, time is limited for audience questions. The meeting will be recorded, but the recording will not be made public. Meeting minutes will be prepared and made available in the Navy’s administrative record.
According to the published presentation for Tuesday, the Navy officials will go through recently completed work, provide an update on PFAS sampling in drinking water wells, discuss analytical results of its 2024 PFAS sampling of Swan Pond and future actions.
View the full presentation here: tinyurl.com/CalvertonRABJune2026.
This meeting comes weeks after local officials unveiled independent county testing of private wells on April 28 — data the Navy declined to accept — as concerns grow over the spreading groundwater contamination moving beneath Calverton from the former Grumman site. These contaminant levels were significantly higher than what the Navy previously released to the public, according to previous reporting.
Testing found substantial amounts of PFAS in Swan Pond, Donahue Pond and the Peconic River — all of which are popular boating and fishing spots. Health officials stressed that the past surveys show a credible risk of people eating contaminated fish. The Suffolk County Health Department has placed a “no fishing” sign at Swan Pond.
It is unclear if Navy officials will consider or discuss this county health data in the presentation.
Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine and Riverhead Town Supervisor Jerry Halpin signed a joint letter with the support of the Riverhead Town Board on May 11 urging the U.S. Navy’s acting secretary Hung Cao to address the growing groundwater contamination from the Grumman plume.
Mr. Romaine previously stated if the Navy does not come up with a comprehensive remediation effort to address the pollution, he may consider taking legal action. At the May press conference outside Riverhead Town Hall, the county executive also criticized the Navy’s decision to host this month’s Restoration Advisory Board meeting virtually instead of in-person.
Attendees will have the option to join the webinar on Zoom up to 30 minutes prior to the scheduled start time. Register here to receive the meeting link and calendar notification.
