Islip to begin testing at MacArthur Superfund site, officials say

The Town of Islip is moving forward with further analysis and testing of chemical contamination at Long Island MacArthur Airport, which was declared a state Superfund site last February.

The agreement will allow the town, under the oversight of the state Department of Environmental Conservation and Department of Health, to proceed with a more thorough investigation of the site, a step that’s required before cleanup can begin.

As owner and operator of the airport, Islip will be responsible for covering the cost of cleaning up contamination at MacArthur — a price tag yet to be determined, according to the DEC.

Last year, the DEC confirmed it found perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, "at levels that exceed applicable standards."

The site was listed as a possible Superfund site in 2018 over concerns that past use and storage of perfluorooctane sulfonate, or PFOS, a chemical found in firefighting foams used at airports, could have contaminated drinking water supplies.

The substances, also known as "forever chemicals" because they don’t break down easily, have been linked to immune system problems, cancers and other health impacts, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Officials from town, environmental and water quality agencies repeatedly have said public water in the area is safe to drink.

In a recently passed resolution, Islip attributed the contamination to firefighting foam that the Federal Aviation Administration requires the airport to keep on site.

MacArthur has not used the foam since 2019 and town officials have said they would only use the substance in an emergency, as required by the FAA, Newsday has previously reported.

A spokesperson for the DEC said the agency plans to start investigative fieldwork this year, and then evaluate cleanup options for a plan that would be open for public input before being finalized.

Once the agreement is finalized, the town will submit plans for the investigation and public participation to the DEC and the Department of Health for review.

Residents may register for regular updates on the cleanup process on the DEC website.

By Brianne Ledda

brianne.ledda@newsday.com@brianne_ledda

Brianne Ledda covers the Town of Islip for Newsday. She previously covered Southold and Greenport for The Suffolk Times and is a graduate of Stony Brook University.