Senate Bill S9616

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S9616

SPONSOR: RHOADS
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to the
Bethpage community park cleanup independent state monitorship

 
PURPOSE:

To establish an Independent State Monitorship to oversee the Bethpage
Community Park Cleanup.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends the environmental conservation la.w to add a new
section 15-0518 to establish an independent state monitorship to oversee
the containment, remediation, excavation and clean up of the groundwater
plume associated with the Northrop Grumman Bethpage Facility and Naval
Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant sites in the hamlet of Bethpage within
the town of Oyster Bay and compliance by Northrop Grumman and any other
parties responsible for said containment, remediation, excavation and
              

clean up with any operative consent decrees, consent judgments, settle-
ments, or agreements.

The Independent State Monitorship shall consist of the County Executive
of Nassau County or their designee; the Town Supervisor of the Town of
Oyster Bay or their designee; members of the Assembly whose districts
represent the Town of Oyster Bay; members of the Senate whose districts
represent the Town of Oyster Bay; and the Commissioner of the Department
of Environmental Conservation or their designee.

Upon the issuance of relevant findings by the Independent State Monitor-
ship demonstrating noncompliance with any operative consent decrees,
consent judgments, settlements, or agreements by Northrop Grumman or the
federal government, the office of the attorney general shall pursue
affirmative litigation remedies resulting in actual remediation and
appropriate damages.

The Independent State Monitorship shall report its findings to the
governor; attorney general; Temporary President of the Senate; the
Speaker of the Assembly; the minority leader of the Senate; and the
minority leader of the Assembly within one hundred eighty days of its
first meeting.

Section 2 sets the effective date at immediately.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

This legislation will help ensure the effective and transparent cleanup
of the toxic plume at Bethpage Community Park through the establishment
of an independent State Monitorship comprised of local stakeholders to
oversee and guide the cleanup process and ensure compliance by Northrop
Grumman and any other parties responsible for said containment, remedi-
ation, excavation and clean up with any operative consent decrees,
consent judgments, settlements, or agreements.

Upon the issuance of relevant findings by the independent State Monitor-
ship demonstrating noncompliance with any operative consent decrees,
consent judgments, settlements, or agreements by Northrop Grumman or the
federal government, the Office of the Attorney General shall be tasked
with pursuing affirmative litigation remedies resulting in actual reme-
diation and appropriate damages.

The establishment of an independent State Monitorship for the Bethpage
Community Park toxic plume cleanup is crucial for ensuring that this
environmental challenge is addressed effectively and responsibly with
meaningful community oversight and corresponding consequences for
noncompliance.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New Bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None,

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.