Mastic Fire Department substation added to state Superfund list after chemicals found
The Mastic Fire Department substation on Sunrise Highway in Shirley Credit: Google
Mastic Fire Department's substation in Shirley has been added to the state Superfund registry, the Department of Environmental Conservation announced Wednesday.
The station, on Sunrise Highway near Brookhaven Calabro Airport, was added to the list Nov. 15 as a "Class 02 site that represents a significant threat to public health and/or the environment," according to the DEC's public notice. Testing of soil and groundwater at several locations at the station in 2019, 2020, and 2022 found perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, or PFOS, at levels above the state's guidance levels.
One surface soil sample contained PFOS at 7.34 parts per billion. The state's "guidance levels for unrestricted use, protection of groundwater and commercial use are 0.88 ppb, 1.0 and 440, respectively," according to the DEC's site remediation database.
Groundwater testing found PFOS and PFOA at "up to 3,380 and 26.5 parts per trillion (ppt)," significantly higher than the "ambient groundwater guidance values," which are 2.7 ppt and 6.7 ppt, respectively. These readings also exceed the state's 10 ppt maximum contaminant level for PFAS in drinking water.
Testing at private wells nearby found PFOA above the level, and four properties have been offered alternative water sources. Public water supplies nearby have not tested above the level for PFOA or PFOS, the database said.
The DEC said it cannot confirm that PFOA and PFAS detected in nearby public and private wells originated from the substation; "however, it cannot be ruled out," the public notice said.
The agency said it is negotiating a legal agreement with the fire district that would require it to conduct an investigation to determine the extent of contamination and how to clean it up. If the district can't investigate, the DEC will use state Superfund resources to do so, the agency said.
Fire district and town officials could not be reached for comment.
PFOS and PFOA belong to the PFAS class of chemicals, which have been linked to a variety of health problems, including low birth weight, development delays and increased risk of certain cancers. They have been called "forever chemicals" because they persist in the environment for a very long time.
Fire-suppressing spray foam contains high concentrations of PFAS, and many sites where the foam has been used, including airports and firefighting training facilities, are contaminated. The MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma and Gabreski Airport in Westhampton Beach are both contaminated with PFAS from firefighting foam. MacArthur was declared a state Superfund site in February, and Gabreski was added in 2016.
