forever chemicals

Environmental Roundtable Touched on Successes and Worries

Environmental Roundtable Touched on Successes and Worries

At a 2025 Environmental Roundtable hosted by State Senator Anthony Palumbo in Riverhead last Thursday, where elected officials from across the East End met with environmental interest groups, East Hampton Town Councilwoman Cate Rogers used her time to speak about one of the town’s biggest environmental issues, coastal resilience, and the fear that the some projects may no longer get the federal funding that small municipalities rely on. 

Lawmakers debate bill that could forever alter lawn care: 'This policy safeguards the health of … our children and grandchildren'

Lawmakers debate bill that could forever alter lawn care: 'This policy safeguards the health of … our children and grandchildren'

Maryland has introduced a bill requiring its Department of Agriculture to ban certain pesticides, including PFAS, or "forever chemicals," according to CBS News. This bill may cause some worry about the impact on lawn treatments, but are fewer chemicals in our environment necessarily a bad thing?

Navy Nudged: Local Officials Urge Feds to Clean Up Calverton Contamination

Navy Nudged: Local Officials Urge Feds to Clean Up Calverton Contamination

Local officials, advocates and residents are renewing calls for the U.S. Navy to clean up toxins used at the former Calverton-based Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant that are polluting local waters.

Suffolk, advocates urge Superfund status for former Grumman plant in Calverton

Suffolk, advocates urge Superfund status for former Grumman plant in Calverton

New maps released by the U.S. Navy show forever chemicals are heading straight for the Peconic River from the former Grumman plant in Calverton, prompting calls from county officials to declare the property a Superfund site to accelerate cleanup efforts.

Proposed bill could ban certain pesticides with PFAS chemicals in Maryland

Proposed bill could ban certain pesticides with PFAS chemicals in Maryland

A proposed bill in Maryland could require the Department of Agriculture to ban certain pesticides and PFAS, or forever chemicals, from being used in the state. 

Under House Bill 386, the Department of Agriculture would have to develop a list of certain pesticides that have forever chemicals as active ingredients. Those listed chemicals would not be allowed to be used or sold in the state. 

Legislative Leaders Announce Bills to Protect New Yorkers from Exposure to Dangerous PFAS

Legislative Leaders Announce Bills to Protect New Yorkers from Exposure to Dangerous PFAS

PFAS-Free NY campaign launches 2025 legislative action agenda, website.

ALBANY, NY —  Legislators today announced the bills they are sponsoring to protect New Yorkers from exposure to PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) through everyday household items such as textiles, dental floss, cleaning products, cookware, children’s products, cosmetics, and menstrual products. The bills also aim to address PFAS in the water and air. Additionally, the PFAS-Free NY campaign announc

Trump's halting of EPA limits on PFAS in drinking water "a tragic setback," Long Island environmentalist says

Trump's halting of EPA limits on PFAS in drinking water "a tragic setback," Long Island environmentalist says

LONG ISLAND, N.Y. -- President Donald Trump has withdrawn a Biden administration plan to set new limits on chemical discharge into drinking water

State regulators around the U.S. had been waiting for the Environmental Protection Agency to take the lead on PFAS requirements so they could incorporate effective monitoring and treatment into their discharge permits.

Navy agrees to more testing of private drinking wells near Grumman Calverton, sets open house

Navy agrees to more testing of private drinking wells near Grumman Calverton, sets open house

Facing renewed calls for clean water, the U.S. Navy has agreed to a new round of testing private drinking wells in the shadow of a former Grumman plant in Calverton.

The Navy is seeking permission from property owners in its sampling area to test drinking wells for poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, a class of manmade “forever chemicals” that have been linked to cancers, developmental disorders and other health impacts.

Navy will test private drinking water wells near the former Grumman plant in Calverton for PFAS

Navy will test private drinking water wells near the former Grumman plant in Calverton for PFAS

The U.S. Navy has agreed to test private drinking water wells near the former Grumman facility in Calverton for PFAS.

Navy representatives will be on hand at an open house in Riverhead on Wednesday evening, Jan. 22 to discuss the sampling and schedule appointments with property owners. 

Lee Zeldin didn’t ask to head EPA. Here’s why Trump picked him.

Lee Zeldin didn’t ask to head EPA. Here’s why Trump picked him.

When he served as a Republican congressman from New York, Lee Zeldin delighted environmentalists by championing efforts to protect critical wildlife habitat from potential development efforts, including a golf course proposed by Donald Trump

About Trump's Nomination of Lee Zeldin to Head EPA

About Trump's Nomination of Lee Zeldin to Head EPA

  “Unqualified,” declared Ben Jealous, executive director of the Sierra Club, about Lee Zeldin being nominated by President-elect Trump to head the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

EPA nominee Lee Zeldin has backed environmental causes, but not all are convinced

EPA nominee Lee Zeldin has backed environmental causes, but not all are convinced

WASHINGTON — Six years ago, more than 300 Long Islanders showed up on short notice during a nor’easter for a Friday afternoon hearing in Brookhaven to tell Trump administration officials they opposed plans to allow drilling for oil in the Atlantic Ocean.

Military adopts ‘action level’ policy for PFAS cleanup that’s 3 times federal EPA standard

Military adopts ‘action level’ policy for PFAS cleanup that’s 3 times federal EPA standard

The Defense Department's new policy allows the Navy to further delay action to remedy drinking water contamination by plume migrating off Calverton site.

It’s easy to comply with the rules if you’re the one writing them.

Long Island water quality continues to improve. Here's what a new report says.

Long Island water quality continues to improve. Here's what a new report says.

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. -- A new report released on Thursday says drinking water is slowly getting safer on Long Island.

The findings credit stringent state and federal guidelines and mandatory chemical filtering from water suppliers. As CBS News New York's Jennifer McLogan reports, although multiple water districts exceed limits, there is overall growing improvement.

Long Island water quality improves as toxic chemical levels decline: report

Long Island water quality improves as toxic chemical levels decline: report

Long Island water shows decline in toxic chemicals

Despite concerns about Long Island’s drinking water, a Citizens Campaign for the Environment report shows levels of two toxic chemicals have decreased since the nonprofit's 2016 analysis. FOX 5 NY's Jodi Goldberg breaks down the findings and if residents should be concerned.

Riverhead officials told Manorville residents they’d never have public water. It took a decade, but yesterday, residents proved them wrong.

Riverhead officials told Manorville residents they’d never have public water. It took a decade, but yesterday, residents proved them wrong.

It was a sight to behold. And one that was a long time coming.

Suffolk County Water Authority contractors who are installing mains that will carry clean drinking water to homes in a remote section of Manorville crossed into Riverhead Town from Brookhaven yesterday.

Four residents who were instrumental in the years-long fight for access to public water gathered midday on Wading River Manor Road and River Road to witness what was for them a momentous occasion.

Manorville Water Project Hits Next Phase

Manorville Water Project Hits Next Phase

The last batch of homes with private wells believed to be polluted by subterranean toxins are expected to soon be connected to the Suffolk County Water Authority system, officials said.

Suffolk County Water Authority breaks ground on water main extension

Suffolk County Water Authority breaks ground on water main extension

The Suffolk County Water Authority began work Monday on a major water main extension to bring public water to 64 homes in the Riverhead Town sections of Manorville and Calverton, taking them off private wells that have been shown to be contaminated by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. 

Water quality advocates pushing Navy to test for chemical drums at former Grumman site

Water quality advocates pushing Navy to test for chemical drums at former Grumman site

Water quality advocates in Calverton, prompted by recent discoveries of chemical drums at Bethpage Community Park, are calling on the U.S. Navy to investigate whether similar barrels also are buried in the hamlet, where Northrop Grumman once operated an aerospace facility.