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Mid Hudson Times , Wednesday , November 8 , 2017
Stewart Air National Guard Base investigation nears end
By SHANTAL RILEY sriley @ tcnewspapers . com
The Air National Guard is preparing to finalize findings of its investigation into perfluorinated-chemical contamination at Stewart Air National Guard Base .
The study nears its end more than a year following news of the contamination of City of Newburgh drinking water by perfluorooctane sulfonate ( PFOS ), which the state traced back to use of PFOS-containing fire foam at the air base .
Nearby lakes and streams , as well as public and private wells in the towns of Newburgh and New Windsor were also contaminated . The U . S . Department of Defense and Air National Guard have yet to take responsibility for the any of the contamination .
Located at Stewart International Airport , the air base is home to the 105th Airlift Wing of the New York Air National Guard . The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation ( DEC ) declared the air base a state Superfund site in August last year .
According to an Air National Guard work plan , testing began at the base over the summer . Amec Foster Wheeler Environment and Infrastructure was contracted to carry out the testing . A final report is due in January .
The investigation included sampling of sediment , surface and ground water , and well monitoring . The purpose of the investigation is “ to develop a plan to determine the presence / absence of constituents of
concern in soil and / or groundwater at each of the ( potential release locations ),” the work plan states .
Potential release locations include several hangars where accidental releases of aqueous-film forming foam occurred , and Recreation Pond , where last year the state found PFOS at a level of 5,900 parts per trillion , 84 times the current federal advisory level .
The pond is located next to the air base on property owned by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey . According to Air National Guard , “ the ( air base ) drainage basins discharge through a network of in-ground conveyances and grass-lined ditches to Recreation Pond ,” and through several points on the eastern border of the base .
The pond has yet to be remediated by the federal government or the state and continues to release PFOS into the city ’ s drinking watershed - a continuing sore point for surrounding communities , providing fuel for legal actions .
In the spring , the Town of New Windsor filed a notice of claim against the DOD and the U . S . Air Force , the parent organization of the Air National Guard , in the PFOS contamination of town water . Last month , the Newburgh City Council approved the start of legal proceedings against the DOD and other “ responsible parties ” in the contamination of its water supply .
PFOS and perfluorooctanoate acid ( PFOA ) have been linked to certain cancers , high cholesterol , thyroid dysfunction , ulcerative colitis and fetal development
problems .
Perfluorinated chemicals have polluted water sources near Air National Guard bases throughout the country . The DOD has taken action at about a dozen , including the New Boston Air Force Station in New Hampshire and the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio .
Last month , the U . S . Government Accountability Office issued a set of recommendations urging military branches including the U . S . Army , Navy and Air Force to improve compliance with “ DoD ’ s reporting requirements for violations of health-based drinking water regulations .”
“ DOD has taken steps to limit individuals ’ exposure to some chemicals , including providing alternative drinking water supplies and installing water treatment systems ,” the OGA states . “ Still , DOD ’ s incomplete internal reporting limits its ability to monitor installation compliance with safe drinking-water regulations .”
As of September , the DEC had spent approximately $ 24 million on work related to the water crisis and the agency was contractually obligated to spend an additional $ 26 million . The state Department of Health has spent approximately $ 1 million on a regional PFOS blood-testing program .
Editor ’ s Note : Mid Hudson Times Publisher Carl Aiello is among the plaintiffs in a class-action suit filed on behalf of residents exposed to the chemical PFOS .
Deli clerks sweep robber clean out of store
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including K-9 units and detectives . “ The Town of Newburgh were amazing how quick they came onto the site ,”
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Minuta said . “ It was like a SWAT team ; they came in and took over the entire thing , and found the guy within minutes .”
Cinque Figueroa , 39 , of the Town of Newburgh , was charged with first-degree
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550 Rte . 299 , Suite 100A • Highland , NY 12528 attempted robbery , attempted larceny and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon . He was sent to Orange County Jail on $ 35,000 cash bail or $ 70,000 bond .
“ Thank God no one was hurt ,” said Minuta , who was busy campaigning for a seat on the Orange County Legislature that week . “ They were there very fast , within minutes ,” said Mahmood ’ s wife , praising town police . “ If it was not for that customer and Joe …” she said of Minuta and the customer whose name she did not recall who followed Figueroa in her car .
“ For as horrific an event as it was , it was just a community effort . It was an astounding thing ,” Minuta said . “ We got to keep our community safe ,”
The attempted robbery occurred about a week after a gunpoint robbery at the Medical Arts Pharmacy on North Plank Road . Campbell said the thief stole oxycodone and a small amount of cash . The robbery is still being investigated , he said .
Lauren Berg contributed to this story
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