Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Thursday in Farmingdale that the state has agreed to spend $150 million to clean up and contain the Bethpage-Grumman groundwater plume.

News 12 has reported that local officials have routinely called on Northrop Grumman and the Navy to contain the contaminated underground plume that sits below Bethpage. They said it's the result of toxic dumping that took place on the former Grumman site as military production ramped up during World War II.

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The governor said that 14 wells will be installed around the perimeter of the plume and in four areas of high concentration. He said that all 24 contaminants found in the plume can be treated and contained.

Earlier this year, elevated levels of radium were found in groundwater monitoring wells in Bethpage.

Adrienne Esposito, with the Citizens Campaign for the Environment, said they have been waiting for this announcement for a long time.

“Once the wells are installed…it will prevent [the plume] from getting into other drinking water wells, but the remediation will probably take 20 years,” said Esposito.

The Governor's Office said construction on the wells will begin next summer and take up to five years. The governor said the $150 million will be in the state budget and that the state will seek reimbursement from Northrup Grumman.

Northrup Grumman did not respond for a request for comment.