National Grid: Source of gas odor was leak from a main at the corner of Ocean Avenue and Eatons Neck Road

The cause of a strong, persistent odor of gas, first noticed weeks ago by concerned Northport residents, especially around the vicinity of Steers Pit in Northport Village, as well as in Eatons Neck and Crab Meadow, seems to have finally been discovered: a gas leak from a 3-inch steel main at the corner of Ocean Avenue and Eatons Neck Road, according to National Grid.

The leak was classified by National Grid as a Class 3 leak. According to an affiliated website, National Grid prioritizes gas leak repairs through a classification of three “grades"; a Grade 3 is deemed non-hazardous to life or property, and not usually prioritized for repair. (To compare, Grade 1 leaks are typically located in densely populated areas, and fixed immediately, while Grade 2 leaks are considered not to be of immediate risk to life or property, but may become hazardous, so they are prioritized for repair.)

According to National Grid’s New York State home website, “all gas leaks are made safe immediately, and are repaired or inspected periodically based on their severity.” The smell in Northport however, has been lingering for weeks, according to some resident reports, and more than a month according to others.

The Northport Journal first reached out to National Grid regarding the reported odor on October 19, but never heard back from a company representative. A recent email to the Huntington Town Public Information Officer seeking comment on the odor was not returned.

The odor has been described by some on social media as “shockingly strong” and “nauseating,” especially at Steers Fields in "the pit," where the Northport Youth Center Soccer League hosts games for children as young as four years old every Saturday and Sunday. Many people have complained of headaches after spending a few hours in the area.

One Eaton’s Neck resident said she reported bad fumes on three separate occasions in recent weeks. “The community deserves a resolution/explanation,” she wrote in a social media post this past Wednesday, November 3. “It’s a nuisance for us all to keep calling if that doesn’t result in anything. All I do is drive by and the smell fills my car. Buses full of kids drive along Eatons Neck Road every day. The smell isn’t every day but it’s many days. It’s dangerous.”

Last week, after personally receiving several complaints about the gas odor and seeing the reports on social media, Assemblyman Keith Brown became involved with the issue, reaching out to officials at the energy company, as well as local leaders. After numerous attempts to get an answer, he received the following information via email from National Grid just this afternoon, and shared it on his Facebook page:

“Our Gas Field Operations personnel from our Greenlawn Yard repaired a Class 3 leak today from a 3” steel main at the corner of Ocean Avenue and Eatons Neck Road," the email read. "We are hoping that we were able to address the source of these gas odor calls that have been reported by the local residents especially by the soccer fields.”

The energy company asked Mr. Brown to “please let residents know to call the Gas Emergency Number at 1-800-490-0045 if they smell gas.”