A Long Island water district’s attempt to hold aerospace and defense manufacturer Northrop Grumman accountable for legacy pollution affecting local water supplies failed before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, after a panel Friday upheld a lower court’s order for summary judgment because the claims were time-barred under New York State law.

Underground pollution caused by the company at a facility in Bethpage has long been an issue, going back to the 1980s. Despite remedial efforts put in place through agreements with the federal government, new pollution problems were discovered at the site beginning in 2007. The threatened water supplies needed significant new treatment, requiring the town of Oyster Bay to authorize the issuance of a $13.95 million bond in 2010.