documentclass[12pt]{memoir}
usepackage{lipsum}
usepackage{amssymb}
usepackage{pgfplots}
usepackage{geometry}
usetikzlibrary{shapes,arrows,arrows.meta}
pagestyle{companion}
setlengthprechapterprecisshift{20pt}

definecolor{ared}{rgb}{.647,.129,.149}
renewcommandcolorchapnum{color{ared}}
renewcommandcolorchaptitle{color{ared}}
chapterstyle{pedersen}

begin{document}
tableofcontents
chapter{This is a test.}
chapterprecis{
This is a test to show that the chapterprecis shows in the contents table and I would like to know how to get rid of this.}
section{section 1}
lipsum[1-2]
section{section 2}
lipsum[1-2]
end{document}