The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has released its record of decision for cleaning up contaminated soil on its portion of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory in Ventura County, Calif.
Like Boeing, and the Department of Energy, NASA is one of three parties responsible for cleanup of the sprawling research site in the Simi Valley. The three parties are also collaborating on air monitoring around Santa Susana.
A notice of the decision from the space agency was published in Friday’s Federal Register. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’ (NASA) controls two of the four administrative areas for the 2,850-area Santa Susana site. The property was used at various times since the 1950s until the early 2000s for research into rocket engines used in space exploration as well as nuclear reactor and metal technology for electric power generation.
Physicians for Social Responsibility-Los Angeles said in a press release that the remediation decision document does not live up to terms of a 2010 consent order with the California Department of Toxic Substances Control, which oversees the cleanup. The advocacy group claims the NASA plan will leave far too much contaminated soil in place at the site located 30 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
The Department of Energy controls area IV at Santa Susana which takes up more than 400 acres of the property and includes the Energy Technology and Engineering Center.
The Department of Energy has prepared an environmental impact statement for building demolition and the cleanup of soil and groundwater and remediation connected to its prior work at As of last month, DOE has torn down nine of 10 structures at the Radioactive Materials Handling Facility Complex at the property under and agreement announced earlier this year with the state. Contractor North Wind is taking down the buildings and hauling away the contaminated debris, a process scheduled for completion by year’s end.
Last week California released its quarterly update on the status of the environmental work and monitoring at the site.
