nuclear Superfund site

More than 50 years ago, a nuclear reactor located above Simi Valley, California at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory experienced a partial meltdown. For the next 20 years, the catastrophe which leaked over 300 times the acceptable amount of radiation into surrounding neighbourhoods remained hidden from the public. When the site was initially built, it was in a remote area, but nowadays thousands of people live within two miles of the lab. NBC4 spent one year investigating the story of the lab. Their work involved a review of over 15,000 pages of government, corporate and academic documents, as well as interviews with whistleblowers, community members, public officials and experts. The Santa Susana Field Laboratory went into operation in 1947 and became home to ten experimental nuclear reactors and the site of thousands of weapons, energy and rocket tests. Area IV of the Field Lab was dedicated to nuclear research and included a uranium fuel facility and a plutonium fuel fabrication facility. The lab ran smoothly for 12 years, but on July 1, 1959, high levels of radiation leaked from the Sodium Reactor Experiment. On July 13, a power surge occurred in one of the nuclear reactors and workers could not shut it down. One reactor worker, John Pace, came forward in 2009 on the 50th anniversary of the meltdown to share the true story, Simi Valley Acorn reported. Pace was at the lab on the day of the partial meltdown and admitted that the radiation in the building was so high that it went off the scale. There were only two options left: to let the reactor explode, which would have resembled the Chernobyl tragedy or simply open the reactor and allow the radiation to flow out into the atmosphere. The radiation was released “for weeks and went whichever direction the wind was blowing,” Pace recalled. The workers were “sworn to secrecy.” Six weeks after the accident, the Atomic Energy Commission reported to the public that a “fuel element failure” had occurred, but insisted that no radiation had leaked to surroundings neighbourhoods. According to an internal government memo from July 17, 1959, the area where the reactor was housed should have been shut down. The second whistleblower interviewed by NBC4, Dan Parks, a health physicist whose job was to monitor radiation at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory, said the spill was so bad that radioactive material was “lying on the pavement.” The reactor was finally shut down for investigation on July 26, 1959, but even though sodium, uranium and other materials were removed from the site and the reactor was replaced by November, the clean-up did not extend to the land surrounding the lab. In 1979, UCLA students exposed Atomic Energy Commission records that documented the accident and released them to the media. When NBC4 broke the news that a partial meltdown had occurred in 1959, concerned citizens pushed for a full-scale clean-up. According to a 1997 study, a number of Santa Susana Field Laboratory employees developed cancer following the nuclear accident. The U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has been offering compensation to people who worked at the lab before, during and after the meltdown and were diagnosed with cancer. However, it ignored the cancer cases which started to spread throughout the entire area –a 2007 study by the University of Michigan found that rates of cancer increased by 60 per cent in areas surrounding the lab. Even today, some analysts believe the radiation continues to be exponentially higher than government agencies are willing to admit, Southern California Public Radio reported in March 2012. -

NASA SSFL News

This page contains the latest NASA News Updates from the Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL). If you would like to be notified when new updates are added: 
Subscribe to the NASA SSFL Communications E-List.

SSFL FieldNOTE – August 2015

August 12, 2015
This FieldNOTE newsletter (PDF) provides updates on demolition work in NASA-administered areas at SSFL. It describes NASA’s progress with demolition of structures, roadways, and concrete surfaces in the Service Area as well as the decision to defer the demolition of test stands while a National Monument petition is considered.
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Progress Continues with Demolition of Structures, Roadways, and Concrete Surfaces in the Service Area

August 12, 2015
The photos below show progress made with demolition work on Buildings 2201, 2202, 2211 and 2203 in the Service Area.
Additional information and photos on demolition activities can be found on the ELV/Service Area Demolition page.
Buildings 2201, 2202, 2211
Buildings 2201, 2202, 2211 prior to demolition
April 6, 2015
Buildings 2201, 2202, 2211 after demolition
July 6, 2015
Building 2203
Building 2203 prior to demolition
May 6, 2015
Building 2203 after demolition
July 6, 2015
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NASA Remains Committed to Clean-up; Will Defer Demolition of Test Stands as National Monument Petition is Considered

July 2, 2015
In April, the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, one of the signatories of the April 2014 Programmatic Agreement regarding demolition and soil and groundwater cleanup at SSFL, submitted a letter to NASA requesting support for their proposal to designate the Santa Susana Field Laboratory property a National Monument under the Antiquities Act of 1906. While decisions about National Monument designation are outside of NASA’s authority, NASA recognizes the importance of the unique features such as Burro Flats Cave and sacred sites of the property at SSFL. In a response letter to the Chumash from Administrator Charles Bolden, NASA agreed to contact the appropriate Federal agencies and departments with expertise in the National Monument designation process to share the Chumash proposal.
Additionally, NASA agreed to defer demolition of historic test stands, including those within the Coca Test Area, for as long as possible without impacting overall cleanup responsibilities, in order to allow appropriate offices within the Executive Branch to consider the proposal. NASA will continue ongoing demolition work to remove aboveground and subsurface structures, utility poles, piping, water and storage tanks, concrete and roadways in the Service Area and Delta Test Area, where there are no test stand structures, followed by the Skyline Area and Storable Propellant Area (SPA). NASA remains committed to meeting its cleanup obligations at SSFL and to achieving a cleanup that is protective of public health and the environment.
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SSFL FieldNOTE – May 2015

May 01, 2015
This FieldNOTE newsletter describes NASA's progress on the demolition projects. In early February, NASA and demolition partners - the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and demolition contractor Bhate Environmental Associates – began demolition work in the northern part of Area II in the Service Area and the Delta Test Area.
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NASA Continues to Make Headway on Demolition Work

April 8, 2015
Pre-demolition activities, such as asbestos abatement inside buildings, are nearing completion and full demolition activities will begin in the coming weeks. As these activities progress over time, we anticipate an increase in the number of trucks traveling to and from the SSFL site to transport demolition debris, which will consist primarily of steel and concrete.
We recognize community concerns about truck traffic and we are making efforts to minimize impacts to the extent possible. NASA’s top priority for demolition is the health and safety of workers, the public, and the environment. Dust control measures will be taken during demolition activities and while materials are loaded into trucks for transport. These measures will be strictly enforced. Transported material will be securely covered and trucks will be required to undergo inspection prior to leaving SSFL property.
More information about demolition activities can be found in the FieldNOTES Newsletter that NASA published in November 2014. Regular updates on demolition will be posted on this website.
For questions or concerns please contact:
Lori Manes
NASA SSFL Community Outreach Coordinator
Phone: (818) 806-8834
Email: lori.manes@nasa.gov
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NASA Announces New SSFL Communications E-List

March 12, 2015
NASA has created a mailing list to which you can subscribe and receive E-mail updates about NASA cleanup activities and progress at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory. Updates will include notifications about project events, announce updates to the NASA SSFL website, including news and the posting of new documents. Subscribe now External site icon and stay connected!
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NASA Announces SSFL Oral History Project

March 18, 2015
In an effort to document the history of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL) and its important role in the national space flight program, NASA is compiling an SSFL oral history archive. NASA is looking for former NASA SSFL personnel to seek potential interviewees who will share their experiences working at the site. If you worked in NASA test areas and are interested in being interviewed for this project, please contact Lori Manes, NASA Community Outreach Coordinator, by phone at (818) 806-8834 or email lori.manes@nasa.gov for more information.
The audio/video archive will be posted to NASA’s history website External site icon as well as this website at the end of 2015.
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HAER Fly-though Animation of Test Stand Areas at SSFL

February 09, 2015
The Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) has been undertaking a project to record the extant structures of test areas at SSFL to document the most intense research and development era of rocket propulsion in our nation. Some of the major rocket engine programs that used these areas for testing include the Redstone, Atlas and Jupiter engines, the predecessor to the Saturn V’s F-1 engine, the E-1, components of the F-1 engine, the upper stage engines for the Saturn V, the J-2 and the testing and development of the Space Shuttle Main Engine. HAER produced fly-through animations of Coca and Bravo Test Areas, captured with high-definition lasers—are now available for viewing at the links below.

Fly-through Animations

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NASA Announces New Community Outreach Coordinator for SSFL

January 16, 2015
In November 2014, NASA welcomed Lori Manes as the SSFL community outreach coordinator. Lori joins the SSFL team after several years in community involvement work with NASA at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. You can contact Lori by email at lori.manes@nasa.gov or by phone at(818) 806-8834.
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NASA Releases 2014 Year in Review

January 9, 2015
The 2014 Year in Review summarizes the activities and progress made in the last year toward cleanup of NASA-administered areas of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL). NASA remains committed to keeping the community and interested stakeholders updated and we look forward to another active year of cleanup in 2015.

Cleanup Administered by NASA

NASA is actively engaged in ongoing cleanup activities at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL). We take full responsibility for cleanup of chemicals in Area II and the Area I parcel including those released prior to NASA’s acquisition of the land. Extensive site investigations indicate that chemicals from rocket testing and engine cleaning made their way into several "media" (soil, soil vapor, surface water, bedrock and groundwater). Some of the chemicals on NASA-adminstered property include solvents, petroleum products polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, and metals. NASA continues to make progress investigating and cleaning up Area II and its Area I parcel. NASA also is working cooperatively with the Boeing Company and the Department of Energy (DOE) as they conduct cleanup in Areas they own as part of the overall SSFL-wide cleanup program.

Regulatory Overview

The SSFL cleanup program is led by California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC).
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Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

Site cleanup activities at SSFL began under the authority of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) corrective action program, which is used at sites that hold a RCRA permit for on-site treatment, storage, or disposal of hazardous waste. The RCRA corrective action process involves the following steps:
  1. RCRA Facility Assessment (RFA) – An RFA is performed at a facility to evaluate the existence of any continuous or non-continuous releases of wastes
  2. RCRA Facility Investigation (RFI) – A thorough evaluation and assessment of the nature, rate, and extent of the hazardous waste releases and hazardous constituents at a facility where the RFA reveals potential concerns
    The previously submitted RFI reports for Groups 2, 3, 4, and 9 (which include the NASA sites at SSFL) can be found in the RFI - Soils section of the DTSC Document Library External site icon
  3. Corrective Measures Study (CMS) – A study that develops and evaluates methods for addressing hazardous waste releases identified in the RFI
  4. Corrective Measures Implementation (CMI) – A plan that includes engineering design, construction, operation, maintenance, and monitoring of the corrective measures found in the CMS

State CERCLA

California State Senate Bill SB 990 was codified as California Health and Safety Code Section 25359.20, effective January 1, 2008. As a result of this new direction from the State legislature, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) is transitioning their oversight of the SSFL cleanup from the State's RCRA Program to the California State CERCLA Program. A new Consent Order is being negotiated to finalize this transition. Cleanup at the SSFL will continue to be overseen by the DTSC and will meet strict federal and state cleanup standards. NASA is committed to cleaning up Area II and its Area I parcel to a level that is protective of public health and the environment and that meets regulatory processes and requirements.
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Frequently Asked Questions

History and Background

Investigation and Cleanup

Health

Demolition

Community Involvement

Other

History and Background

What is the history and background of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL)?

The 2,850-acre SSFL is located in California’s Simi Valley in Ventura County, roughly 30 miles northwest of Los Angeles. The facility opened in 1948 and is divided into four "Administrative Areas" and two areas of undeveloped land. Area II and a 41.7-acre portion of Area I are owned by the U.S. Government and administered by NASA. The rest of Area I and all of Areas III, IV and the undeveloped lands, are owned and operated by the Boeing Company. NASA prepared aninformation sheet that describes historical operations at SSFL as well as the groundwater, surface water, and soil investigation and cleanup activities underway as part of NASA’s commitment to clean up chemicals in the environment that remain from past operations.

How long has NASA administered property at SSFL?

Santa Susana Field Laboratory has played a significant role in our country’s space program. NASA first acquired 451.2 acres from the United States Air Force in 1973. The 42 acre portion in Area I , acquired by NASA in 1976, had contained a Liquid Oxygen (LOX) Plant, which operated from the early 1950s until the late 1960s, when LOX was used in testing liquid-fueled engines. (The LOX plant’s buildings and tanks were removed in the 1970s.) NASA used Area II to conduct research, development and testing of rocket engines associated with the Apollo and Space Shuttle Programs through the 1980s. All test stands at SSFL had been taken out of service by 2006. Some of the operations resulted in the release of chemicals into the environment. NASA has been conducting rigorous investigations and some remediation where possible. NASA is committed to clean up the land it continues to administer at SSFL. The NASA prepared information sheet, Space History at SSFL, describes NASA’s space program history at SSFL. To learn more about the major rocket programs associated with SSFL, go to the About SSFL section of this website.

Why is NASA no longer using SSFL for testing?

In recent years as NASA’s mission has evolved, there has been a transition in the kinds of launch systems needed, and testing for those systems is being undertaken at other NASA facilities. Following a lengthy period of consideration and review of its current and future needs, NASA concluded it had no further need for this property located at SSFL. In September 2009, NASA submitted to the General Services Administration (GSA) a "report of excess" regarding the property administered by NASA at SSFL. GSA has conditionally accepted that report pending NASA’s completion of cleanup.

Investigation and Cleanup

What is NASA’s responsibility for cleanup at SSFL?

To date, NASA has made significant progress with respect to investigations and cleanup at SSFL. In August 2007, NASA, Boeing and DOE, and the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) signed a Consent Order External site icon that addressed the cleanup of soils and groundwater at SSFL. Subsequently, on December 6, 2010, NASA and DTSC executed an Administrative Order on Consent External site icon for Remedial Action referred to as “2010 AOC” with specific requirements to complete the characterization and cleanup of soils on the NASA‐administered areas (Areas II and a portion of Area I ) of SSFL. The AOC requires NASA to clean up soils to Look up Table values by the end of 2017.

Is NASA committed to the 2010 AOC?

Yes. NASA signed an Administrative Order on Consent (AOC) with the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) on Dec 6, 2010. The AOC defines the process for characterization and the cleanup of soils at SSFL. NASA has met all of its AOC obligations to date and will continue to as required.

Is a 2017 deadline for soil cleanup realistic?

NASA has been working with DTSC to develop a schedule for soils clean up that meets that very aggressive deadline. A first step NASA must take is to conduct demolition of structures on the site to enable soils cleanup to proceed. Demolition work began in 2013 with the pre-demolition surveys. The actual demolition will occur in a phased approach beginning in the northern part of Area II and Delta Area, followed by central areas including Coca Test Area. The last phase of demolition is planned to include the Alfa/Bravo areas and may include the preservation of one or more Test Stand structures. In addition to completing demolition, NASA must wait for DTSC to complete its California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process before soils cleanup can start. CEQA requires state and local agencies to identify the significant environmental impacts of their actions and to avoid or mitigate those impacts, if feasible. NASA has provided its Final Environmental Impact Statement for DTSC’s use in completing CEQA. In the meantime, NASA will do everything it can to move forward with meeting the cleanup requirements and deadline.

Does the site have to be fully cleaned up before it is turned over to a new owner?

NASA is committed to completing a cleanup of SSFL that protects public health and the environment. NASA is also committed to meeting its cleanup obligations under the AOC. Once cleanup goals have been achieved, or if the Governor of California concurs that the property is suitable for transfer under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), the property can be turned over by the General Services Administration (GSA), the federal agency that has the responsibility to transfer the property to a new owner.

What has NASA accomplished at SSFL to date?

NASA has made significant progress on both investigation and cleanup of the areas it administers at SSFL. When chemicals resulting from historic practices such as trichloroethylene (TCE) were discovered in water supply wells in 1984, NASA made the commitment to clean up the NASA-administered property at SSFL to a level that protects human health and the environment. That commitment remains, as does the commitment to meet the cleanup obligations specified in the Consent Order and the AOC.
Early on, NASA conducted cleanup activities where we could do so to reduce the site contamination:
  • Removed the former LOX Plant in Area I and cleaned up debris from the plant
  • Removed the Propellant Launch Facility (PLF) near the Expendable Launch Vehicle Facility and cleaned up 3,000 cubic yards of mercury contamination in surface soil and sediment around it
  • Removed 2,000 pounds of VOCs since the 1980s
  • Cleaned and closed four facilities and a number of ponds and related drainage systems
  • Removed five Underground Storage Tanks (UST)
  • Removed asbestos containing materials (ACMs) near LOX plant
Site investigations were conducted to understand the nature and extent of contamination:
  • Installed groundwater monitoring wells in mid-1980s that have been regularly sampled since then
  • Collected and analyzed more than 5,000 rock samples and 11,000 groundwater samples
  • In conjunction with Boeing and DOE, established a Groundwater Advisory Panel of scientific experts to assist NASA in understanding site-wide conditions that influence the movement of chemicals in the environment
As more was learned about the site, NASA was able to perform interim cleanup activities:
  • Installed treatment systems in Area II to clean up 1.7 billion gallons of groundwater since 1984
  • Implemented an interim measure of a centralized groundwater extraction treatment system (GETS) that has operated since 2009
  • Completed an Interim Source Removal Action (ISRA) in 2013. Beginning in 2009 and implemented in three phases, the ISRA removed a total of 11,759 cubic yards of contaminated soil (through ex-situ or aboveground treatment) from identified source areas in NASA-administered Area II and its portion of Area I at SSFL
  • Received Closure Certification from DTSC for three Hazardous Waste Management Units in Area II
NASA remains committed to protecting the environment:
  • Conducted archaeological resources surveys, historical resources surveys, biological and natural habitat surveys, and implemented an Integrated Cultural Resources Management Plan.
  • NASA completed its Final Environmental Impact Statement in March 2014. This document contains survey results and summarizes results of various investigations conducted by NASA.
Additional investigation and cleanup information is briefly summarized in Year in Review fact sheets that NASA has published since 2009.

What is the status of your soil investigation?

NASA has made significant progress with soil investigations including sampling, laboratory analyses, treatability studies and pilot testing in preparation for conducting a comprehensive soil cleanup effort. NASA completed soil characterization – a process that was defined by the 2010 AOC in which NASA divided the site into five Field Sampling Plans (FSPs), and collected and analyzed soil and soil vapor chemical data from these areas. Field work performed early in 2013 closed the gaps that remained from the five previous soil sampling activities. The sixth and final FSP will become part of a Final Data Summary Report (expected in 2015) and with approval of the report, the soil investigation phase in the NASA-administered areas will be finished.
In addition, NASA has been conducting bench scale and field study work to evaluate soil remediation technologies on site-specific contaminants under environmental conditions present at SSFL. These evaluations include soil washing, thermal desorption and bioventing. More information is provided in the 2014 Year in Review and the DTSC website External site icon.
Earlier soil sampling data is summarized and evaluated in DTSC’s Draft RCRA Facility Investigation (RFI) Reports for the following Groups:

What is the status of your groundwater investigation?

NASA installed groundwater monitoring wells in the 1980s and has been regularly sampling since then. Site wide groundwater investigations by NASA, Boeing and DOE resulted in a Draft Site-wide Groundwater Remedial Investigation (RI) Report being submitted to DTSC in late 2009 (see index below) and, subsequently, work plans being submitted to address DTSC comments on the RI report.
Draft Site-wide Groundwater Remedial Investigation Report
As an interim measure, NASA began treating groundwater at a centralized Groundwater Extraction Treatment System (GETS), which has operated since 2009. More recently, NASA has been conducting field work that focuses on Areas of Impacted Groundwater (AIG). This field work is filling in the data gaps related to the sources of four groundwater plumes beneath land administered by NASA. Field work includes the installation of 21 wells and boreholes, an array of surveys, and mapping projects. The purpose of the investigation is to characterize the nature and extent of the source area groundwater contamination, understand the groundwater flow direction and rate, and understand the behavior of groundwater flow with respect to bedrock faults and fractures within the plume. Field work will continue through September and at that time the groundwater investigation phase will be completed. Most recently, NASA conducted a treatability study using bedrock vapor extraction (BVE) technology. The November 2014 edition of theSSFL FieldNOTE newsletter and the 2014 Year In Review information sheet describe AIGs and the treatability study.

What is NASA doing about stormwater runoff?

NASA completed two initiatives to enhance Boeing’s efforts to meet National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit limits at SSFL outfalls. Based on a recommendation by the SSFL Stormwater Expert Panel, NASA implemented a voluntary stormwater Best Management Practices (BMP) that included rehabilitating a drainage channel and installing sedimentation tanks – treating the water before returning it to the natural drainage that leads to the outfall from SSFL. NASA also completed an Interim Source Removal Action (ISRA) removing a total of 11,759 cubic yards of contaminated soil. Removing the surface soils reduced the potential for soil with chemicals of concern from being transported off site from Outfall 009.
NASA is conducting demolition and cleanup activities under requirements of the California Construction General Permit. NASA has completed a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) that outlines the protective measures NASA is taking to prevent stormwater runoff, minimize soil erosion, and contain dust emissions from activities conducted on NASA-administered property at SSFL. Some of the controls NASA will use include silt fences, sand bags, straw waddles, and tire washes to reduce sediment discharges. To suppress dust, the site will be wetted down with a fine mist spray. Hydroseeding after work is completed will also help reduce dust and soil erosion. NASA will continue to conduct sampling to ensure stormwater quality remains within permitted levels.

How does the AOC cleanup standard compare to other risk-based standards?

The 2010 AOC requires that the site be cleaned up to Look up Table (LUT) External site icon values, regardless of whether or not site contaminants are predicted to pose a risk to human health or the environment at the locations and levels found. LUT values are estimated levels of chemicals that were in the soil before the SSFL field/industrial activities took place. While both the risk based standard and AOC cleanup requirement would be protective of human health and the environment, the AOC requires a much more restrictive cleanup goal. In contrast, for most cleanups, human health and ecological risk assessments are conducted to evaluate whether and to what extent hazardous chemicals in the environment (air, water, soil) have the potential to harm individuals (human receptors) or ecological receptors. The overall objective of a risk assessment is to provide information as to the need for and extent of cleanup. This so-called risk-based approach is one used by EPA and states nationwide and one followed by NASA for other remediation sites. Extensive guidance exists on how to conduct a human health and ecological risk assessment for such purposes. Generally agencies evaluate the risk from chemicals of concern (COCs) as the hazard identification step, and then use published and accepted toxicological values as the dose response. Various exposure scenarios are developed to estimate how long and how much exposure people may have to the chemicals. By combining exposure information with dose response information, the potential risk can be estimated. The results of the site-specific risk assessment can then be used to identify areas and chemicals that need to be remediated to be protective of human health and the environment.
During the NASA ’s development of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), NASA received many public questions about the benefits of a soil cleanup as prescribed by the 2010 Administrative Order on Consent (2010 AOC). A white paper analyzing background versus risk-based cleanup scenarios was written in an effort to address those concerns and questions and to assess the difference in cleanup requirements based on the background cleanup scenario versus a risk-based cleanup scenario. The analysis is intended to compare the level of protectiveness of cleaning up soil to background, as required by the 2010 AOC, versus cleaning up only those chemicals that pose unacceptable risk to human or ecological receptors (risk-based cleanup).

If NASA cleans up to the AOC standards and Boeing cleans up to a risk-based standard that is less stringent, won’t Boeing's "clean" soil "re-contaminate" NASA's areas once it rains?

While Boeing’s risk-based cleanup generally does not meet AOC cleanup standards, both Boeing’s risk-based cleanup and NASA’s cleanup to the AOC would be protective of public health and the environment.

How much is this cleanup costing and who is paying?

While site characterization activities are still ongoing and the selection of cleanup remedies have not yet been determined, NASA is currently estimating costs for completing characterization and cleanup of soil and groundwater to be between $250 million and $300 million.

Why is the investigation and cleanup taking so long?

Site investigation and cleanup of SSFL is an iterative process that can take many years, and it involves many parties and extensive oversight as well as community involvement. NASA is coordinating investigation and cleanup activities with the other parties (Boeing and U.S. Department of Energy) responsible for cleanup at SSFL. Each and every step of the way has involved oversight by the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) and in some instances, other regulatory agencies. It requires the preparation and approval of work plans before any activity can proceed, review and comment by DTSC and, often, by the public on each investigation and field study before the next step can be taken. NASA has been conducting investigations and some cleanup activities where possible at SSFL since the mid-1980s when chemicals resulting from past operations were found in soil and groundwater. Since that time, NASA’s investigation efforts have included installing an extensive groundwater monitoring network, taking thousands of samples of soil, soil vapor, surface water and groundwater. NASA has also conducted biological, habitat, and cultural resources surveys. These are but a few of the numerous activities that have helped NASA understand the nature and extent of contamination. In addition, NASA is conducting ongoing pilot testing, bench scale and field studies to evaluate technologies for possible use in cleanup activities. Completion of DTSC’s environmental review process and approval of NASA cleanup plans still must occur before final soil or groundwater cleanup can be implemented. NASA continues to cooperate with DTSC and take the steps necessary to meet the regulatory requirements outlined in the 2007 Consent Order and the 2010 AOC.

Health

Is there off-site contamination and what is the risk of health effects to nearby residents and visitors?

NASA recognizes public concern regarding health issues. The Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), the agency overseeing cleanup at SSFL, conducted extensive reviews of environmental data relating to SSFL including data collected by other government agencies such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency. These data include environmental measurements of air, soil, groundwater, surface water, and drinking water. In addition, DTSC has reviewed several health studies and data assessments performed on communities surrounding SSFL. DTSC has not found any evidence of off-site contamination from SSFL that has posed or would pose a risk to residents of neighborhoods near SSFL. DTSC has summarized the findings of their findings in the Summary of Cancer Study and Exposure Assessment Activities and Document Release Dates related to the Santa Susana Field Lab (Rocketdyne) Site External site icon
In April 2014, DTSC held a public meeting to discuss community concerns regarding potential off-site risks and contamination associated with SSFL. Staff from DTSC and the University of Southern California (USC) provided an overview of and Epidemiologist and Professor of Preventative Medicine and Pathology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, Dr. Thomas Mack, presented a Summary of Cancer Occurrence in Offsite Neighborhoods near SSFL External site icon.
The SSFL Community Advisory Group (CAG) has also conducted a review of health studies and summarized their findings in the Review of Studies of Health Effects Possibly Related to the Operation of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL) External site icon.

Demolition

What are your demolition plans and schedule?

NASA’s goal for demolition is to remove structures and foundations up to a depth of five feet in a manner that is safe to on-site workers and local community members. In addition to ensuring safe operation of heavy equipment, NASA is also paying close attention to fugitive dust and stormwater runoff. Demolition is occurring in a phased approach and began with the Service Area located in the northern part of Area II. Following completion of the Service Area, demolition will begin in the Delta Test Area, followed by demolition work in the Skyline Area and Storable Propellant Area (SPA).
As a result of the April 2014 Programmatic Agreement (PA) and a request from the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, one of the signatories of the PA, NASA has agreed to defer the demolition of historic test stands, including structures in the Coca Test Area, for as long as possible without impacting overall cleanup responsibilities, in order to allow appropriate offices within the Executive Branch to consider the proposal that the Santa Susana Field Laboratory property be designated as a national monument under the Antiquities Act of 1906.
NASA is continuing with ongoing demolition work and prioritizing activities in other parts of Area II where there are no test stands. NASA published a description of the steps involved demolition as well as progress in the November 2014 and May 2015 editions of the FieldNOTE newsletter. Updates are posted on the Demolition Updates page of this site.

How many trucks will be going on and off the site during demolition activities?

NASA recognizes public concerns about waste being transported off site and the volume of truck traffic. During demolition and cleanup, work crews will be operating under a detailed work plan that includes dust control and other safety measures, including requiring that all trucks be covered and undergo inspection before leaving the site. The work plan states that during high-volume traffic hours between 7-9 a.m. and 4-5 p.m., truck departures will be staggered at a minimum of 15-minute intervals. Outside of those times the interval between truck departures could be as low as 5 minutes if necessary. Over all, based on previous experience with ISRA and other activities, NASA expects to send off no more than 35 trucks per day during demolition.

How will NASA control dust during demolition and soil cleanup?

The demolition contractor is required to follow an approved Dust Control Plan for the project to protect soils from wind erosion and prevent dust from moving off site to the extent feasible. Some of the dust control measures to be used include enclosing material in barriers, applying water at a sufficient quantity and frequency to prevent wind-driven dust, and not performing loading during unfavorable weather conditions (such as high winds or storms). Regular air monitoring will be performed via air monitors stationed throughout the work site. Monitors will sound an alarm to notify workers if dust reaches a certain level in that area, and work will be discontinued until levels are reduced.

Do test stands need to be demolished to clean up soil?

NASA's overarching goal is to protect human health and safety as well as the cultural legacy of the site. NASA believes that the soil can be remediated to the requirements without demolishing the actual test stand structures; however, ultimately the state of California DTSC must approve all cleanup plans. NASA has conducted site surveys of the test stands located in the Alfa, Bravo, and Coca Test Areas and survey results indicate that the remaining soils around the test stands can be remediated without demolishing the structures themselves. During original construction of the test stands during the 1950s, the underlying bedrock was exposed to anchor the test stand foundations in a manner that could support the structural integrity required to test rocket engines. Because the bedrock around the test stands is exposed, no soil is present naturally. Any soil deposited around and under the flame buckets has been primarily blown in from surrounding areas. This soil could be removed by personnel accessing the areas under the test stands with shovels or vacuum hoses, as needed, to meet cleanup requirements.

What is NASA doing to save historic test stands?

The test stand structures played a significant role in our nation’s history and the space flight program, and NASA is working on a number of documentation and preservation activities. The National Parks Service (NPS) is developing photographic records and engineering drawings to be archived in the Library of Congress. NASA is also working with the NPS’s Heritage Documentation Program to produce videos that feature virtual “fly-throughs” of the SSFL Test Areas (see example below). In addition, NASA is gathering historical photographs and conducting interviews of former NASA SSFL personal as part of an archive of oral history at SSFL.

What are NASA's requirements under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA)?

Section 106 of the NHPA requires federal agencies (in this case, NASA) to consult with federal, state, and local agencies, Native American Tribes, other organizations, and members of the public having a potential interest in the Undertaking. According to Code of Federal Regulations Title 36 Part 800 (36 CFR 800), NASA must initiate the Section 106 process, identify historic properties, assess adverse effects on historic properties, and resolve identified adverse effects on historic properties.
The Cultural Resources Technical Report External site icon that was an appendix to the Final Environmental Impact Statement contains more detailed information on the Section 106 consultation process and the topics discussed at the Consulting Party meetings.

What is the status of NASA's Section 106 consultation?

NASA has completed the National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 consultation process. More than 35 individuals participated as consulting parties. NASA initiated the Section 106 process with California’s State Historic Preservation Officer and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, and met with the consulting parties beginning in 2011. The consulting parties represented local, state, and national organizations. They offered NASA a variety of perspectives - from natural resource conservationists, cultural heritage specialists, archaeologists, environmental bloggers, park services officials, and interested neighbors. Consulting parties also included representatives from federally-recognized, state and local tribes. Meetings were held at various points in NASA’s planning process to review data, tour the Alfa, Bravo, and Coca Test Areas, and share views and opinions. While their views often differed, many of the consulting parties expressed their desire to protect as many as possible of the cultural, historic, archaeological and Native American resources on NASA-administered land. One result of Section 106 consultation was that at least one test stand would be retained, as long as NASA’s cleanup goals could still be met. The Section 106 process was completed in 2014 culminating in a Programmatic Agreement (PA) that formalized the agreement among the signatories of the document. Based on that agreement, NASA is taking steps to protect the rich legacy of the SSFL site while also meeting its cleanup obligations.
For additional information on the stipulations and how NASA must carry them out, the PA is an attachment to the Record of Decision External site icon.

How is NASA protecting archaeological resources and the sacred site?

NASA has conducted a number of investigations and surveys of the archaeological and cultural resources at SSFL with the intention of managing and protecting them. NASA intends to avoid cleanup within archaeological sites wherever feasible by applying the Native American Artifacts exception within the Agreement in Principle (AIP). If any excavation is required within an archaeological site, NASA will conduct data recovery with professional archaeologists and Native American monitors.

How is NASA protecting the oak trees?

NASA recognizes that careful consideration must be taken when working near oak trees. NASA’s experience with an Interim Source Removal Action (ISRA) on NASA-administered property at SSFL was successful in removing soil while being protective of oak trees. The soil was removed with pick axes, shovels, or a vacuum truck in areas where sensitive resources occur. Some of these same precautions and care will be used during demolition and cleanup. See FieldNOTE - April 2011.

How is NASA protecting wildlife?

NASA has collected and compiled field data giving us a comprehensive account of the varied landscape and biological resources at SSFL. This data is used in planning and carrying out demolition activities. For example, workers are trained to identify federal- and state-listed species, and before any construction activities begin, NASA will conduct protocol-level surveys in all suitable habitats for Braunton’s milk-vetch, California red-legged frog, Least Bell’s vireo, Riverside fairy shrimp, and vernal pool fairy shrimp. If a listed species is observed during operations, activity will halt and a qualified wildlife biologist will be called to the site. If the species is validated as a listed species, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) or California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will be consulted and additional mitigation measures will be developed.

Why doesn’t NASA use on-site soil treatment options to reduce truck traffic?

Based on soil characterization efforts, NASA determined that there are chemicals of concern that can be treated and some that cannot. Unfortunately, most surface soils (the top 2 feet of the site) are not treatable (estimated volume approximately 320,000 cubic yards with a land surface area of approximately 105 acres) and will require excavation and offsite disposal. The AOC requires NASA to conduct a treatability study and pilot testing to determine whether remedial technologies could be used on some of the potentially treatable soil. If so, that technology would be considered for use if it were able to meet the AOC cleanup requirements. Using on-site remediation technology could reduce the volume of excavated soil for off-site disposal and decrease the truck traffic. Additional information about NASA soil treatment studies can be found at:

What happens to the hazardous chemicals and waste once it’s cleaned up?

NASA recognizes the concern that local residents have with regard to the safe handling and disposal of hazardous waste.
For demolition waste, the Record of Decision for demolition outlines the Best Management Practices (BMPs) and mitigation measures NASA will take to protect the public during demolition. Table 6.1-1 provides an overview including the development of a Hazardous Materials Business Plan as required by California Health and Safety Code. In addition, a Construction Transportation and Control Plan that includes traffic control, truck safety, and hazardous materials transport safety measures, will be developed and strictly enforced.
For soil cleanup, NASA has identified several possible landfills for offsite disposal of excavated soil. These are outlined in Table 2.2-5 of NASA’s Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

Community Involvement

Can I have a tour of SSFL?

Boeing, DOE and NASA personnel have occasionally hosted community bus tours of the SSFL site. For example, DTSC hosted the public at technical roundtables associated with the soil Field Sampling Plans that were followed by tours of the specific sampling areas. In November 2014, NASA gave 50 interested community members the opportunity to tour and photograph areas before demolition began. Tours of NASA areas will be very limited during demolition and cleanup for the protection and safety of the public and for workers. Boeing hosts tours of their portions of the SSFL property on an ongoing basis. For more information, please see Boeing SSFL Site Tours External site icon

How does NASA keep the community informed about investigation and cleanup activity at SSFL?

NASA prioritizes communicating with the community about the ongoing environmental investigations and cleanup at SSFL. Some audiences are relying increasingly on the use of technology and social media for communicating and receiving information. NASA is adapting to the use of new communication tools and also using traditional forms as well. NASA uses a variety of methods to communicate and engage with the public:
  • Interacting with stakeholders in person and by phone and email
  • Publishing fact sheets for an in-depth explanation of topics of interest, an example:SSFL Past and Present
  • Publishing an online newsletter, FieldNOTE; an example: FieldNOTE - November 2014
  • Hosting small meetings, and making presentations
  • Updating SSFL Cleanup website (this site), http://ssfl.msfc.nasa.gov
  • Issuing news releases and Public Notices
  • Hosting Community Information Sessions, an example: Community Information Session Invitation, May 2010
  • Participating in public meetings and comment periods
  • Hosting occasional topic-specific site tours
  • Providing materials to the information repository maintained by DTSC, and participating in DTSC meetings and open house gatherings.
  • Initiating a Communications E-list to which people can subscribe and get real-time updates about NASA cleanup activities.

Other

What is going to happen to the site after cleanup?

NASA is committed to completing the long-term cleanup of the federally owned SSFL property and is legally required to complete the cleanup regardless of whether NASA continues to use the property to support NASA’s mission. NASA’s action of reporting the property as excess is not a property transfer but rather represents the point of engagement of GSA’s responsibilities, as required by applicable law, to effect the disposition of the property. Title to the NASA property at SSFL is held by the United States. NASA retains custody and control after the report of excess is delivered to the GSA and until such time as the property is transferred either to another Federal entity or outside the U.S. Government. The final use of the NASA portion is not known at this time. A flow chart of the GSA process can be found at Disposal process flow chart External site icon.

Whom may I contact for more information?

Lori Manes
Community Outreach Coordinator
NASA Santa Susana Field Laboratory | ssfl.msfc.nasa.gov
5800 Woolsey Canyon Road | Canoga Park, CA 91304-1148
Tel: (818) 806-8834 | lori.manes@nasa.gov 


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