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The Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL) is a 2,850
acre site located in Ventura County, California, approximately 2 miles south of
the City of Simi Valley. The site is divided into four areas which are under
different ownership. Boeing owns Areas I, III and IV. The National Aeronautics
and Space Administration (NASA) is the owner of Area II and owns 42 acres of
Area I. Since 1948, the principal activities in Areas I, II, and III of the
SSFL have been large rocket engine research, assembly, and testing by
Rocketdyne and NASA. From 1956 to 1988, the Energy Technology and Engineering
Center (ETEC), which is located in Area IV was used by Rocketdyne and the Department
of Energy (DOE) for nuclear energy research and development.
These site operations resulted in
soil and groundwater contamination. Primary chemical contaminants include
trichloroethylene (TCE), perchloroethylene (PCE), metals, and petroleum
hydrocarbons. Cleanup actions of chemical contamination is being conducted by
DOE, Boeing and NASA under the direction and oversight of the State of
California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC). DTSC is using the
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) as its regulatory authority. The
extent of chemical contamination has not been fully characterized, but it is
estimated that more than 500,000 gallons of TCE is beneath the Site.
Radionuclides associated with ETEC
nuclear operations include tritium, plutonium-238, plutonium-239, iodine-131,
strontium-90, cesium-137, cobalt-60, thorium-228, and uranium-235. Decommission
and demolition of ETEC buildings has been conducted by DOE pursuant to the
Atomic Energy Act. DOE is currently preparing an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
The 2008 Federal Appropriations Law
(HR2764) directed DOE to use a portion of DOE funding for the SSFL site to
enter into an interagency agreement (IAG) with the EPA to conduct a joint
comprehensive radioactive site characterization of Area IV of the SSFL in
accordance with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and
Liability Act (CERCLA). In July 2008, an IAG was signed whereby DOE gave EPA
$1.5 million to:
Conduct a background
radiological study
for the SSFL site and,
Develop a preliminary scope of
work (“SOW”),
including a schedule and cost estimate, for a comprehensive radiological study
of Area IV and adjacent buffer zone (hereafter referred to as the “Area IV
SOW”).
EPA is the lead agency for the
background radiological study and this study currently is scheduled to be
completed in late 2009. The EPA Area IV SOW was released in December 2008 (see
Documents and Reports section of this website to download and view this
document). EPA’s Area IV SOW can serve as an outline for a work plan for an
Area IV radiological study. To date, EPA has not been provided funding to
prepare the work plan or conduct the radiological study itself. The work plan
would include specific sampling locations, number of samples to be collected,
procedures to be followed during sample collection and analysis, equipment to
be used, laboratory detection limits, and a process for how data will be
evaluated.
It should
also be noted that in November 2007, EPA issued a CERCLA Preliminary
Assessment/Site Investigation (PA/SI). In December 2007, EPA sent a letter to
the State of California requesting its position on proposed listing of the site
on the National Priorities List (NPL). In January 2008, the State requested a
6-month deferral so that negotiations could continue with Boeing for cleanup of
the site. EPA concurred with the State’s request for a listing deferral. On
July 11, 2008, the State requested an additional 6-month deferral to continue
negotiations with Boeing.
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