Santa Susana Field Lab Cleanup that will affect West Valley Communities

THE WOODLAND HILLS-WARNER CENTER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL AND THE CANOGA PARK NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL WILL PRESENT “SANTA SUSANA FIELD LAB-101” ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 20TH AT 6:00 PM IN THE CANOGA PARK HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM LOCATED AT 6850 TOPANGA CANYON BLVD., CANOGA PARK, CA, 91303.ADDITIONAL FREE PARKING IS AVAILABLE ACROSS VANOWEN ST. AT THE NORTH END OF THE WESTFIELD-TOPANGA PLAZA.THE PUBLIC IS URGED TO ATTEND This important forum will provide you with the necessary tools and information needed to further your understanding of this major community issue.

The discussion will center around the cleanup of the Santa Susana Field Lab site and its impact on the community. The cleanup could potentially affect the traffic, public health and quality of life in the nearby communities for a decade or more

The Forum will showcase a variety of speakers who are experts in their field. Included are representatives from the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), The Boeing Company, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Department of Energy (DOE), and the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (Water Board).

“The safe and sound cleanup of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory is of the highest priority”, said Woodland Hills-Warner Center Neighborhood Council Chair, Scott Silverstein. “The Neighborhood Councils have been diligently working to ensure that the stakeholders of the west San Fernando Valley are not subjected to extraordinary health or safety risks due to the cleanup of the site. We are closely following two distinct issues at the SSFL.

First, we need to insure that the level of the cleanup by the responsible parties is no more dangerous and damaging than what is reasonably required to make the site safe and, second, the very important issue pertaining to the proposed street routes used to exit the site by the trucks loaded with tons of toxic and radioactive waste. We will not accept hundreds of trucks a day, over many years, carrying this dangerous waste by our homes, schools, and businesses.”

Corinne Ho, Chair of the Canoga Park Neighborhood Council stated, “We are one of the communities affected by the future SSFL cleanup. We need to be educated about this issue so we can make informed decisions that will protect the public’s health.”OVERVIEW: The Santa Susana Field Lab is an area of approximately 2,800 square acres located in the mountainous region of northwestern West Valley.

The site was used from the late 1940’s through 2006 for testing and cleaning of rocket and space shuttle engines, nuclear power experimentation, and other high priority science and national security projects. A cleanup of the site was deemed warranted to satisfy public concern about toxic chemical and radioactive materials located in several “media” (soil, soil vapor, surface water, and bedrock around the property).

It was further determined that the contamination did enter the water table in the area. The cities possibly affected by the cleanup and removal of toxic materials by truck could affect many communities including Woodland Hills, Canoga Park, Woolsey and Box Canyons, West Hills, Bell Canyon, Chatsworth and Simi Valley.NASA, Boeing, and the Department of Energy are the responsible parties for the cleanup of the four areas and two buffer zones that comprise the SSFL.

The California Department of Toxic Substances Control is the lead agency in the clean up and the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board oversees the surface water that runs off the SSFL site.

Please attend the Woodland Hills-Warner Center Neighborhood Council monthly board meeting on the second Wednesday of each month. Go to the Council website www.whcouncil.org for more information. Please join our Twitter and Face book page to tell us your concerns. The Canoga Park Neighborhood Council Board meets monthly at the Canoga Park Community Center, 7248 Owensmouth Avenue, Canoga Park 91303. Visit their website calendar at www.CanogaParkNC.org for dates and times.

Press contact: Scott Silverstein, Chair, Woodland Hills-Warner Center Neighborhood Council Phone: 818-439-4376 Email: s.silverstein@whcouncil.orgCorinne Ho, President, Canoga Park Neighborhood CouncilPhone: 310.467.2562 Email: corinneho@canogaparknc.org