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Dangerous Pollution Detected from Santa Susana Lab

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Jeff Ruch (510) 213-7028 jruch@peer.org


 

Dangerous Pollution Detected from Santa Susana Lab

Boeing Suing to Block New Tighter Monitoring for PCBs and Other Toxics

 

Washington, DC New discharge readings show runoff from one of California’s most polluted sites carries disturbing levels of radionuclides and other toxins, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), according to a legal brief filed today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) and allied groups. These revelations stem from stronger monitoring standards recently added to the water pollution permit for Boeing Co., principal operator of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory – tougher standards that Boeing is seeking to quash in court.

Situated at the headwaters of the L.A. River, Santa Susana has suffered nuclear accidents and profound amounts of pollution from decades of rocket testing, including more than 300 toxic chemicals of concern. At the urging of PEER and allied environmental groups in late 2023, the L.A. Regional Water Quality Control Board adopted stricter effluent limits and monitoring methodology as conditions in renewing Boeing’s permit governing runoff leaving the site.

Sampling of discharge from outfalls for the last six months under these new terms detected discharges of PCB chemical constituents some 41 times – findings possible only through the new stricter methodology. Boeing’s permit (both new and old) prohibits any discharge of PCBs.

“These findings go a long way toward explaining the poisoning of the L.A. River,” remarked Pacific PEER Director Jeff Ruch, noting most of Santa Susana’s runoff flows into the L.A. River which has PCB levels more than 100 times the health limit at its mouth. “These new numbers suggest Santa Susana has been discharging unknown amounts of PCBs undetected for decades.”

The new discharge detection data from site outfalls also reveals –

  • Concentrations of radionuclides, including radium-226 & 228 and strontium-90;
  • Levels of aluminum, manganese, mercury, sulfate, and dioxins 3 to 30 times the permit’s effluent limits; and
  • Concentrations of toxic forever chemicals (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS).

Notably, none of these findings could have been made under the old permit. Nonetheless, Boeing is suing the Regional Board in L.A. Superior Court to invalidate the new detection terms. PEER, together with Parents Against Santa Susana Field Laboratory, Los Angeles Waterkeeper, Physicians for Social Responsibility (Los Angeles Chapter), Wishtoyo Chumash Foundation, and Heal the Bay have filed an amicus brief in that case, opposing Boeing’s suit and highlighting the latest detection discoveries.

“Boeing’s latest lawsuit underlines the corporation’s willingness to do anything it can to evade a complete cleanup of Santat Susana,” added Ruch, pointing out that PEER is also leading a separate suit to nullify a remediation deal the company negotiated in secret with California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC). “If anything, these new readings reinforce the need for stronger, not weaker, pollution controls at Santa Susana.”

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Read the amicus brief from PEER et al.

See PEER’s pitch for tougher PCB detection

Look at the problem of undetected PFAS

Revisit PEER et al suit vs DTSC

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