Approximately 20 people protested outside the Ventura County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, July 23, demanding they keep their promise and sue the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) to require the cleanup of the toxic Santa Susana Field Lab (SSFL).
The demonstrators were assembled by the group Parents Against Santa Susana Field Laboratory for the final day of a 10-day campaign to demand the cleanup of the lab in Simi Valley, which was the site of a partial nuclear meltdown in 1959.
Each of the demonstrators also gave a public comment during the meeting, demanding the supervisors follow through on their word to sue the DTSC if their Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for SSFL didn’t call for a “cleanup to background” – where background levels are used as a baseline in environmental cleanup projects. Advocates say the report, released in July 2023, is “sub-standard” and will leave behind 90% of the contamination.
“This was a deadline that this group, as well as the larger community of supporters for this campaign, gave the Board of Supervisors, both here in Ventura County and [Los Angeles] County, as well as the Simi Valley and LA City Council, to make a decision to sue the DTSC,” said Sofia de la Vega, who works at the advocacy communications firm, We Are Rally.
“Moving forward from here, we don’t know what’s going to happen yet, but even if the decision is not made today, the parents’ group does intend to continue applying pressure on the various governing bodies.”
The 2,800-acre facility, which was closed in 2006, was used for rocket engine tests and fuel storage. After the tests, the rocket engines were flushed with the chemical trichloroethylene (TCE), a carcinogen. The meltdown caused thousands of gallons of TCE to contaminate SSFL’s soil and groundwater.
Activists say the waste from SSFL has been contaminating the LA River. While they can’t make a direct connection, those living near the facility have observed higher rates of cancer within their communities than the national average, especially rare forms of cancer in children.
Although she does not live in Ventura County, de la Vega said she grew up in the west San Fernando Valley, about 10 miles away from SSFL. Even though her family has no history of breast cancer, her mother was diagnosed when de la Vega was young, and a couple of other family members developed skin cancer.
“Every day that we’re not fighting for a full cleanup is just another day where our community is being exposed to contaminants that affect their health, not just in terms of cancer, but in terms of autoimmune diseases and tumors,” de la Vega said. “I don’t think anyone in our community deserves to deal with that if there is a solution, however expensive it is to get it cleaned up, there is a solution here and there are responsible parties that need to take accountability for this.”
Parents Against SSFL has been working for years towards the cleanup and to reform the government agency, the Department of Toxic Substances Control. Watch the Emmy-nominated documentary, “In the Dark of the Valley” about their work for free on NBC.com and follow them on Facebook or IG.
Melissa is a strong advocate for the clean up @ SSFL. She is the leader of a pro-active group of community members (Parents Against Santa Susana Field Lab). Diligently, she and the PASSFL hold corporations to their word. Full clean up of the toxic substances that pollute our water and air. Kudos to people who take action… that help everyone.
This is a must!! More people need to speak out and also more need to know about this. Everyone should also contact both Boards of Supervisors in Ventura County and L A County.
Too many children, friends and family members have died because DTSC and the elected officials who are supposed to hold Boeing, NASA and Department of Energy accountable have not made them clean up their toxic and radioactive mess. We need public servants to serve we the people not politicians who take money from polluters.