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Reassessing Runkle - KB Homes and State
agree to cooperate on troubled Simi canyon
4/24/08 VC Reporter
The Promised Land - Gov. Schwarzenegger
terminates the uncertainty of Rocketdyne
cleanup with historic move that keeps
California in charge -- 1/24/08 VC Reporter
Down the Test Tubes - KB Homes’ Runkle
Canyon radiation tests questioned as more
groundwater pollution is found and
developer negotiates cleanup agreement
with state -- 1/17/08 VC Reporter
Cleaning Up Rocketdyne - Citizen-inspired
cleanup remediation starts at lab-adjacent
Sage Ranch -- 11/21/07 VC Reporter
Dirty Business - New law for cleaning up
Rocketdyne for parkland may not stop
adjacent KB Home development pushed by
Simi Valley -- 11/01/07 VC Reporter cover
agree to cooperate on troubled Simi canyon
4/24/08 VC Reporter
The Promised Land - Gov. Schwarzenegger
terminates the uncertainty of Rocketdyne
cleanup with historic move that keeps
California in charge -- 1/24/08 VC Reporter
Down the Test Tubes - KB Homes’ Runkle
Canyon radiation tests questioned as more
groundwater pollution is found and
developer negotiates cleanup agreement
with state -- 1/17/08 VC Reporter
Cleaning Up Rocketdyne - Citizen-inspired
cleanup remediation starts at lab-adjacent
Sage Ranch -- 11/21/07 VC Reporter
Dirty Business - New law for cleaning up
Rocketdyne for parkland may not stop
adjacent KB Home development pushed by
Simi Valley -- 11/01/07 VC Reporter cover
| Aerojet Chino Hills $23 million clean up is down and dirty - HOT PHOTOS! Real Best LA -Grand Tour! Dawn in Desert Wonderland This is really green! Our interview with Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams in the Pasadena Weekly and Los Angeles CityBeat! |
Schooled for Scandal
Reports of radioactive and chemical pollution
at the Brentwood VA go from bad to worse
Reports of radioactive and chemical pollution
at the Brentwood VA go from bad to worse
West Los Angeles
| Well, looky here! Deep research reveals that the VA nuke dump in Brentwood is far more polluted than previously known. Documents tell the tale! |
| KCET's multi-award-winning program takes a look at Brentwood's biomedical nuke dump! December 19, 2007 broadcast here! |
- Los Angeles Councilman Bill Rosendahl leads tough talks with
VA to secure $1 million for comprehensive Phase 2 tests of
West LA VA's forgotten biomedical nuclear dump
- Controversial and incomplete Phase 1 test results released
and show heightened radiation under two arroyos skirting
Barrington Dog Park and Brentwood School football field
- KCET's "Life & Times" covers nuke dump issue and VA says of
Phase II tests, "From our perspective, there's nothing to get out."
- Documents reveal astronomical levels of heavy metal
contamination at Brentwood School's 'shared' VA property
- Arsenic found at 32 times natural level while poisonous
thallium at readings government calls 'chronic' for disease
- Athletic fields built for school in area used for dumping from
three hospitals over decades until the early 1970s
- Government says that $1 million Phase II testing will finally put
issue to rest when boring commences in Spring 2008
- School insists property free of waste even as documents show
complicity in building football field over used syringes
- VA/Brentwood School contract appears to indemnify the
government from liability over Cold War pollution under fields
- Head of Brentwood School tells parents government withdrew
report of contamination -- documents say otherwise
- VA's historic nuclear area still active with research
- 1983 boring of nuke dump heart with over 80 samples taken
revealed nothing yet government insists on duplicating tests
- "Million Dollar Maybe" documents VA admission that dump
"complicated" the issue of possible VA land development, now
shelved as new legislation to protect property advances
Radiation Rangers - Frank Serafine, Patty
Coryell, Rev. John Southwick, Terry Matheney
Coryell, Rev. John Southwick, Terry Matheney
The Promised Land - Gov. Schwarzenegger
terminates the uncertainty of Rocketdyne cleanup
with historic move that keeps California in charge
– for now
terminates the uncertainty of Rocketdyne cleanup
with historic move that keeps California in charge
– for now
- Long bitter battle of Rocketdyne resolved January 15, 2008 with State
negotiating highest cleanup standards for intensely-polluted Boeing lab
- Boeing signs October 12, 2007 Letter of Intent with State which includes
LOI summary
- Rocketdyne watchdog Dan Hirsch and Norm Riley face off at October
meeting arguing over cleanup standards issues later resolved
- Assemblyman Greg Smyth floats 30,000-acre park in early December
survey of constituents living close to Rocketdyne
- Environmentalists push Superfund listing in December 19, 2007 letter to
Gov. Schwarzenegger before changing goals and tactics
- Negotiations culminate with environmentalists signing onto deal with
California EPA Secretary Linda Adams in January 9, 2008 meeting
- Adams informs U.S. EPA that State will decline Superfund listing for now
- Cal-EPA's Department of Toxic Substances Control lead on site
characterization and cleanup codified with U.S. EPA heading radiation work
- State Sen. Sheila Kuehl relieved of obligation to roll back provisions of her
bill to clean up Santa Susana Field Lab to highest Superfund standards
- State Assemblymember Julia Brownley hails "amazing day"
- Radiation Rangers call breakthrough "Good News and Bad News" noting
that cancerous TCE is discovered in adjacent Runkle Canyon
Area IV of Rocketdyne lab had two meltdowns
Ventura County
| EnviroReporter.com on |
| Over 30,000 rocket engine tests took place at the Santa Susana Field Lab |
Simi residents post sign at Runkle Canyon
E
rth Day Simi Style!
January 17, 2008
April 24, 2008
Reassessing Runkle - KB Homes and
state agree to cooperate on troubled Simi canyon
state agree to cooperate on troubled Simi canyon
- Historic Earth Day agreement enacted between Runkle Canyon
developer KB Homes and Department of Toxic Substances Control
- KB Homes agrees to supply DTSC with at least 41 extensive reports
and documents for their inspection and pay for the $114,884 that this
initial work will cost
- "Full cooperation" is KB Homes' pledge regarding DTSC oversight
- DTSC’s Norm Riley will head Runkle Canyon investigation which could
lead to long-term remediation activities that KB Homes would fund
- Riley already heads DTSC oversight of cleanup of adjacent Rocketdyne
- “The negotiations with Runkle Canyon LLC were frank, cordial and
productive,” Riley says. “I do believe they are serious about addressing
the concern about contamination in the project area”
- Radiation Rangers ecstatic about agreement. "We had to fight for two
years to get to this point and couldn’t have done it without the VC
Reporter and [EnviroReporter.com]," says "The Good Reverend" John
Southwick. "Our hats are off to the DTSC and, of all people, the new
folks in charge at KB Homes.”
- “This is outstanding news,” Radiation Ranger "Perchlorate Patty"
Coryell says, “I have a high degree of faith in the integrity of DTSC under
Norm Riley’s leadership and feel that their review will be impartial and
unbiased”
- Riley had "strongly encouraged" KB Homes to invite oversight back in
November 2008
- Boeing may end up paying KB Homes' tab for cleanup investigation and
possible remedial actions including long-term operations and
maintenance
- Will Runkle Canyon eventually become parkland or open space, like
Ahmanson Ranch, as real estate market continues to tank?
- Extensive Runkle Canyon documents tell the tale of this troubled land
Simi Valley
December 19, 2007
Rocketdyne NASA Saturn rocket test stand