Author Archive for EnviroReporter
Meltdown Dustup
The worst meltdown in U.S. history happened 30 miles northwest of Los Angeles from July 13-26, 1959. A reactor spewed hundreds of times more radiation than Three Mile Island did in 1979. The effects of this covered-up meltdown still reverberate throughout Southern California today.
Mountains of Goo
Simi Valley’s Radiation Rangers uncover more than just contamination in Runkle Canyon – they’ve discovered that Runkle’s would-be developer KB Home promise to remove two giant mountains of slag material that are leaking pools of toxic sludge.
Aerojet Cleans Up Its Explosive Act
Cal-EPA’s Department of Toxic Substances Control holds public meeting in Chino Hills to detail 10-year effort to clean up 800-acre former munitions site. DTSC Open House today in Chino Hills. Unexploded ordnance and toxic chemicals was scoured from soil at the 14-acre “Open Burn/Open Detonation Unit”. Questions remain about Aerojet groundwater and lack of data.
San Fernando Valley’s Galaxy of Goo
LA Department of City Planning rezones former aerospace and nuclear research site in west San Fernando Valley site to chagrin of residents. A February 26 vote codifies lower environmental standards for chemicals, radionuclides and heavy metals found at 81-acre property. Plan determines that no Environmental Impact Report is needed.
Simi, We Have a Problem
Historic meeting of the Department of Toxic Substances Control and citizens of the Simi and San Fernando valleys takes place January 28, 2009 in Simi Valley City Council Chambers. Committee to Bridge the Gap president, Dan Hirsch, rips Response Plan as “propoganda” and says 2004 Environmental Impact Report for Runkle Canyon, approved by City Council, was “fraudulent.”
State Keeps Rocketdyne Cleanup Control
In an historic move to maintain California’s control of the costly cleanup of the former Rocketdyne lab in the hills between the Simi and San Fernando valleys, Cal/EPA Secretary Linda Adams said late yesterday that the agency would oppose federal Superfund listing for the radiologically and chemically-polluted 2,850 acre site.
Ahmanson Ranch – 5 Year Anniversary
Today, Ahmanson Ranch celebrates its fifth birthday as open space covered by thousands of Valley Oaks and inhabitated by red-legged frogs and other rare and endangered animals. Ranch saved by revelations of toxins possibly coming from neighboring Rocketdyne lab degrading development property.
Simi Valley supports Supplemental EIR for Runkle Canyon
The Simi Valley City Council indicated “support” for a new Runkle Canyon Supplemental Environmental Impact Report after the Radiation Rangers’ presentation at milestone meeting. More environmental tests were also ordered by State EPA of developer KB Home. DTSC’s Norm Riley said that he would review 2007 heavy metals tests of Runkle creek by the City and by the Radiation Rangers.
Documents Confirm More Runkle Contamination
EnviroReporter.com completed its analysis of thousands of pages of KB Home reports submitted to Department of Toxic Substances Control as part of Voluntary Cleanup Agreement signed in April. Other critical documents were also analyzed, revealing that radiological and chemical contamination in Runkle Canyon may actually be worse than previously publicly known.
White Blight
Radiation Rangers, Rev. John Southwick and Frank Serafine, discovered a white substance covering a vast area of Runkle Canyon on March 26, 2008. The Department of Toxic Substances Control’s Norm Riley took a sample from the Rangers, had it tested at DTSC’s lab, and gave Serafine a “Rock with White Evaporate” report.
Reassessing Runkle
An historic agreement was enacted between Runkle Canyon developer KB Homes and Department of Toxic Substances Control on April 14, 2008. KB Homes pledged “full cooperation,” agreeing 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.
The Promised Land
Gov. Schwarzenegger terminates the uncertainty of Rocketdyne cleanup with historic move that keeps California in charge – for now. The long bitter battle of Rocketdyne was resolved on January 15, 2008 with State negotiating highest cleanup standards for intensely-polluted Boeing lab.
Down the Test Tubes
KB Home’s lab Dade Moeller & Associates has produced a 10-page report that shows strontium-90 radiation only a quarter of “background” for the area, and a fraction of previous sampling results. Simi Valley’s “split-samples,” to double-check KB Homes’ tests for accuracy, came in over a hundred times less than previous samplings.
Schooled for Scandal
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. The controversial and incomplete Phase I test results showed heightened radiation under two arroyos skirting Barrington Dog Park and Brentwood School football field.
Cleaning Up Rocketdyne
The Department of Toxics Substances Control has begun the massive cleanup of a Rocketdyne dump next to Sage Ranch State Park. A trio of environmentalists found a debris field in March 2007 that included blocks of asbestos and pipes lined with antimony. In June, DTSC’s Norm Riley accompanied the citizens to the dump and validated their concerns.
Dirty Business
The battle over the proposed 461-residence KB Home development in Runkle Canyon continues as Radiation Rangers and Simi Valley residents demanded a new Environmental Impact Report and a government meeting over pollution concerns at the Simi Valley City Council meeting October 22. It remains to be seen if a new law cleaning up Rocketdyne for parkland will affect the adjacent KB Home development.
