Runkle Canyon Chromium
That subterranean fissure is called the Burro Flats Fault and leads through Area IV and Runkle Canyon. This suggests that contaminants from Rocketdyne may have a pathway through the geologic Chatsworth Formation underneath the lab into the canyon and beyond towards the Arroyo Simi its underlying aquifer which waters Simi Valley.
Truth nor Consequences
Unraveling the riddle of Runkle will partially rely on the accuracy of the documents supplied DTSC. EnviroReporter.com has discovered evidence that Boeing/NASA/DOE-supplied documents create questions as to what is accurate in the polluters’ data as it pertains to Runkle Canyon. That would suggest that additional sampling and testing in Runkle Canyon may be necessary to fully investigate the nature of the contamination and its source accurately.
On Dec. 13, 2007, Boeing supplied DTSC with a 199-page “Offsite Data Evaluation Report” that “summarizes and evaluates the results of offsite media sampling and testing data for chemical and radiological contamination collected by Boeing, NASA, and DOE within a 15-mile radius around the Santa Susana Field Laboratory over a nearly 60 year time period.”
“I certify under perjury of law that this document and all attachments were prepared under my direction or supervision in accordance with a system designed to assure that qualified personnel properly gather and evaluate the information submitted,” wrote Thomas D. Gallacher, Boeing’s director of the lab’s Environment, Health & Safety. “I am aware that there are significant penalties for submitting false information, including the possibility of fine and imprisonment for knowing violations.”
However, the report says on 1-18 (p. 37 in the PDF) that “Runkle Canyon and the SSFL do not share a common property boundary,” when maps in the document show that it clearly does. The document goes on to say “No environmental investigations have been performed by Boeing, NASA, or DOE on the Runkle Canyon property” when the map showing toxic trichloroethylene hits in Runkle groundwater is on page 184. The last page of this report combines the two notions by showing the groundwater sampling spot on Runkle Canyon and the common Rocketdyne border and saying, in conclusion, “Offsite sampling sufficient with no data gaps.”
Despite these discrepancies, there does exist information on chromium, including the cancerous hexavalent chromium valence, being used at the lab and polluting several buildings and areas according to June 1, 2008 report “Area IV Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL) Data Gap Analysis Report” prepared by CDM for the Department of Energy. [This a huge file that takes a while to download]
On pages 765-782 out of this 793-page report, chromium is listed under places where “Potential/Reported Chemical Use or Release” occurred at SSFL. These locations include:
“Hexavalent Chromium, Chemicals associated with 4003 Leach Field”
“Bag House Including Catch Basin”
“17th Street Drainage Area”
- “Former Industrial Dry Well”
The report shows that chromium contamination is a concern at Rocketdyne. Now chromium contamination has precipitated on the soil surface of Runkle Canyon which sits in an eleven-acre drainage off of SSFL’s Area IV.
Flora and fauna impacted by chromium
Though the results aren’t in on the nature of the Runkle Canyon’s chromium valences, trivalent Cr (III) and/or hexavalent Cr (VI), there is unsettling data that suggests that it could contain the deadly hexavalent variety of the heavy metal.
According to a March 2002 United Kingdom Environment Agency report called “Contaminants in Soil: Collation of Toxicological Data and Intake Values for Humans. Chromium,” there are environmental characteristics of the valences:
Chromium compounds show a wide range of water solubilities, but the general rule is that the trivalent chromium salts are insoluble and the hexavalent ones are soluble.
[snip]
Systemic toxicity has been observed in humans following dermal exposure to chromium compounds, indicating significant transfer across the skin. A number of animal and human studies of the dermal penetration of chromium have been reported.
The U.S. EPA created a report called “Ecological Soil Screening Levels for Chromium” in March 2005 to quantify at what levels of chromium should prompt further investigation. The 106-page “Eco-SSL” document was revised in April 2008. On page 2, the description of the two valences gives insight into the environments they exist in:
In general, chromium (VI) is favored by higher pH, aerobic conditions, low amounts of organic matter and the presence of manganese and iron oxides which oxidize chromium (III). Transformation of chromium (VI) to the trivalent form tends to occur in acidic, anoxic soils with high organic content. Chromium (III) is cationic and adsorbs onto clay particles, organic matter, metal oxyhydroxides, and other negatively charged particles in contrast to chromium (VI) which does not interact significantly with clay or organic matter. As a result, chromium (VI) is more water-soluble and mobile than chromium (III).
