THE FALLOUT
Dr. Cohen’s report focused primarily on chemicals of concern used at SSFL and their spread to the surrounding communities. His study determined that 1,491 tons of hydrazine were used at Rocketdyne from 1955 through 1990. Out of 1.1 million gallons of TCE used to hose down rocket engines after 30,000 rocket engine tests conducted at the outdoor lab, the report concluded that 313,000 gallons of TCE had sunk into the subsurface which has subsequently contaminated groundwater and spread offsite, as ValleyBeat has previously reported. One offsite well overlooking the San Fernando Valley, RD-38, had TCE concentrations over 134 times the government-mandated “maximum contaminant level” for the chemical when tested in August 1994.
TCE is “a nonflammable, colorless liquid with a somewhat sweet odor and a sweet, burning taste,” according to a document supplied by the public health association Physicians for Social Responsibility. In December 2002, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said in that document that “TCE is five-to-65 times more toxic than previously thought when inhaled.”
Drinking small amounts of TCE for long periods may harm immune system function, damage the liver and kidneys, and may impair fetal development in pregnant women. Inhaling large amounts of TCE may cause unconsciousness, impaired heart function, and death.
In early 2003, Physicians for Social Responsibility estimated for this reporter that one TCE vapor reading at SSFL was 195 million times over the government’s “preliminary remediation goal” for the deadly vaporized solvent. That’s not good news for two neighborhoods on the west end of the San Fernando Valley – Bell Canyon and the mansion-studded hills between Simi and San Fernando just south of the 118 freeway, which are branded in Cohen’s report as “identified hotspots.” Four other nearby neighborhoods are listed as “potential hotspots,” including West Hills, and Dayton and Woolsey canyons, which rise up into the Santa Susana Mountains on the west end of the valley.
Cohen’s report notes that “there is potential for offsite chronic exposures within 1-2 miles of SSFL which includes, but is not limited to TCE emissions from SSFL-activities via inhalation in West Hills, Bell Canyon, Dayton Canyon, and Simi Valley,” as well as “hydrazine (and oxidation product NDMA) via inhalation of emissions from SSFL in Bell Canyon and West Hills.”
The offsite exposure study concludes with this recommendation, which is a blow to Boeing’s long-term plans to develop and sell the property: “Onsite unrestricted SSFL land use is not recommended given the present target cleanup levels.”
