Soil Smarts: DTSC’s Interactive Learning Series on the Soil Cleanup at SSFL

SANTA SUSANAFIELD LABORATORY
 October 2024
 COMMUNITYUPDATE
 Department of Toxic Substances Control– Our mission is to protect the people, communities, and environment of California from
 harmful chemicals by cleaning up contaminated sites, enforcing hazardous waste laws, and compe ling the development of safer products.
 NOTICE OF PUBLIC WORKSHOPS
 Soil Smarts: DTSC’s Interactive Learning Series on the Soil Cleanup at SSFL
 PUBLIC WORKSHOPS: November 20, 2024 and December 10, 2024
 The Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) invites the public to attend a workshop series
 about the next steps to continue the cleanup at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL). Following
 this spring’s Groundwater U workshops, this series will focus on implementation of the soil cleanup.
 SSFLis a 2,850-acre site in Simi Valley where rocket
 engine testing and nuclear research activities
 contaminated soil and groundwater. The primary chemical
 contaminants include a variety of solvents (primarily
 trichloroethylene), metals, and petroleum hydrocarbons.
 Radionuclides from nuclear research activities have also
 impacted the area. The Boeing Company (Boeing), the
 U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and the National
 Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are the
 three Responsible Parties for the cleanup, each
 responsible for the areas identified on the map in Figure 1.
 DTSC is the lead regulatory agency overseeing cleanup at
 SSFL, with support from multiple state, federal, and local
 government agencies.
 Soil Cleanup
 Figure 1: Responsible party administrative areas at SSFL
 Soils at SSFL will be cleaned up to one of two standards depending on the impacted area– both
 standards will lead to a final cleanup that is amongst the most health protective ever required by
 DTSC.
 First, Boeing is responsible for cleaning up chemical contamination in soil in its designated areas
 based upon a risk-based standard that considers all potential future uses, including making the land
 safe for people to live onsite and eat from a backyard garden. Boeing’s soil cleanup is on schedule as
 agreed upon in the 2022 Settlement Agreement between Boeing and DTSC. DTSC anticipates
 releasing Boeing’s draft soil cleanup plan for public review and comment in Summer 2025.
 Second, DOE and NASAare responsible for cleaning up in their areas of responsibility both
 radiological and chemical contamination in soil to “background” levels. Background refers to
 concentrations of substances in soil that are not influenced by facility operations. A background level
 was previously developed by analyzing and sampling soils in this area that were unaffected by
 operation at SSFL. In its review of the proposed methodologies for completing this soil cleanup to the
background levels of chemicals previously set, DTSC has identified potential challenges with the
 proposed process.
 Workshop Series
 DTSC is launching an educational series, “Soil Smarts,” on the next phase of implementing the soil
 cleanup at SSFL, focusing on the DOE and NASAbackground cleanup of chemical contaminants in
 soils. At the first workshop, DTSC will provide an update of the overall SSFL Cleanup, an overview of
 the background study previously done for the area, describe how the background cleanup levels for
 the DOE and NASAsoils cleanup were established, and discuss challenges associated with the
 process for this background cleanup. Future workshops will discuss laboratory capabilities and
 backfill availability to restore the site after soil removal.
 DTSC is committed to a soil cleanup to local background levels for the DOE and NASAareas of
 SSFL. These workshops will give the community a chance to learn about the next phase of the SSFL
 soil cleanup, ask questions, and share ideas. Community feedback will help DTSC with future
 cleanup decisions at SSFL.
 Workshops Details
 Please RSVP for the workshops: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RSVPSoilSmarts
 
 Soil Smarts Workshop #1 (Zoom online)
 Topics: SSFL Cleanup Update and DOE and NASABackground Soil Cleanup
 
 Date: Wednesday, November 20, 2024
 Time: 6:00 pm– 8:00 pm
 Location: Online via Zoom Registration Link: https://bit.ly/SoilSmartsWS1
 Soil Smarts Workshop #2 (In person)
 Topics: Open House to discuss the DOE and NASABackground Soil Cleanup
 
 Date: Tuesday, December 10, 2024
 Time: 6:00 pm– 8:00 pm
 Location: DTSC Office, 9211 Oakdale Avenue, Chatsworth
 Project Contacts and Information
 For public participation inquiries, please contact:
 Jamie Slaughter, Public Participation Manager, [email protected], (818) 938-8353
 For media related inquiries, please contact:
 Elizabeth Leslie-Gassaway, Information Officer Specialist, [email protected],
 (916) 282-8941
 For more information about the SSFL site, please refer to the following webpages.
 DTSC SSFL site information: https://dtsc.ca.gov/santa_susana_field_lab/
 DTSC EnviroStor Database: https://www.envirostor.dtsc.ca.gov/public/
 Subscribe to the SSFL E-List to receive site updates and information: https://dtsc.ca.gov/dtsc-e-lists/