SIMI VALLEY, Calif. - Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIS) for cleanup of Area IV and the Northern Buffer Zone of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL) in Ventura County, Calif. The Draft EIS examines a range of approaches to clean up contamination at a portion of SSFL that includes the former Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC).
ETEC served as a premier research facility for the United States during the Cold War. Since then, more than 200 buildings on the site have been removed and only 18 remain.
“The release of the Draft EIS is an important step in our mission to clean up the former ETEC site at the SSFL in a way that protects human health and the environment," said John Jones, ETEC federal project director. “Public input on the cleanup alternatives is a critical next step to achieve this mission."
The Draft EIS presents alternatives for cleanup of the soil, groundwater and remaining structures. These alternatives are the culmination of years of study and analysis by environmental and technical experts. This report includes findings from a DOE soil study that reviewed more than 10,000 soil samples from Area IV and the Northern Buffer Zone.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also conducted a three-year radioactivity study, finding low levels of contamination at several locations in Area IV and the Northern Buffer Zone. Community engagement, through public meetings and specialized programs such as the Community Alternative Development Workshops, helped provide input into the range of alternatives presented in the Draft EIS.
“The analysis in the Draft EIS is at the heart of the federal environmental review process, enabling the public to better understand the complexity and potential trade-offs that will be involved in cleaning up the site," said Stephanie Jennings, ETEC deputy federal project director.
A copy of the Draft EIS can be downloaded(link is external) at http://www.SSFLAreaIVEIS.com(link is external). Public comments may be given via the website, phone (805-842-3864) or in person at public hearings scheduled Feb. 18 and Feb. 21 in communities near the site. The public comment period will last until March 14. DOE will consider all received comments in preparing a Final EIS. After that, DOE can issue a Record of Decision, which will indicate a path forward to clean up the site.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Environmental Management
