Nestled in the hills between Los Angeles and Ventura counties, located off of Woolsey Canyon Road, the Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL) remains a silent and controversial landmark. Known for its role in nuclear research and rocket engine testing, this sprawling facility has long been associated with environmental contamination.
For those living just five miles away, the proximity to such a site raises unsettling questions about safety, health and the long-term effects of radiation and toxic chemicals. What is it really like to call this place home? For the residents living in its shadow, their beautiful surroundings are contrasted by a persistent sense of uncertainty, as they grapple with the ongoing legacy of one of California’s most notorious environmental disasters.
The story begins in 1947, when North American Aviation, the largest aviation contractor at the time, bought 2,850 acres of land for the development and testing of rockets. In its prime, it conducted nuclear experiments and housed 10 nuclear reactors, several of which experienced accidents over the years. The most significant of these was the 1959 partial meltdown of the Sodium Reactor Experiment (SRE), which released radioactive gasses into the atmosphere. Despite the severity of the accident, it was not publicly disclosed until two decades later.
For many, the beauty of the surrounding hills is tainted by the invisible threat that lurks beneath the surface. A 2006 study by the UCLA School of Public Health found that workers and nearby residents faced a higher risk of cancer, particularly those who lived near the site during the 1950s and 60s. Families who moved into the area in the years following the nuclear accidents also report an alarming number of health problems.
Since the SSFL contamination has remained untouched since it’s abandoment in 2007, the chance for exposure in Southern California has grown. With that being said, the further away from the SSFL people live, the lower your chance of being exposed. A federally-funded study conducted by the University of Michigan revealed that people living within two miles of SSFL possess a 60% higher cancer risk compared to those who live five miles away from the site.
Many have long suspected that the radiation and chemicals released from the SSFL are responsible for these health problems, a suspicion confirmed by several scientific investigations. Draft RCRA Facility Investigation Data Summary found that 96 out of 100 people would get cancer if they lived on parts of Boeing’s property and ate the produce they grew at the SSFL. In addition, the California Breast Cancer Mapping Project determined East Ventura County/West San Fernando Valley had a 10-20% higher invasive breast cancer rate.
The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) is overseeing the decontamination of the site, but Boeing, the owner of the site, is responsible for a majority of the cleanup. However, any progress has been hindered by disputes between the government, Boeing and local stakeholders.
In 2010, NASA and the US Department of Energy signed Administrative Orders of Consent (AOC). However, Boeing did not sign the agreement and is instead bound by a 2007 State of California Consent Order. This gives the DTSC control over the cleanup levels.
Residents remain skeptical, as cleanup efforts, which should have been finished by 2017, have been repeatedly scaled back. Recent wildfires, including the 2018 Woolsey Fire, have added to the community’s anxiety. The fire, which started on SSFL property after an electrical equipment issue, potentially spread radioactive particles and hazardous materials to nearby areas, raising fears that contamination may have reached homes, schools, and parks.
In 2022, the DTSC and CalEPA secretly negotiated a “Settlement Agreement” with Boeing that permitted the company to leave the majority of its contaminated site untreated, in clear violation of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
The following year in 2023, the DTSC allowed Boeing, NASA, and the Department of Energy to change their cleanup agreements without the consent of the public. The result was the Programmatic Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) which will allow the Responsible Parties to leave the majority of the site contaminated in perpetuity.
What can you do to take action? Groups such as Parents Against Santa Susana Field Lab, Physicians for Social Responsibility and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility are currently suing DTSC over the Settlement Agreement. You can email your Ventura County Supervisor to urge a lawsuit against the DTSC to perform a complete cleanup. You can also sign the petition started by Parents against SSFL to enforce the cleanup.
The legacy of the Santa Susana Field Lab is one of negligence, secrecy and long-term consequences. As pressure mounts on Boeing and government agencies to act, the future of SSFL remains uncertain. In the meantime, residents are left to live with the anxiety that the contamination may be affecting their health as well as future generations.
