offsite contamination

Because the SSFL is on a plateau above local communities, it’s not surprising to learn that contamination has gone offsite through the rain, wind, groundwater, and wildfire events.

contamination in communities nearby

The 200-acre Orcutt Ranch Horticultural Center is comprised of a beautiful 1920s historical building, manicured gardens, historic oak trees, and acres of orange groves in West Hills, not far from the Santa Susana Field Lab. It was owned by William Orcutt, oil petroleum geologist who is considered a pioneer in the development of oil production in California, and his wife Mary. In 1966, the Los Angeles City Department of Recreation and Parks purchased the estate and gardens. It has since been designated Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Monument “Number 31.”

Dayton Creek runs through the Orcutt Ranch property. Dayton Creek has been dangerously contaminated with incredibly high levels of perchlorate, in addition to dangerous radionuclides such as Cesium-137 and Strontium-90. Because of intentionally poor detection methods used by Centext Homes, it is believed that Plutonium-139 also contaminates Dayton Creek.

Parents Against SSFL advises against eating any produce grown near Dayton Creek (including from the Orcutt Ranch orange groves or community gardens) and similarly advises against hiking or playing in, or near, Dayton Creek.

Orcutt Ranch

Perchlorate contamination

In 2006, Centex Homes found incredibly high levels of perchlorate in Dayton Creek. Perchlorate is a water soluble component of rocket fuel. According to the CDC, high levels of perchlorates can affect the thyroid gland, which in turn can alter the function of many organs in the body. The fetus and young children can be especially susceptible.

Dayton Creek runs through the back of the Orcutt Ranch property. Extensive perchlorate contamination was discovered at the SSFL’s “Happy Valley,” where the headwaters of Dayton Creek originate.

Orcutt Ranch property outlined in green. Perchlorate testing was done in 2006.

dayton creek

Cesium-137 was found in the Dayton Canyon West area at levels on average twice that of local background. Five of the fourteen samples taken in that area were “hotter” than the hottest of any measured value for local background.

According to the CDC:

Cesium-137 is one of the byproducts of nuclear fission processes in nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons testing. Internal exposure to Cs-137, through ingestion or inhalation, allows the radioactive material to be distributed in the soft tissues, especially muscle tissue, exposing these tissues to the beta particles and gamma radiation and increasing cancer risk.

Drainage from the Santa Susana Field Lab. Orcutt Ranch outlined in green.

Strontium-90 in Dayton Creek

The three measurements in Dayton Creek averaged 10 times background, and this is remarkable considering the intentionally poor detection methods used by Centex Homes that were set to intentionally overlook radioactive contamination.

Brandeis Bardin/Camp Alonim

Cehn Report

Joel Cehn worked for Brandeis for years to monitor contamination on its land.

In the report, Cehn writes that after reviewing studies of Brandeis, in his opinion, "Brandeis property is contaminated... with radiological and chemical contaminants. Contaminated groundwater is moving toward the center of the Brandeis property (from south to north)."

Cehn also says, "Surface water, when present, also moves toward the center of Brandeis... some of this water is contaminated with tritium, strontium-90 and dioxins. Soil on the Brandeis property is contaminated... During rainwater runoff events, this soil is carried... to central and northern areas of the Brandeis property. Vegetation on the Brandeis property is contaminated."

Timeline

1968: Actor James Arness (of Gunsmoke) donated his entire Simi Hills ranch to the adjacent Brandeis Bardin Institute.
1991: test wells at Brandeis found radioactive tritium and TCE. One sample was "more than three times the maximum contaminant level allowed by California EPA."
1995: Brandeis-Bardin filed a federal lawsuit, alleging decades of nuclear and chemical research at Rocketdyne’s field lab had polluted the institute’s water and land.
1997: Brandies consultant Joel Cehn said, "soil on the Brandeis property is contaminated with tritium, strontium-90, cesium-137, PCB, dioxins, toluene, and petroleum hydrocarbons."
1997: Brandeis-Bardin received nearly $1.7 million from Boeing. In return, Brandeis waived its right to ever sue Boeing again over contamination issues. Boeing agreed to buy nearly 180 acres of contaminated Brandeis land and created the “Southern Buffer Zone.”
2003: tests on a Brandeis well found toxic Perchlorate.
2004: a Brandeis-commissioned test found perchlorate in milk from a cow on the property. Brandeis Bardin asserts the water and milk are not used for drinking.
2006: evidence of contamination in a Brandeis testing memo

Potential exposure pathways to campers: Playing in creeks or streams, hiking in contaminated dirt or through SSFL rainwater runoff, exposure to contaminated dirt/dust through sports, walking, etc., burning local wood at campfires, eating any produce grown there. This is in addition to regular potential exposure pathways such as wind, SSFL rain runoff, or smoke and ash from SSFL wildfires.