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Building on Toxic Soil?
What happens when a big developer wants to build hundreds of homes within the shadow of Rocketdyne? When the radiation readings in the soil are high and the developer and City of Simi Valley discount them in their drive to build a new neighborhood in Runkle Canyon, controversy happens. Runkle Canyon has repeatedly tested high for the leukemia-causing radionuclide strontium-90 (Sr-90), which residents contend came from Rocketdyne. In 1999, a lab hired by a former developer sampled Runkle’s dirt and found that it averaged six times the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) “preliminary remediation goal†for Sr-90, a level that is presumed safe for residential development and nearly 46 times above the typical EPA background level for strontium-90 in the area.
Building on Toxic Soil?
March 11, 2007
Reporter's NOTES
Hena Cuevas
The land surrounding Runkle Canyon is truly breathtaking. The general consensus among residents is that this new development would increase the value of their properties.
But there are concerns about what would happen if all that settled dirt is disturbed. Patricia Coryell — who is leading the cause — feels so strongly about the issue that she told me that if the development goes through, she will make it her life’s mission to inform would-be buyers about what they’re getting into.
Insider Viewpoints
What happens when a big developer wants to build hundreds of homes within the shadow of Rocketdyne? When the radiation readings in the soil are high and the developer and City of Simi Valley discount them in their drive to build a new neighborhood in Runkle Canyon, controversy happens.
Runkle Canyon has repeatedly tested high for the leukemia-causing radionuclide strontium-90 (Sr-90), which residents contend came from Rocketdyne. In 1999, a lab hired by a former developer sampled Runkle’s dirt and found that it averaged six times the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) “preliminary remediation goal†for Sr-90, a level that is presumed safe for residential development and nearly 46 times above the typical EPA background level for strontium-90 in the area.
The highest Sr-90 reading of the 58 samples that were taken was over 411 times higher than normal background. In the grading and construction process, over 100 tons of potentially Sr-90-impacted dust would be launched into the atmosphere and fall out over the Simi and San Fernando valleys.
Michael Collins
Investigative Reporter
Los Angeles City Beat and EnviroReporter.com
Even though house prices are in a free fall, there is still a housing shortage in the L.A. area. Developers continue to build and build some more.
Developers KB Homes and Lennar plan to build hundreds of homes in the Runkle Canyon area of Simi Valley, Calif. This is just a hop, skip and a jump from the site of the worst nuclear disaster in American history.
The Los Angeles City Beat has an interesting story about the development and the efforts that the normally pro-development Republicans of Simi Valley are making to halt or curtail the construction of the homes. You may wonder what the concern is.
In short, that’s some nastiness up in there, and residents aren't so convinced that the land is safe…We give the opposition some credit for ingenuity.
They’ve hired a blimp to fly over the area and take photographs. Whatever happens, we know where we won’t be looking for our next home.
Curbed Los Angeles
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I praise KCET for their reporting on this highly important issue. I’m amazed at the words “NIMBY†and “tree hugger†in the recent posts.
You know, if it wasn’t for the “NIMBYS†and “liberal tree huggers,†DDT would still be sprayed on your food. Ecophobia is alive and well.
If being against development that causes health risks and the further eroding of our area’s heritage, then I cheerfully plead guilty. “Liberal media?†Sounds like some people in this country still cannot accept the fact that not everyone has the same ideas as they do.
Clint Matkovich - Thousand Oaks, California
Ms. Hull apparently hasn’t looked at EnviroReporter.com because our eight-year investigation of Rocketdyne is all there, requiring seconds, not “hours†of diligent research to find. She is also incorrect that the DOE and EPA’s Superfund ever said that the lab is too polluted to clean up.
It never happened. Mellon and Clemmons would do well to look at our work before making innaccurate comments and follow Dietrich’s lead in proper fact-gathering before making such grand, and misguided, statements. The real question remains: Will the City of Simi Valley continue to accept a faulty Runkle Canyon Environmental Impact Report that the government has discredited?
Michael Collins - Santa Monica, California
The people who are concerned are those who have done their research. The information is available, but only if you are diligent and spend hours conducting research online.
Boeing, Rocketdyne and the Department of Energy would like to forget that anything happened up there and refuse to give out details. The DOE and the EPA’s SuperFund have declared that the SSFL is so polluted that it is not feasible to clean it up. So why would the land be safe right next to the site?
Michelle Hull - Simi Valley, California
Before Mr. Mellon dismisses me as an anti-development tree hugger, I would encourage him to check the facts. The SSFL Panel Report is available online and is worth the read.
Rocketdyne operated a total of 10 reactors over a 30-year period. These were housed in simple, corrugated metal buildings without any type of containment structures.
The SRE reactor alone experienced 26 leak incidents. The best known is the 1959 partial meltdown, which went on for two weeks and released 6,500 curies of I-131 (compared to Three-Mile Island’s release of 17 curies).
Patricia Coryell - Simi Valley, California
The report showed no evidence that the property is contimated or dangerous. It was simply guilt by association. A nuclear accident happened nearby, therefore, the area is dangerous?
Sounds like the kind of scare stories we hear on other media during November sweeps. I’m disappointed in KCET.
Jane Clemmons - Valencia, California
According to EnviroReporter.com, the Runkle Canyon property has ALREADY tested extremely high for the leukemia-causing radionuclide Strontium-90. These test results were not included in the EIR that the City Council signed off on.
Michael Collins’ articles detail the various tests and findings done on the property. I’m very surprised that KCET omitted this crucial information.
Also, KCET’s Cuevas and Williamson discuss new tests that are purportedly going to be performed on the property. What tests?
As far as I have been able to discern, none are scheduled. Williamson must know this, but acted like there were. For shame!
Danielle Dietrich - Los Angeles, California
This was a completely lopsided piece by L&T. It’s typical of your show to rally to the cause of the NIMBYs and tree huggers.
If this land is so laden with dangerous substances, why isn’t it quarantined or walled off? Second, you showed two people who were against the development, Patricia Coryell, who lives there, and Michael Collins, a reporter.
It hardly sounds like a groundswell of concern to me. This is more anti-development rhetoric from ultra-liberal media.
Roger Mellon - Ventura, California
I am stunned by the comments made by the Simi Valley councilwoman regarding this issue. She wanted to know “where were all the citizens when this issue first came up three years ago?â€!
Well, citizens are not scientists. Citizens cannot be there all the time to do the work of the government.
We ELECT representatives such as city councilpeople to ACT ON OUR BEHALF. We expect them to be at least marginally intelligent, educated and AT LEAST QUESTION THE WEALTHIEST CORPORATIONS IN AMERICA when they come to town to make a buck! Only in California!
Don F. - Pasadena, California