The State - News from Jan. 28, 1988

The Air Force and California Highway Patrol have agreed on an interim route allowing shipments of toxic rocket fuel to continue to Vandenberg Air Force Base. The Air Force will ship the chemicals to the base as scheduled until the state approves a final route, CHP spokesman Kent Milton said. Public hearings on the final path are to be held in late March in Santa Maria, Ventura and Maricopa. The interim route is almost identical to one used in early December after shipments through populous areas of Los Angeles and Ventura counties were halted after a storm of protest. Milton said the interim path is already a state-approved explosives route that does not require public hearings. It enters the state on California 58 through Barstow and continues on California 14 to California 138 to Interstate 5 over the Grapevine to California 46 and Paso Robles. From there it extends south on U.S. 101 to Buellton, continues west on California 246 to California 1 near of Lompoc and north to the base.