More Neighbors Sue Lockheed Over Effects of Contamination

BURBANK — Neighbors of Lockheed Martin Corp.’s old plant have sued in federal court, claiming the aerospace giant released toxic substances which have damaged the environment and the health of nearby residents.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, follows Lockheed’s agreement, disclosed last week, to pay $60 million to 1,300 neighbors. Lockheed maintains that the plant, no longer in operation, posed no health risks.

Dozens of neighbors who were not part of the agreement have complained bitterly about being left out.

Lawyer Patrick J. Grannan said Thursday he believes as many as 600,000 area residents could be involved because of contamination to air, soil and ground water.

“We think it could be very widespread,” Grannan said. “The majority of residents were left out in the cold and they weren’t happy about it.”

The lawsuit, filed for Marlene Hook of Burbank and Carmen Lacy of Tujunga, seeks to be certified as a class action. It asks for unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, medical monitoring and other relief.

The plaintiffs and others suffered injury to their property values, other economic harm and losses, and loss of enjoyment at their property because of Lockheed’s release of carcinogens and other toxic solvents or hazardous substances, the lawsuit alleged.

The class action, the documents indicate, would exclude the 1,300 neighbors who settled recently with Lockheed.

Maureen Curow, a spokeswoman for Lockheed, said the company had not yet seen the lawsuit.

“We would treat every case on an individual basis,” Curow said. “We haven’t yet received or reviewed the complaint.”

Environmental officials say the ground water under Burbank remains a federal Superfund environmental cleanup site. Its ongoing cleanup, funded by Lockheed and other companies, is expected to require more than 20 years and cost about $150 million, officials said.

Environmental officials say Burbank no longer draws on tainted water, but the amount of health damage, if any, done before tests were performed is unknown.

Several city officials said the lawsuit did not come as a surprise, especially considering the outrage of many Burbank neighbors who were not included in the confidential settlement.

At a City Council meeting Tuesday night, an overflow crowd attended to protest being left out of the settlement. Several speakers told of losing loved ones to cancer, or fearing cancer or other health problems because of their exposure to the Lockheed property.

A city lawyer said Burbank would have no legal standing to pursue action on behalf of residents, but the council decided to create a list of people who might want to pursue their own legal action against Lockheed.

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Burbank Vice Mayor Bob Kramer said Thursday the city has already collected more than 600 names of current or former residents who feel they were unfairly left out of the recent Lockheed settlement.

“These are people who feel they were harmed by Lockheed,” Kramer said. “It’s going to be up to the individuals to sign up with whoever they want to.”

Councilman Ted McConkey said he believes the number of people who will seek compensation from Lockheed will probably be three times as many as the 1,300 who have already done so. The ultimate goal is for the concerns of all those who believe they have been hurt by Lockheed to be addressed, he said.

“Hopefully, all the wrongs will be righted,” McConkey said. “If Lockheed thought the settlement was going to close the door, they were sadly mistaken. It only opened it wider.”