Activists Unfair to Rocketdyne

At a recent public meeting hosted by Rocketdyne, an agitator claimed that all the cleanup done by Rocketdyne at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory was the result of the activists’ efforts to “inform the public and push the regulators.” That is an easy and attractive claim to make.

Even I have called Dan Hirsch (the professional Committee to Bridge the Gap activist) Rocketdyne’s best salesman for cleanup projects, but I do that mostly to annoy upper management. In fact, however, the cleanup work at Santa Susana is based on regulatory requirements and good business practices.

Overall, the activists’ attacks are irrelevant, but damage everyone.

Rocketdyne began cleanup of ground water at the site in 1987, years before Committee to Bridge the Gap showed up on the scene. Radioactive cleanup has been a routine part of business since the early 1960s and is done as needed according to well-established regulatory criteria. Completed work is reviewed, inspected and approved before a project is considered closed.

By false and malicious attacks on Rocketdyne, the activists have created fear, anger, distrust, worry and uncertainty in the community. They have inspired a false sense of injury that has led to frivolous lawsuits that are thrown out of court. They have manipulated our newspapers, our regulators and our elected officials and have damaged our property values.

Rocketdyne supplies valuable products and services to our country, provides worthwhile employment to members of our community and supports a variety of community interests because we live here.

Who is the good neighbor?

BOB TUTTLE

Moorpark

Editor’s note: Tuttle has been a Rocketdyne employee for 40 years and currently works in radiation safety.

Ventura County Letters