Mailings Halted in Rocketdyne Case

An appeal has delayed the mailing of notification letters to more than 200,000 plaintiffs in a federal class-action lawsuit against Rocketdyne’s parent company.

U.S. District Court Judge Audrey B. Collins agreed to halt the notification letters until the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decides whether to review Collins’ previous decision allowing the class-action lawsuit to move forward.

The lawsuit contends decades of nuclear and rocket-engine research at four Rocketdyne facilities--including the open-air Santa Susana Field Lab outside Simi Valley--fouled the air, water and property of surrounding neighbors.

Collins’ written decision, issued Monday, is a victory for Boeing North American, Rocketdyne’s parent company. Boeing lawyers have long contended that chemicals and radioactive particles from the field lab have not left the site, except in two immediately adjacent properties.

Regardless of what the appeals court decides, lawyers for the plaintiffs said, the litigation could always go forward as a suit by the 100 individuals who have already joined the action.