Boxer Urges Tighter Limits at Rocketdyne

U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, echoing concerns raised by critics of the Rocketdyne plant near Simi Valley, urged federal regulators Tuesday to impose stringent standards for removal of radioactive waste.

“The standards for this cleanup are inadequate [and] stand to increase cancer risk dramatically,” the California Democrat said.

At issue are the limits being used to decontaminate radioactive wastes left over from operation of atomic reactors once used at the 2,700-acre site.

The U.S. Department of Energy advocates using standards it says are health-protective, but are more permissive than limits employed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Community leaders are concerned too much pollution may be left in soil at the site, posing a long-term threat to workers and residents near the facility, although company officials dispute that.

Rocketdyne, a division of Boeing Co., tests engines for rockets and missiles at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory. In an Aug. 24 letter, Boxer called on Energy Secretary Bill Richardson to strengthen the cleanup standards applied at Rocketdyne.