Rocketdyne Cleanup Rules Weak, Boxer Says

U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer Tuesday called plans for the removal of radioactive waste at the Boeing Co.’s Rocketdyne plant near Chatsworth dangerously insufficient.

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

At issue are the limits being used to decontaminate radioactive wastes 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 tests engines for rockets and missiles at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory. In a letter Tuesday, Boxer called on Energy Secretary Bill Richardson to strengthen the cleanup standards applied at Rocketdyne.