Rocketdyne’s Safety Record

* Re “Environmental Cleanup at Rocketdyne,” Ventura County Letters, Aug. 20.

In this letter responding to Beverly Kelley’s column “Trust Isn’t the Only Issue; History Counts Too” (Ventura County Perspective, Aug. 6), James F. Lang states that Rocketdyne has a good safety record. I beg to differ as I know of a litany of violations with record-setting fines imposed.

Kelley wrote a most candid, unbiased article, relying on the facts of history at the site.

As far as buildings being declared clean, that is a moot point as there are various standards to be met and Rocketdyne does not always adhere to the strictest standard. There have also been big gaps in the regulatory activities by the public agencies.

Also, how can Lang possibly attest that the operations did not pose a health threat to the surrounding communities? The epidemiological study that was done on the mortality of the workers, which showed a higher-than-normal incidence of deaths from cancers, could only be the tip of the iceberg. We will never know the effect on the surrounding community until an independent study is done.

We were emphatically told that “nothing got off-site,” but when tritium and dioxins were found on the grounds of Brandeis-Bardin Institute camp below the facility, an undisclosed settlement was made.

Yes, those of us who have lived in the shadow of this contaminated facility wish that it were true but we have lost all our trust, as was so articulately stated by Kelley. We only hope that Rocketdyne will strive for the highest standards of safety and environmental protection as Kelley shows in her high standard of journalism.

BARBARA JOHNSON

Susana Knolls