State agency seeks input regarding Santa Susana Field Lab cleanup
Have an opinion on the cleanup of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory site? The California Department of Toxic Substances Control wants to hear from you.
The agency is collecting responses to a community survey about cleanup of the site. The survey itself isn't meant to gather comments on cleanup progress. Rather, the responses will be used to craft a public engagement plan for an upcoming comment period.
Officials will then use the engagement plan to collect public comments, likely starting in late 2023, on the draft cleanup plan.
"DTSC is dedicated to creating an open and ongoing dialogue with stakeholders that allows for the exchange of ideas, comments and questions," said Elizabeth Leslie Gassaway, a spokesperson for the state agency, in an email.
The survey asks for a respondent's interest level in the project, their ranking of cleanup priorities, possible community workshop subjects and how people keep tabs on the project. It also allows respondents to provide their contact information to speak directly with DTSC officials.
Leslie Gassaway said surveys were mailed out to nearly 5,000 households on the agency's mailing list for Santa Susana Field Laboratory community members, as well as approximately 2,400 email addresses for those who have signed up to receive project update emails.
Initial results have yet to be processed, but the agency has received 60 responses as of Monday, according to Leslie Gassaway. The deadline to respond is Feb. 10.
The Santa Susana Field Laboratory was the site of a partial nuclear meltdown in 1959 when it was the Rocketdyne/Atomics International rocket engine test and nuclear facility. Some community members have for years been demanding progress cleaning up the Superfund site and have expressed frustration about the slow pace.
Anyone who wants to participate in the survey but didn't receive a paper copy can respond online at surveymonkey.com/r/SSFL2023. Those with questions about the survey can contact Chinh Sheow, a public participation specialist, at 818-717-6571 or chinh.sheow@dtsc.ca.gov.
Jeremy Childs is the East County Reporter for the Ventura County Star, covering the communities of Thousand Oaks, Moorpark and Simi Valley. He can be reached at 805-437-0208, jeremy.childs@vcstar.com, and on Twitter @Jeremy_Childs.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Santa Susana Field Laboratory cleanup survey seeks feedback
