Santa Susana - Protecting Habitat and the Community
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Your Voice Matters

Your Voice Matters

The former Santa Susana Field Laboratory has a rich history of furthering space and energy innovation. It has an even brighter future as open space.

Support the creation of a plan that fully protects people and wildlife — during and after cleanup. Send your comments on the draft Environmental Impact Report to the California Department of Toxic Substances Control today.

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In Their Words

Santa Susana is uniquely positioned at the intersection of biological, cultural, ecological and historical significance. It has immeasurable value worth protecting. Many individuals and groups currently use the site for research, education and inspiration.

These are their words.

Join the conversation at #santasusanaopenspace

The Right Plan

The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) released its draft Environmental Impact Report for the Santa Susana cleanup on September 7. The purpose of an EIR is to evaluate the impacts associated with various site cleanup options on nearby residents, including traffic congestion and air quality concerns. It also assesses cleanup impacts on the site's wildlife, vegetation and Native American artifacts.

The DTSC will review and respond to comments before finalizing the Environmental Impact Report. Once it is final, the next step is public review and DTSC approval of Boeing's Corrective Measures Study. The study report will consider various site cleanup techniques based on decades-worth of investigation data, as well as include a recommendation for an appropriate cleanup level. The DTSC will evaluate the study report, distribute it for public comment and make the final cleanup determination.

The Environmental Impact Report sets the stage for the cleanup of the Santa Susana site. Everyone can comment and help guide the DTSC toward the right cleanup plan.

The right cleanup will balance these priorities:

Protects the Community

After thoroughly investigating the Santa Susana site, we know what needs to be cleaned up to ensure the continued protection of those who visit for recreational purposes. Numerous health studies conducted over many years collectively reinforce that past operations have not affected the health of area residents. We remain committed to completing a cleanup that is protective of human health and the environment, consistent with Santa Susana's use as undeveloped open space habitat.

Preserves Vital Wildlife Habitat and Protected Plants and Species

Santa Susana is home to endangered plant species and abundant wildlife: deer, bobcats, coyotes, and mountain lions roam wild. Preservation will strengthen this critical resource, which is why we secured a conservation easement to forever protect nearly 2,400 acres of Boeing-owned land at Santa Susana as undeveloped open space habitat. The property will never be used for residential or agricultural purposes so wildlife can continue to thrive. Now more than ever, it is important for a cleanup to be chosen that protects the actual future use of the land as open space habitat.

Honors Native American Art and Heritage

Santa Susana is home to many of the best remaining Native American pictographs in Southern California. Native American art and artifacts dot the landscape. We want to honor this history by ensuring these cultural resources are preserved.

An Extraordinary Past

The site of the former Santa Susana Field Laboratory occupies a unique place in U.S. and California history. Santa Susana and the surrounding Simi Hills provided land, wildlife and plants to support Native American tribes.

The modern world has been substantially shaped by past breakthroughs at the former Santa Susana Field Laboratory. Thousands of workers tested rocket engines that powered moon landings, satellite launches, and our national defense. It was also home to decades of advanced energy research, development and testing of technology for government and commercial applications. All of this work ended more than a decade ago.

A Comprehensive Cleanup

Since becoming the owner of a majority of the land in 1996, Boeing has made considerable progress cleaning up and restoring Santa Susana. After decades of investigation, we have an extensive understanding of the site, which helps us monitor in the right places and know what cleanup needs to be done to be protective. We have taken proactive measures to address legacy contamination and ensure the continued safety of the surrounding community.

More needs to be done and we are ready to fulfill our cleanup commitment to be protective for the land's future use as undeveloped open space habitat.

Our focus remains on completing a cleanup that fully protects everyone who will enjoy this vast open space habitat as well as our neighbors in the community.

See what we have been up to. Learn more about the progress we've made.

A Bright Future

The restoration of the Santa Susana landscape is well underway; native plants and animals have already reclaimed much of its 2,850 acres. Due to its past sensitive government work, Santa Susana has remained in many ways pristine and isolated — one of the most intact and vast natural areas amidst the urbanization of this immensely populated area.

Santa Susana remains a site of historic significance with towering rocket engine test stands on NASA land and Native American artifacts throughout the property. Our vision is that Santa Susana will continue to be a place where mountain lions roam free, cultural artifacts remain undisturbed and oak woodlands have the opportunity to thrive. Boeing secured a conservation easement that forever protects the site's vast natural and cultural features, and permanently preserves nearly 2,400 acres at Santa Susana as undeveloped open space habitat for the benefit of people and wildlife for years to come.

Your Voice Matters

Support the creation of a plan that fully protects people and wildlife — during and after cleanup. Send your comments on the draft Environmental Impact Report to the California Department of Toxic Substances Control today.

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