Critics fear weaker cleanup standards at field lab nuke site (The Acorn)

“Environmental and public health advocacy groups, including Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, Parents Against SSFL, Physicians for Social Responsibility-Los Angeles Chapter, and the Committee to Bridge the Gap, condemned DOE’s proposed changes. They argue that weaker standards pose long-term risks to the nearly 700,000 people living within 10 miles of the site.

‘This decision breaches a 2010 legally binding cleanup agreement and dramatically weakens site cleanup standards,’ the groups said in a joint statement.

‘If DOE succeeds, some of the most toxic areas of SSFL will continue to pose a serious risk of harm to people living nearby from migration of contaminants,’ said Denise Duffield from Physicians for Social Responsibility.

In their statement, the groups say that the rigor of the cleanup on the Boeing areas of responsibility is under litigation in California courts, and NASA will almost certainly follow DOE’s lead on whether to complete the SSFL cleanup down to background levels ‘or leave the site so contaminated that it will not meet human health standards.’

The groups are urging Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) to oppose DOE’s plans.”

Read the full article from The Acorn by clicking here.