To better understand what went on at the site, it’s important to understand how it operated.

What is the Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL)?

With the detonation of the world’s first nuclear weapon by the United States Army on July 16, 1945, the world ushered in the "Atomic Age." Two years later, an American aerospace company called North American Aviation selected a rural location in the hills above Simi Valley to build a secret research facility. At first, the purpose of the site was to test rocket engines. But in 1953, under the supervision of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, the predecessor of the Department of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Field Lab added Area IV. This 209-acre section of the Field Lab was dedicated to nuclear research including the development and testing of experimental nuclear reactors. Over the course of four decades, Area IV would be home to 10 reactors, a plutonium fuel fabrication facility, a uranium fuel facility and a "hot lab" for remotely cutting up dangerous radioactive material. The rest of the site, more than 2,000 acres was used for the testing and development of rocket engines for the U.S. space program and for advanced weapons research. During its operational history, more than 30,000 rocket engine tests were conducted at SSFL.

Why was it called a Field Lab?

According to California Senate Bill 990 (a state law passed IN 2007 to clean-up SSFL), the site was initially intended to be a remote location for doing scientific work that was considered too dangerous to be done around more populated areas. The Santa Susana Field Laboratory Advisory Panel, funded by the California Legislature, reports that while at the Field Lab, scientists had the freedom to experiment, test and in some cases push their equipment to its limits and beyond. Over the years, the site was used to test new rocket designs and 10 experimental nuclear reactors. The freedom to experiment resulted in a host of technological breakthroughs, including the development of many of the engines that rocketed American astronauts and satellites into space. But according to the Advisory Panel, the experimental nature of the site also created an atmosphere where science sometimes trumped safety and environmental concerns. They say this has now resulted in serious chemical and radioactive contamination throughout the site. Studies by the DOE and EPA have determined that significant chemical and radioactive contamination can still be found on the site today.

Where is the Field Lab located?

The Santa Susana Field Lab is more than 2,800 acres atop the Simi Hills overlooking Simi Valley to the north, Chatsworth, West Hills and Canoga Park to the east, Woodland Hills and Thousand Oaks to the south, and Moorpark to the west.

Why did they pick that location for the Field Lab?

North American Aviation wanted a remote site for performing dangerous scientific work that was far from prying eyes and away from populated areas. When the company was looking for a location for the Field Lab, they evaluated six potential locations around Southern California. The company looked at safety factors such as weather challenges, possible water contamination and the distance to residential communities. Santa Susana ranked fifth out of the six sites because its weather patterns increased the risk of contaminated air and water flowing off-site. Despite these concerns, the company selected the Santa Susana location for the Field Lab. The site was ultimately chosen because of its proximity to local research universities where many of the Field Lab scientists also worked and taught, according to a 2006 California State report on the Field Lab.

How is the Santa Susana Field Lab organized?

The Santa Susana Field Lab is divided into four areas. Areas I through II were used primarily for rocket testing, missile testing and munitions development. A small section of Area I and the 409 acres of Area II are owned by the U.S. government and used by NASA for rocket testing. Area IV was used primarily for nuclear reactor development, experimentation and testing. While the land for Area IV has been owned by various aerospace companies over the years, the U.S. government has leased and overseen most of the nuclear research that occurred at this part of the site. Although the Field Lab was divided into four areas, some employees worked in multiple areas. In interviews with the Department of Energy and the U.S. EPA, some of these workers say they would frequently move between the areas while working on a variety of projects.

Who owns SSFL?

In 1947, the Santa Susana Field Lab property was acquired by North American Aviation. A few years later, a division of North American Aviation called Atomics International developed Area IV on behalf of the Atomic Energy Commission, the predecessor of the Department of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, to test experimental nuclear reactors. In 1955, Rocketdyne was founded as a division of North American Aviation and oversaw operations in Areas I-III at the Santa Susana Field Lab. In 1967, North American Aviation merged with Rockwell Standard to become North American Rockwell. Six years later, the company changed its name to Rockwell International. Rocketdyne remained a division of Rockwell International. Boeing acquired Rocketdyne in 1996 when acquiring the aerospace divisions of Rockwell International and is the current owner of the majority of the SSFL with the exception of Area II which is currently Federal property under the responsibility of NASA. The U.S. Department of Energy also leases a portion of Area IV.

Who is responsible for the clean-up of the Santa Susana Field Lab?

As the current owner of the site, Boeing is responsible for the majority of the clean-up of the Field Lab, which is regulated by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control. NASA is responsible for cleaning up its sections of the site, 41 acres in Area I and 409 acres in Area II. The U.S. Department of Energy has taken responsibility for cleaning up most of Area IV as the nuclear work was done on behalf of the United States government.

What is the status of the clean-up at SSFL?