The U.S. Department of Energy has announced plans to resume cleanup of a former rocket testing and nuclear research lab in eastern Ventura County.
The federal agency and the State Department of Toxic Substances have reached a consent agreement to demolish 10 federally owned buildings at the Santa Susana Field Lab. The buildings on land owned by the federal agency include some of the most contaminated ones at the site.
The shuttered field lab outside of Simi Valley has been a contentious issue for decades, with nearby residents and area officials pushing for its cleanup.
The concern is about the threat contaminated soil, and groundwater may pose to the area. There have been ongoing battles over the degree of cleanup needed to make the site safe.