Physicians for Social etc. v. Dept. of Toxic Substances Control

facts in our prior opinion. (Physicians, supra, C088821.) For decades, the federal government made and tested liquid-rocket engines, nuclear reactors, and various nuclear applications at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL) in southeastern Ventura County. As a result, the soil, groundwater, and bedrock were seriously contaminated. During this time, the Boeing Company (Boeing), who owns the majority of the land, leased 90 acres of the site, known as Area IV, to the federal Department of Energy (DOE). DOE ended its nuclear research program at SSFL in the 1980s. Boeing’s intent to demolish several of its buildings within Area IV spawned the underlying lawsuit. SSFL has been undergoing cleanup efforts for years. Different aspects of the cleanup are being carried out under different federal and state authorities. The federal government, through the DOE, is responsible for supervising and implementing the

Undesignated statutory references are to the Code of Civil Procedure.

2 cleanup of radioactive contamination. California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) is the lead agency responsible for regulating the cleanup of chemical contamination. Through the…