There is a complicated and important story in the extended comments about Rocketdyne in Simi Valley.
In the last few weeks they have paid millions to people of the area that they have made ill.
Now, they have are asking to continue to pollute for just a few more months.
If this toxic brew every ends up becoming a massive scandal costing the local areas millions of dollars and unmeasureable human suffering...
Can we please vote out every politician from the top to the bottom for ignoring this issue?
Board won't ease water standards at field lab
By Teresa Rochester, trochester@ VenturaCountyStar.com
January 21, 2006
A request by Boeing Co. to ease pollution limits in water runoff at its Santa Susana Field Laboratory was shot down by regional water officials this week.
Boeing had asked the Regional Water Quality Control Board to relax the limits it set for pollutants in storm water coming from the field laboratory for eight months and allow the company a chance to study a better way to meet the board's demands.
But after a seven-hour hearing Thursday in Simi Valley, the board denied the request.
The board also decided to levy penalties against the company for 48 previous violations of the pollutant limits, Jonathan Bishop, the board's executive director, said.
"We regret that the board did not recognize Boeing's need for time," company spokeswoman Inger Hodgson said. "Our goal is compliance."
Neighbors of the facility in the hills southeast of Simi Valley, along with environmental watchdogs, counted the decision as a victory.
For years, they have complained that the water board did not do enough to go after Boeing.
"It was a great victory," said Dan Hirsch of the watchdog group Committee to Bridge the Gap. "The request by Boeing to be given a free pass to keep polluting for the next eight months without any enforcement was defeated."
In December, Hirsch's group, along with two other watchdog organizations, sent Boeing a letter stating they planned to sue Boeing for violating the Clean Water Act.
During Thursday's meeting, the board also suggested Boeing bring in a third party, an independent monitor, to test what is coming off the hill.
It's about time someone stood up to Boeing. How many people will have to get sick and die before we throw out all those politicians who have been protecting them. Elton Gallegly, has done very little to protect the people of Simi. Maybe he should move out of his Mansion and live in the Knolls for a year or two. Maybe he would change his mind on the urgency of solving this life threating problem. Oh yeah and how about Supervisor Judy Mikels who honored them and said residents where over reacting. Maybe if Supervisor Mikels lived in the Knolls instead of half her life in Tucson, Arizona she would not be playing with the lives of so many people. I say vote them both out. At least Gallegly didn't honor them.
Darlene,
You are right on target. And to set the record straight Boeing has contributed BIG $$$$$ to Supervisor Judy Mikels. She won't even meet with Simi residents who care about the health of our city. Money is all that means something to her. I'm a Republican, but I will never vote for Supervisor Mikels. She is cold and totally out of touch.
Brian: your opening comment is "There is a complicated and important story in the extended comments about Rocketdyne in Simi Valley." Yet there is no mention of "Rocketdyne" in the text of the article. Boeing owns the Santa Susana Field Lab. Rocketdyne is a part of Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, a division of UTC. Keep the facts straight.
First off John, you are incorrect. Check back in your records and you will find out. Next you'll be telling me Gary Gorian, Colton Lee Dev. and Dean Kunicki have not given to Supervisor Mikels. They want to build 150 to 200 pre fab homes at the bottom of the Knolls. Well I for one will not stand by while Judy Mikels takes all her special interest $$$$ and risks the lives of my family when we can't get out of the Knolls during a wild fire. She is a cold hearted, mean spirited person who needs to retire to Tucson.
Brian,
I enjoy your blog site, but I would hope you would list a category under Horse Ranch Development. Art has mentioned it in his response, but I know 100's of people who care about this issue. Judy Mikels could care less about the people who live in the knolls. Instead Gary Gorian who gives money to Judy, has the support of Supervisor Mikels even though she promised if the community was opposed to the development the project would be "Dead on Arrival".
SHE LIED !!!!
From the amount of stuff I hear about it, it seems like it is the number one issue in the race.
I did post when Gary Gorian said he was going to build "farm worker housing" in the Knolls because it was so funny.
The project is not popular, but is it fair to tie it to Judy Mikels?
1. I have heard she has taken money from this developer but I have never seen any proof. Do you have a link to share?
2. The developer has some property rights. What has she done that is more than stick up for those rights?
I don't know the answers exactly, but I am interested in your response.
Brian
Still waiting...
how much does one get for breat cancer??
Brian:
Doesnt matter to me where Mikels gets her money from, as long as its legal. What IS my concern is that at my last meeting with Mikels the Supervisor let it be known that her first consideration is to protect developers' rights to make the largest profit they can, at the expense of public safety, which she felt is a final consideration.
The Knolls area is threatened by firestorm, literally every year. Last October's fire threatened a massive loss of property and possibly lives until the wind died suddenly, without warning and changed direction. Without that break at least two dozen more homes would have been lost. Even as that was happening there were people and vehicles still trying to make their way out of the Knolls on its single, narrow, winding escape route.
So, whatever Mikels stands for it appears NOT to be public safety nor concern for her constituents.
Gary Selvaggio
CalUnion