NASA has been working with Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) under the 2007 Consent Order For Corrective Action that defines the process for characterization and cleanup of groundwater at SSFL. Following the completion of an extensive groundwater investigation in 2016, NASA issued a Record of Decision for groundwater in 2018 outlining the decision to remediate groundwater contamination in accordance with the 2007 Consent Order for Corrective Action. In 2023, DTSC released their Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Report (PEIR), paving the way for cleanup at SSFL to begin, following the review and approval of cleanup decision documents.
In 2024, NASA submitted the first of these decision documents to DTSC. The Phase 1 Groundwater Corrective Measures Study (CMS) evaluates corrective actions and recommends corrective measures for NASA’s groundwater cleanup at SSFL. Based on NASA’s Phase 1 Groundwater CMS, DTSC will select a preferred remedy and issue a Statement of Basis summarizing the remedial actions NASA will take to implement groundwater cleanup. The review of the Statement of Basis and the Phase 1 Groundwater CMS will be accompanied by a public comment period and public meeting.
In the meantime, NASA has two ongoing groundwater pilot studies including bedrock vapor extraction (BVE) and enhanced in situ bioremediation (EISB), that are actively treating groundwater in high contaminant concentration source areas. In addition, an onsite groundwater extraction treatment system (GETS) treats groundwater extracted from 13 wells across the site, including from NASA areas.
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