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Secretary Rick Perry Agrees to Visit the Santa Susana Field Lab

June 25, 2019

Will Explain Slow Lack of Progress to Clean up Nuclear Site in a Response to a Demand made by Congressman Sherman

Washington, DC – In an appearance today before the House Committee on Science, Secretary of Energy Rick Perry agreed to visit the contaminated Santa Susana Field Lab at the request of Congressman Brad Sherman. Secretary Perry acknowledged the slow response and lack of progress in cleaning up the site.

Earlier this year, Congressman Sherman requested funds for the full clean-up of the Santa Susana Field Lab. In May of this year, the House Energy and Water Subcommittee instructed the Department of Energy to move forward expeditiously on the remediation effort and to comply with both the 2007 Consent Order and the related Administrative Order. Following the Woolsey Fire, Congressman Sherman also requested that the Department of Energy fully support any and all efforts for an independent review of any potential impact from the fire and to make all information available to the public.

Congressman Sherman asked "As you are aware, the Department of Energy signed both a ‘Consent Order for Corrective Action' in 2007 and an ‘Administrative Orders on Consent' in 2010…The latter required a ‘full cleanup' of the site to be completed by 2017. To this date, meaningful cleanup has not been started…will you personally come to the San Fernando Valley and explain the lack of progress?" Secretary Perry said "yes". The logistics now need to be worked out.