Cultural and Biological

Cultural and Biological Studies Protect SSFL Environment and History

Protecting the environment and history of Area IV at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL) is a key goal during the Department of Energy's (DOE) studies of and remediation at the site.

Biological studies identify threatened and endangered plant and animal species that may be located at the site so that scientists and technicians can avoid damage to the environment while they evaluate potential contamination in the area.

Cultural studies identify historical artifacts and other features at the site so that they can be taken into account during cleanup.

The findings in these studies are taken into consideration in two crucial ways:

As a part of work plans and actual procedures for studies of contamination at the site, and
As a part of evaluations of potential environmental impacts when scientists develop options for cleanup of contamination. These potential impacts will be included in documents such as the federally mandated Environmental Impact Statement or the state mandated Environmental Impact Report.

California Red-legged Frog Habitat Site Assessments Outfall 4/SRE Pond, Silvernale Pond, and Outfall 18 Ponds Santa Susana Field Laboratory Area IV and Vicinity, Ventura County, California
In an October 2009 letter from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to DOE, the California red-legged frog was identified as a listed species that may occur at or near Area IV and two adjacent undeveloped land areas at SSFL. The California Red-legged Frog Habitat Site Assessments focuses on Area IV and adjacent undeveloped lands that are proposed to undergo a Radiological Study by EPA and is the subject of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) being developed to address the future remediation and decommissioning.
Quino Checkerspot Butterfly Site Assessment Report
The federally listed endangered Quino Checkerspot Butterfly (QCB), Euphydryas editha quino, has been recorded from northern Los Angeles County to northern Baja California, Mexico. Although there are no recent records of Quino Checkerspot Butterflies from Ventura County, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service considers the species as potentially resident in Ventura County, and thus requires site assessments for the species in suitable habitats. The Quino Checkerspot Butterfly Site Assessment Report was prepared to assess the presence of potential QCB habitat in Area IV at SSFL.
SSFL Biological Survey Report - 2009
Read about the 2009 SSFL Biological Survey Report and see additional supporting information in the documents below:
Cultural Resources Identification Survey - Northern Undeveloped Land at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory Site
Between March and August 2010, at the request of CDM Federal Services, CRM TECH performed a Cultural Resources Identification Survey on approximately 182 acres of undeveloped land in the Simi Hills area of Ventura County, California. The purpose of the study is to provide the DOE and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with the necessary information to determine, in advance of the EPA's proposed gamma walkover survey of the Northern Undeveloped Land, if that survey could have an effect on any "historic properties," as defined by Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.
Cultural Resources Survey Plan
Read the below documents that support the development of a Cultural Resources Survey for Area IV of the SSFL:
State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) OKs trenching in Area IV
DOE will be excavating two trenches for geologic testing in Area IV. Pursuant to section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act prior to work beginning, DOE consulted with SHPO to determine the effect, if any, the proposed work would have on historic properties. Read SHPO's December 2011 letter approving the trenching in Area IV.

Monitoring and Inadvertent Discovery Plan for Tribal and Archaeological Monitors

The Monitoring and Inadvertent Discovery Plan provides protocols for conducting tribal and archaeological monitoring during remediation activities in Area IV and the Northern Buffer Zone (NBZ) of SSFL.

For more information about monitoring and protecting historic properties, read the below information provided by the Advisory Council of Historic Preservation (ACHP), a federal agency that generally oversees the operations of the Section 106 process:

Programmatic Agreement

DOE executed a Programmatic Agreement (PA) with the California State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) for the proposed cleanup of Area IV and the Northern Buffer Zone at SSFL to comply with the requirements of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.

While developing the PA, DOE consulted with numerous Consulting Parties (see Attachment 3 of the PA) and held two public comment periods in October 2018 and February 2019. DOE will continue to work with the Consulting Parties, and seek and consider public comment as described in the PA.

Read the Programmatic Agreement and view the following annual reports:

In August 2024, an agreement between DOE, SHPO, state officials and local tribal governments extended the PA for another 10 years. The extension allows cleanup to continue at SSFL and provides a roadmap for making decisions that affect cultural resources at the site. Read the amendment to the PA.