Exclusive 2019 Update: VICTORY AT THE VA – West LA Veterans Administration master plan protects old nuclear dump from development
Though turned away from Brentwood School where Millennium Consulting Associates was testing Dec. 8, EnviroReporter.com took a closer look at what has been tested so far in Phase One. We also noted what hasn’t been tested apparently due to a truncated testing schedule, which may be made up in Phase Two, and because of interference from professional dog walkers blocking access to the testing site Dec. 7.
The pre-1980 map of the four dumping areas recalled by workers, as well as the 1995 map and 2000 map, show that this area running through the dog park’s south field and beyond the fence is part of area “B” of the known dump. This broad ridge seen below is more likely, therefore, to contain radioactive and chemical waste the closer to the main dumping arroyo to the east between the Barrington Recreation Center and MacArthur Field.
(Click thumbnail to view entire photograph)
Looking through dog park's south field
access gate to the broad untested ridge.
Dumping area "B" runs south through this
fence. This area hasn't been tested yet.
Untested ridge with VA mental health
facilities in background.
Above and right: untested ridge between arroyos. In the early 1980s, nuclear watchdog Dan
Hirsch of the Committee to Bridge the Gap, was told to look for tell-tale signs of possible waste
burial by locating odd areas with no vegetation.
Brentwood Theatre is across main dumping arroyo from untested ridge which shows signs of
obvious dumping of old material above and right.
Above is a drain that comes at the confluence of the two arroyos, including the main dumping
canyon.
The VA's contractor testing team will examine this water for radiation and chemicals.
A dry ditch.
Evidence of dumping
behind Brentwood Theatre
One of the mysterious mounds
This appears to be some kind of
tubing protruding from a mound.
Whether these areas above and right, which
correspond to area "B", will be shorn of
vegetation and tested remains to be seen.
Another photo of the radioactive
syringe that was found by the Brentwood
School-related pile.
Above and right: a 'hot' ceramic chip is found on the surface between one of the mysterious mounds.
This photo shows a radiation reading of 71 counts per minute (CPM) when held about three feet off the ground,
which is about double the approximate 35 to 40 CPM that similar soil not impacted by dumping normally registered.
A small bottle, perhaps lab waste, was
found on one of the mounds shown above and right.
The ambient radiation readings for the mounds
were about double normal background for the area.
Bare and vegetated areas match maps of dumping area "B".
Exclusive 2019 Update: VICTORY AT THE VA – West LA Veterans Administration master plan protects old nuclear dump from development
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