Boeing accused of discharge violations at Santa Susana Field Laboratory

LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board staff proposed a nearly $600,000 penalty against The Boeing Company for 39 stormwater discharge violations at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory in Ventura County.

The alleged violations occurred from January 2023 to March 2025 and involved discharges of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), lead, mercury, manganese, iron, sulfate and pH

The Los Angeles Water Board tentatively plans to hold a public hearing on Feb. 26, 2026, and solicit comments before considering whether to approve the proposed penalty, officially known as an administrative civil liability.

“The proposed penalty holds the company accountable for its actions and is a necessary step to protect the waterways that continue to receive runoff from the site,” said Russ Colby, the board’s assistant executive officer.

The former field laboratory sits on a plateau that spans 2,850 acres, 30 miles from downtown Los Angeles. From 1947 to 2006, Boeing and its predecessors, along with NASA and the Department of Energy, engaged in the research, development, assembly and testing of rocket engines, small-scale nuclear reactors and chemical lasers at the site. Although the facility closed in 2006, extensive soil and groundwater contamination remain due to the past industrial activities. Stormwater runoff may carry pollutants to nearby creeks, affecting water quality. These creeks are not drinking water sources.

In 2022, the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) announced a comprehensive framework that established strict cleanup protocols and timelines for Boeing. The framework involves two agencies within CalEPA: the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) and the Los Angeles Water Board.

Under the framework, DTSC oversees soil cleanup and the regional board monitors water quality. The penalty proposed today is not enforcement under the 2022 comprehensive framework; it is a separate enforcement action.

More information about the regional board’s enforcement activities can be found on its website.

With approximately 10 million residents, Los Angeles is the most densely populated region in the state. It encompasses all the coastal watersheds of Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Land use varies considerably. In Ventura County, agriculture and open space exist alongside urban, residential and commercial areas. In northern Los Angeles County, open space is steadily being transformed into residential communities. In the southern part of the county, land uses include urban, residential and industrial.