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U.S. EPA PENALIZES LOCKHEED MORE THAN $1.3 MILLION

Release Date: 5/2/2002
Contact Information: Lisa Fasano, U.S. EPA, (415) 947-4307

     Company failed operate cleanup system at full capacity
                               
     SAN FRANCISCO -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today penalized Lockheed Martin Corporation more than $1.3 million for failing to operate its pump and treat groundwater cleanup system at the Burbank area of the San Fernando Valley Superfund site at full capacity.

     Beginning in June 2000 Lockeed failed to operate the treatment system at the 9,000 gallons per minute rate set forth in a 1992 cleanup agreement between Lockheed and the EPA.  The large capacity treatment system was built to remove TCE and PCE, hazardous chemicals, from the groundwater at the Burbank Superfund site.  

     "Any reduction in  pumping capacity of the treatment system prolongs the cleanup of the groundwater basin," said Jane Diamond, EPA's Superfund director for the Pacific Southwest.  "Clean water is vital   the treatment system to operate at full capacity to provide this water resource to the community."

    In June 2000 Lockheed informed EPA that they needed to reduce the pumping rate at the treatment system, claiming the aquifer had dropped and the system could not draw the full pumping rate. The EPA, along with the California Department of Health Services, the City of Burbank and Lockeed tested the aquifer and in July 2001 the EPA concluded there was sufficient groundwater in the area to support the full 9,000 gallon per minute extraction.

     The treatment plant operated on reduced capacity for a total of 384 days from June 2000 to July 2001.
 
     The Burbank area was added as part of the San Fernando Valley Superfund site in 1986.  Groundwater in the area is contaminated with TCE and PCE from past aerospace manufacturing operations.