Office of Environmental Management
08/29/2023 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/29/2023 13:40
EM Cleanup Partners Meet With SSFL Sacred Sites Council, California Leaders
SIMI VALLEY, Calif.- The Santa Susana Field Laboratory(SSFL) Sacred Sites Council recently met with senior leaders from the State of California and the parties managing the cleanup at SSFL. The council is comprised of tribal leaders from the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians; Feranadeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians; Kizh Nation, Gabrieleño Band of Mission Indians; and Barbareño/Ventureño Band of Mission Indians. State officials attending the meeting included Moises Moreno-Rivera, deputy secretary for Environmental Justice, Tribal Affairs and Border Relations, California Environmental Protection Agency; Meredith Williams, director of the California Department of Toxic Substances Control; and Julianne Polanco, state historic preservation officer. EMmanages the cleanup work at the Energy Technology Engineering Centerin Area IV alongside SSFL cleanup partners NASA and Boeing. The tribes requested the meeting, presenting an opportunity for local tribal leaders to share important cultural history and meaning of the sacred sites at SSFL with meeting attendees. The council meets regularly and provides guidance regarding areas of cultural importance. Council members discussed the deep religious and cultural significance of their annual pilgrimage to this site, a tradition their ancestors may have practiced for thousands of years.
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