SSFLCommunity Advisory Group

Minutes of July 23, 2014 Meeting

Bell Canyon Community Center

Meeting Called To Order:7:07PM

Members Present: Ross Berman, Richard Brandlin, Sharon Ford, Michael Kuhn, John Luker, Alec

Uzemeck, Kathy Weiner, Abe Weitzberg, Ron Ziman, Tom Nachtrab, Tim Brehm, Barry Seibert

Minutes from the June 18, 2014 meeting were approved unanimously.

The agenda for tonight's meeting was approved unanimously.

I. Valley Fever Dr. Ramon E. Guevara PhD. MPH

Valley Fever is a fungus, there are two strains: coccidioides immitis & c. posadasii

The "cocci", as it is called, grows in an arid to semi-arid climate (dry & parched w/heat) with low to

moderate rainfall 5-20 inchesfyear. They are the major cause of pneumonia in the SW USA

Where can you Contract Valley Fever: The Western Hemisphere

Mode of infection: Airborne particles are inhaled, puncture wound w/ infected object or organ

transplant

No person to person transmission is possible

Habitat: in pockets within the first 6-8" of soil. They become airborne via dust storms, strong winds,

earthquakes, archeological digs, construction.

Spores can also infect animals/pets.

Symptoms: First Phase: fatigue, cough, night sweats, anorexia, pneumonia, red painful bumps that turn

brown.

Second Phase: disease disseminates & spreads out of lungs & progresses to bones, joints,

skin, eyes, brain (meningitis) ,organs. On x-ray of lung, resembles lung ca & results in biopsy.

Of the 100 who become infected, 60 will have mild symptoms, the disease will most likely be

undiagnosed & they will have lifelong immunity.

Of the remaining 40, 37 of those infected will recover of these 3-4 will have symptoms

reoccur; 2-4 will have the disease disseminate. (please refer to our website for pictures of theprogression of cutaneous effects. ssflcag.net) Recovery time=6 months.

Highest risk: males, pregnant, weak immune system, Black, Native American, Hispanic

Prison inmates, military, construction workers, archeologists.

Test: IG antibody

Treatment: Antifungals. (IE) amphotericin B, fluconazole

The Challenge:

Raise awareness of Valley Fever

Lab test must be specified by clinician

CDC reports that 150,000 cases go undiagnosed each year

The fungus is growing in population along with the increase in census. LA County had an

incidence of 300 in 2011 and jumped due to an increase in contruction and disease testing.

Antelope Valley &San Fernando Valley had a large jump in incidence of Valley Fever.

AV= increased by 545%, SFV= increased by 376%, West Valley=increased by 58%

(Please refer to grafts and maps of incident areas at: ssflcag.net)

Case Characteristics: 6% males48% those who live in endemic areas

26% those who are exposed through work

Exposures: 1-4 weeks prior to symptoms

Construction

Earth excavation

Direct ?Outdoor recreational vehicle

Outdoor with dirt

Work in endemic area

Traveled to Non Los Angeles County endemic area

Correlation: .956

Significance of Valley Fever:Costly & debilitating:7S% miss work of school, >40% require hospitalization.

A small percentage develop life long diseases: chronic pulmonary disease, disfigurement or

death.

Proactive approach to minimize Valley Fever incidence:

Keep your windows rolled up and air conditioning on "recycle"

Use mask or handkerchief & limit exposure to airborne dirt

Water down dirt during construction

Tall grasses/trees are natural wind breaks

Treat soil prior to construction: a colleague is working on finding an antagonist to the fungus

Request your own blood test if you suspect

Educate others to the risks

If you suspect that someone is ill with Valley Fever, request a blood test from your physician.

Evidence of Cocci at SSFL:History of high incidence of rates in the West Valley.

Following 1994 earthquake-203 cocci cases in Ventura county with 3 deaths.

(prior year there were less than 60 cases)56% of cases of cocci were from the foot of the Santa Susana Mountains.

When transporting soil from SSFL,it will need to be shielded or sealed to minimize airborne particles.

Questions from the audience:

Recommendations for monitoring of dust control during cleanup

An audience member advised that Ventura County mandates that soil movement ceases when winds

are greater than 25 MPH. And that soil be watered down 4 times per day.

Contact information for Dr. Ramon Guevara:rguevara@ph.Lacounty.gov;

Dr. Guevara's presentation is available at: SSFL-CAGwebsite.

213 637-3607

II. Health Study Panel status & Invitees comments Abe Weitz berg, PhD

Abe reports that he has spoken to every Health Study author reported on in his Health Studies

Summary. And he reports that 6 out of 8 authors have accepted the invitation to be a part of a Health

Studies Panel. Drs Morgenstern & Cohen don't agree to participate.

Abe is currently working on funding for a public meeting.

Abe continued to report that the 2 studies that were conducted specific to the Bell Canyon census tract

shows that cancer incidence decreased by 7.5% from 1988 through 2004.

Morgenstern used census tracts within 2 miles & 5 miles to represent dose effects from SSFL.He found

some statistical increase but stated that distance was a poor proxy for dose. Also, some tracts spanned

both distances so allocation of cancers was unclear.

Dr. Mack, looking at the same census tract, found that in regard to thyroid cancer, there was one tract

with higher incidences in each time frame within the expected statistical distribution.

Where there is clustering of cancer incidences within a family, a common cause could be genetics.

Bottom line, the remaining contaminants at SSFLis no different in type & quantity from contamination

at many other sites in California.

There is no evidence that past operations have had negative health consequences on neighboring

communities. No reason to treat SSFLcleanup differently than other cleanups.

Misconceptions alarm the community about health effects from SSFLand must be corrected to allow a

risk-based clean-up to proceed.

A risk-based cleanup based on EPA methodology and criteria is the way we should go.

Questions from the community:1. Bonnie states that she doesn't believe anything that Abe says. Bonnie states that the Federal

Government Compensation Program has been compensating 7000 SSFLworkers including

herself for the cancer that she has been diagnosed with. Number one diagnosis: lung ca, number

2: bladder ca

Abe responds that none of the studies noted other sources of carcinogens such as dry cleaners in the

area or included information on lifestyles/habits such as smoking.

2. A gentleman from Woodland Hills asks: Why risk the health of others by sending dump trucksfor years through Woodland Hills. Why insist on cleaning it up by scraping it to the bare bones &then trucking it through our neighborhood??

CAG Members responses:

John: Health risks are in every neighborhood.

Alec: Discussed Risk Based vs Cleanup to background

3. A gentleman asked: Aren't they bound by the AOCs?

Answer: the AOCs are not laws they are contracts.

4. How would you feel about it being developed? Sharon asked the community

The National Park Service wants properties of historical significance. They do not want it if it is cleaned

up to background as we would lose all of the culturally significant artifacts/flora & fauna. They may be

interested in acquiring the property following a risk based cleanup, however.

Now is the time to make the case with our legislators. We are on track, not to clean up SSFLto a Risk

Based Cleanup or a Cleanup to Background BUT rather a cleanup to a Political Standard.

5. Someone mentioned the meltdown in the 1950's.

Abe answered: In the SREaccident a maximum of 1 to 2 % of the fuel combined with its cladding and

melted, releasing only noble fission gases which posed no risk to individuals. There is no evidence that

any other fission products were released through the exhaust stack of the reactor. Thirteen of the 43

bundles were damaged. The maximum thermal power level of the reactor was 20 megawatts, which is

about 1/150th of the size of a large commercial power plant. This meltdown took place over 60 years

ago. The reactor was cleaned up, refueled, and ran for an additional 4 years. The last portions of the

building structures were removed in 1999.

John mentioned that there were special interests in Sacramento keeping this controversy going.

6. Mr. Bowling asked why his letter to John was on the front page of the CAG website?

Tom responded: the letter was in the website section on "member's viewpoint" with John's response.

Dave Dassler, Program Director from Boeing commented: Boeing is working toward a Risk Based

Suburban Residential status for the property. To preserve the property as Open Space for the

community to take nature walks etc. Tours of the SSFLcurrently are consistently sold out.

7. A member ofthe community asks about studies on the quantities of pollution from truck traffic

during the cleanup as she lives on Topanga Canyon Blvd.

Answer: The EISwill address the pollution by trucks during the cleanup.

Announcement: DTSCwill be holding 2 public meetings on SSFLCleanup Transportation Options.

The first in Simi at the SV Senior Center from 6-9PM on August 7th and the second at EI Camino Real High

School from lOAM to IPM on August 9th.

Our next meeting will be held on August 20th, from 7-9:30 in the Bell Canyon Community Room.

Don Greenley, a toxicologist from DTSCwill be speaking.

Meeting adjoined: 9:10PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Kathy Weiner

SSFLCAG Secretary