Residents Push for Toxic Cleanup in Santa Susana Mountains
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After decades of effort by local homeowners, one of the nation's most contaminated military and industrial sites is finally on the verge of a clean-up. It's in the Santa Susanna Mountains between the San Fernando and Simi Valleys, and it's surrounded by homes built before residents ever learned that the ground was laced with toxic chemicals and radioactive waste. We hear how they did it. Also, the increase in hungry people has LA Food banks economizing on Thanksgiving by handing out chicken instead of turkey. On our rebroadcast of today's To the Point, forget the start of withdrawal from Afghanistan in July of next year. The US and NATO have now extended major combat until 2014, even though President Karzai wants forces reduced. We look at the aftermath of the summit in Lisbon.
Banner image: Santa Susana Field Laboratory aerial photograph, March, 2005. Photo: US Department of Energy
Main Topic
Will a Massive Source of Potential Cancer Finally Be Cleaned Up? ()
The Santa Susanna Mountains between the San Fernando and Simi Valleys is among the most contaminated places in the United States. For decades during and after World War II, it was used to test rocket fuel and nuclear materials. In 1959, a small nuclear reactor actually melted down there, an incident kept from the public for 20 years. In the meantime, houses were built on the slopes. But, even after they discovered what they were living on, many homeowners did not move away. Now, after generations of local effort, the state and federal governments have agreed to a cleanup. Midnight tonight is the last opportunity for public comment.
Guests:
- Dan Hirsch: President, Committee to Bridge the Gap
- Linda Parks: Ventura County Supervisor
- Devyn Gortner: Founder, Teens Against Toxins
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Reporter's Notebook
Demand Is Up for Food at Local Area Food Banks ()
With the official unemployment rate at 12% and the unofficial measure higher than that, more and more new people are lining up at 1000 food distribution sites in Southern California. Michael Flood is President of the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank.
If you'd like to know how you can help, you can go online (www.LAFoodBank.org) or phone 877-NO-HUNGER (877-66-486437).
Guests:
- Michael Flood: President, Los Angeles Regional Food Bank
Main Topic
Obama, Karzai and the War in Afghanistan ()
Before this weekend's NATO summit, Afghan President Hamid Karzai told reporters he wants fewer foreign troops in his country to reduce what he called "intrusiveness" of the war against the Taliban into daily life. After the meeting, President Obama said he'll have to settle for increased drone strikes and nighttime raids whether he likes it or not.
Guests:
- Steven Erlanger: Paris Bureau Chief, New York Times, @StevenErlanger
- Ahmed Rashid: Lahore-based Paskistani journalist
- Thomas Johnson: Director, Naval Postgraduate School's Program for Culture and Conflict Studies
- Lisa Curtis: Senior Research Fellow, Heritage Foundation
- David Wood: National Security Correspondent, PoliticsDaily.com
Links:
Underwriters
Which Way L.A.? is made possible in part by the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, the Nathan Cummings Foundation, and the John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation, which supports study and research into policy issues of the Los Angeles region.
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