– George AFB’s Weapons Storage and Assembly Area and Southeast Disposal Area

The Southeast Disposal Area’s RW-09 radioactive disposal site is physically located about a ¼ mile upstream of the Drinking Water Supply Wells for George AFB, Adelanto, CA, several homes, and the former Victor Valley Country Club.  Unfortunately, the groundwater flows northeast from the SEDA, directly toward these drinking water supply wells.  This created a potential exposure to tens of thousands of civilians, and military personnel and their family members over the years.

George AFB’s Weapons Storage and Assembly Area and the Southeast Disposal Area (SEDA) Unlined and Unpermitted Disposal Sites

The Southeast Disposal Area (SEDA) had 11 Installation Restoration Program (IRP) sites (unpermitted dump-sites and unpermitted burn pits) containing: Avgas, VOCs and weapons’ residue; industrial, chemicals, heavy metals, and/or radioactive wastes.

1. SS-52 (SEDA) – “Creosote Spill Area” – Creosote
2. DP-15 (SEDA) – “Munitions/Oil” – Perchlorates
3. DP-33 (SEDA) – “Munitions Burial” – Perchlorates
4. DP-34 (SEDA) – “Munitions Burial” – Perchlorates
5. WP-40 (SEDA) – “Chemical Toilet Sludge”
6. LF-07 (SEDA) – “Base Landfill”
   1. Grenade Range – hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX)
7. LF-08 (SEDA) – “Tetraethyl Lead Disposal” – Avgas,  Tetraethyl Lead – Benzene – Ethylene dibromide (EDB)
8. DP-10 (SEDA) – “Landfill Cartridges” – Perchlorates
9. RW-09 (SEDA) – “Radioactive Disposal” – Radioactive Isotopes
10. SR-401 (SEDA) – “Small Arms Range” – Lead – Perchlorates
11. XU-400 (SEDA) – “Old Borrow Area (OB/OD)”
12. Grenade Range – RDX

My 1973 Radiation Exposure In Southeast Disposal Area (SEDA)

This newspaper article discusses my accidental radiation exposure in the SEDA with inhalation and ingestion of the hot particles, which occurred in 1973 while I was stationed at the former George Air Force Base.

Newspaper article – GAFB Airman [Frank Vera] Exposed to Radiation – 1 July 1994

Timeline and Supporting Documents pertaining to my radiation exposure

The “Off The Books” Environmental Assessment And Cleanup Of Radioactive Material

1979-xx-xx Sabol – Radioactive Waste Investigation Southeast Disposal Area (SEDA)

News Article – Low-level radioactive dump discovered at George AFB

1985-09-01 News – Low-level radioactive dump discovered at George AFB

1990-10-21 DOD – George Air Force Base Federal Facility Agreement

Weapons Storage Areas (WSA) / Buried Radioactive Weapons Maintenance Waste

2003-05-08 AF – Buried Radioactive Weapons Maintenance Waste

The Atomic Energy Act [42 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.] and Executive orders concerning the handling of “restricted data” and national security information prohibit the disclosure of information about the nuclear defense program. This includes information about any environmental contamination or accidental exposure to radioactive material from nuclear weapons development, testing, accidents, incidents, or maintenance.

“Restricted Data” (RD)

The Atomic Energy Act defines “Restricted Data” as all data concerning

• Design, Manufacture, or Utilization of Atomic Weapons
• Production of Special Nuclear Material
• Use of Special Nuclear Material in the Production of Energy

“Formerly Restricted Data” (FRD)

Classified information that has been removed from the Restricted Data category after DOE and DoD jointly determine that it

• relates primarily to the military utilization of atomic weapons and
• can be adequately safeguarded in a manner similar to NSI
• Examples of Formerly Restricted Data
• Stockpile quantities
• Weapons safety & storage
• Yields
• Locations

Source: Classification of Nuclear Weapons-Related Information …