State to clean up Santa Susana

Vowing to conduct a strict cleanup of the long-troubled Santa Susana Field Laboratory, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday said the state wants to maintain authority over the site and won't seek federal Superfund status for the area. Harrison Sheppard and Kerry Cavanaugh in the Daily News.

State officials said they do not believe Superfund status is needed because they are already negotiating with property owner Boeing Co. to clean up the site to the highest standards.

The decision came as the governor also backed off an earlier plan to weaken the standards under which the contaminated rocket lab site near Chatsworth will be cleaned.