This is because of all the alien technology they have hidden out there in the hangars. I'm not surprised.

At least there isn't any second-hand cigarette smoke. Everyone knows that stuff will kill you INSTANTLY.

How does this affect the foods that we eat? How are families that purchase food here being notified of this?

It's a shame that our hard working citizens and members of the armed forces are being exposed to this with little knowledge of what's around them. We must stop this from happening and obtain better ways of monitoring toxic waste disposal.

To Concerned Military Resident:

The relevant part of the article says, "At the commissary, 13 air samples were taken throughout the building. TCE was found in work areas at the same levels as outdoor air, while samples were slightly above outdoor air levels for PCE. ...

"Strangely, TCE was was below cleanup levels in both the commissary and the conference center with heating and ventilation systems off, indicating a problem with the HVAC systems in each building, Neither building has systems to keep toxic vapors out of the buildings.

"The outdoor air at Moffett was also tested. In 29 air samples, TCE was found as high as .24 micrograms per cubic meter and PCE as high as .21 micrograms per cubic meter."

In other words, the commissary levels are low where people work (i.e., where food is displayed and where customers gather) and outdoors: "The EPA's toxic vapor limits for a workplace are 5 micrograms per cubic meter for TCE and 2 for PCE, levels designed to protect against cancer from decades of exposure when workers are exposed during a full work week."

The only high level noted is in a crawl space under the commissary, where people and foods are not located. ("The highest level, 6.1 micrograms per cubic meter of TCE, was found in the crawl space under room 110. The report notes there is a crawlspace under the entire building.")

The difference between to two areas indicates to me that the high levels in the crawl space are not migrating into the building.

Perhaps if people just chill out and let Google rent some hangar space, then NASA and the Navy would have more money for things like cleanup.

My husband from NASA just died unexpectedly at 50 and worked there.

Are there public notices regarding this information besides this news report? It is suggested notices be posted of toxic exposure in these areas even the commissary.

All military deserve to have all areas used by them tested and reported back to them with results.

Its bad over there. It is 1940's technology buried in the soils, 1960's radiation experiments, anything goes mentality because its the FEDS prior to 1970. Pam I am so sorry you lost your husband at the young age of 50. Wrongful death, just maybe. This council BTW loves Ames, they can never do wrong.

As an employee in Bldg 210, I can say that the employees (at least in N210) are kept abreast of the risks and what is being done about them. I'd guess the workers that were unaware were only in the building for short periods each day (as indicated in the article), and just as important, were likely contractors (contracts are re-competed every few years and there is significant turnover in the workforce for services contracts). The EPA limits are for 8 hrs a day, 5 days per week, 20+ yrs exposure. As for the source? no need to look for extraterrestrial or radiation causes. TCEs (the primary offender for the MEW superfund site) is a solvent that was in common industrial use for years... mostly in the early chip industry locally.

Several of the people in building 210 at NASA Ames Research Center have autoimmune disease and cancer in the areas testing with high levels of TCEs. Bear in mind, the majority of these chemicals actually came from companies across from Moffett Field on the other side of 101 freeway. The Raytheon site is one of three Superfund sites that are being cleaned up simultaneously. The other two Superfund sites are the Fairchild Semiconductor Corp - Mountain View site and the Intel - Mountain View site. All three sites are located in the Middlefield-Ellis-Whisman (MEW) Study Area. People need to understand the underground water is where the chemicals lie and the vapors come up from underground. The tidal marshes and slough along the shoreline holds the water in keeping it from going away from the Ames campus.

Several of the people in building 210 at NASA Ames Research Center have autoimmune disease and cancer in the areas testing with high levels of TCEs. Bear in mind, the majority of these chemicals actually came from companies across from Moffett Field on the other side of 101 freeway. The Raytheon site is one of three Superfund sites that are being cleaned up simultaneously. The other two Superfund sites are the Fairchild Semiconductor Corp - Mountain View site and the Intel - Mountain View site. All three sites are located in the Middlefield-Ellis-Whisman (MEW) Study Area. People need to understand the underground water is where the chemicals lie and the vapors come up from underground. The tidal marshes and slough along the shoreline holds the water in keeping it from going away from the Ames campus.


The EPA actually raised the acceptable levels of TCEs a few years back otherwise you would see many more buildings on the list here. I personally think TCEs are responsible for my serious illness and the early deaths of other people I know who worked at Ames. The research enter does a good job of keeping its employees abreast of measurements of these chemicals. The ultimate responsibility should be with the EPA and the companies who dumped these toxins into the environment. NASA Ames itself has been commendable in their efforts to test and mitigate the vapors. This is coming from someone who feels greatly harmed from these chemicals. I do think there should be lawsuits. The TCE environmental lawsuit against IBM, where Endicott Massachusetts residents settled in 2015 after almost 8 years of litigation. I did not feel well enough to undertake this kind of drawn out and stressful lawsuit. Attorneys wanted me to be on television etc. Raytheon employees and the company itself have had astounding profits over the last 15 years. Just look it up. I would not feel bad suing them at all. I don't think NASA should be sued period. This article should have explained this background information much better.