Officials at the U.S. Department of Energy have ordered an in-depth environmental review of California's Santa Susana Field Lab.
While the federal department had previously planned on simply demolishing the former nuclear research site, officials said that they have abided by a recent court order and called for a comprehensive inspection of the site, the Los Angeles Daily News reported.
One of the 10 nuclear reactors once operational at the Los Angeles site partially melted down previously and environmentalists have been concerned about possible contamination in the area.
A call for an in-depth review of the site came after DOE officials announced in 2002 that they would follow a less stringent cleanup plan for the site.
That decision came despite a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report that said the site was not entirely safe for public use.
DOE officials estimated the site investigation would take two years and would likely cost $2 million to complete.
Copyright 2007 by United Press International
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