Lockheed Martin had bought the site from the original owner, the American Berylium Company. They didn't know the level of pollution but at purchase they assumed legal responsibiltiy of the contaminated site. This responsibility expanded to cover the 200-acre pollution plume which had seeped into the town's groundwater.
The cancer-causing agents like trichloroethylene (TCE), common machine degreaser, makes the ground water prohibitively dangerous. Lockheed has acknowledged that it will take 50 years to restore the town to pre-toxic levels. Despite this, they have refused to locate the 80 homes of this historic town.
The terms of the settlement have not yet been made public by the company or Tellevast residents.
Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/09/15/1825260/lockeed-martin-residents-near.html#ixzz0zcFPep5S