From the 1920s to the 1990s, Lockheed Martin (formerly Lockheed Aircraft Company during these years) designed, built and tested airplanes, aerospace components and industrial equipment at facilities in Burbank, California. Following the discovery of aquifer contamination in the area in the 1980s, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established a Superfund site for the San Fernando Groundwater Basin. Lockheed Martin has worked closely with the EPA, the Division of Drinking Water and the cities of Burbank, Los Angeles and Glendale for more than 30 years to assist with and fund groundwater cleanup efforts for the San Fernando Valley.  

In 2018, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), Burbank Water & Power (BWP) and Lockheed Martin signed agreements to enhance groundwater cleanup in the area by expanding regional infrastructure. This effort will use three wells to extract groundwater from the North Hollywood eastern area of Los Angeles. The water will be conveyed to the Burbank treatment plant. The treated groundwater from Los Angeles will then be returned to LADWP’s potable water distribution system via a new pipeline linking BWP water infrastructure with the LADWP system. Lockheed Martin is funding the new pipeline and related projects as part of a comprehensive groundwater cleanup effort under EPA oversight. Once complete, the pipeline is estimated to result in an additional 1.5 billion gallons of potable water, equivalent to a year’s supply for approximately 7,000 households and a $170 million savings on imported water purchases by LADWP over the next 30 years, helping relieve water scarcity and supporting the local community.

In 1929, the Glenn L. Martin Company, a predecessor to Lockheed Martin, purchased land in Middle River, Maryland, to build and test aircraft. Today, Lockheed Martin conducts engineering and research at the site. In the 1990s, excavations and a conceptual revitalization plan prompted questions about environmental conditions at the Middle River Complex and Martin State Airport. Since then, Lockheed Martin has performed extensive environmental studies — assessing, testing, monitoring and cleaning up where necessary throughout the complex under the Maryland Department of the Environment’s Land Restoration Program.

Lockheed Martin engaged with the local community throughout the remediation and restoration process. The community’s input helped shape plans to plant a pollinator meadow in one area of the restoration site. In early 2022, 12 acres of former remediation area were planted with more than 15 native species of grasses and wildflowers, including butterfly milkweed, broomsedge, black-eyed Susan, purple coneflower and little bluestem. These plants support all life stages of a variety of insects, including bees and butterflies, and provide cover and food for many bird species. The plant species were selected to attract and support pollinators and other native animals, providing habitat for declining pollinator populations and a more sustainable ecosystem for the Middle River community.