Alert: Parcel E2 Proposed Plan out for Public Comment

THE NAVY HAS PROPOSED ITS PLAN FOR THE HUNTERS POINT SHIPYARD'S MOST CONTAMINATED PROPERTY

– THE INFAMOUS PARCEL E2

On, September 7, 2011, the Navy released its Proposed Plan for addressing the toxic and radiological contamination of Parcel E2 of the Hunters Point Shipyard.  A Proposed Plan is like a Draft Environmental Impact Report in that the Navy must include public commentary in the official (Administrative) Record of the proceedings and respond.  This is your only chance to comment on the official record.  Public comment runs through October 24^th.  The Navy will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, September 20^th at the Southeast Community College facility at 1800 Oakdale in the Alex Pitcher Community Room (downstairs) at 6pm.


Link to the Navy's Proposed Plan


WHY THIS ISSUE IS IMPORTANT TO SAN FRANCISCO?

Parcel E2 is the most contaminated portion of the Shipyard. The Shipyard is the City's only federal Superfund site making Parcel E2 the most contaminated portion of San Francisco's waterfront.   Parcel E2 is the infamous landfill that erupted into fire in August of 2000 and burned underground for more than 6 months.  Bayview Hunters Point is already the most polluted community in San Francisco – even without the considering the Shipyard.  This community deserves the best possible cleanup that can be mustered.  


Attached you will find an Arc Ecology Alert on the subject as well as the Navy's actual Proposed Plan.  The Plan itself is short and relatively easy to read, just 28 pages including references.  (It is based on nearly 20,000 pages of documents Arc Ecology is currently reviewing over again for our comments.)


We would very much appreciate it if people could send in comments based on your evaluation of the plan (we can help, if you want).


However we would also appreciate your support in asking the Navy to:

•    honor Proposition P, the  referendum that called on the Navy to clean the Shipyard to the highest attainable level that passed by an overwhelming 87% of City voters (93% in Bayview) in 2000;
•    grant an extension to the public comment period to well after the elections, so that people engaged in this important vote can also participate in this critical decision about the Shipyard.

This is an incredibly important environmental justice issue.  Please take a few minutes to help and show your support.  If you want to get further engaged, please let us know – 415-643-1190 or info@arcecology.org.

Redevelopment of San Francisco's Hunters Point clears court hurdle

San Francisco can go forward with the redevelopment of the Hunters Point Shipyard after a San Francisco Superior Court judge ruled in favor of The City in an environmental lawsuit.

Judge Ernest Goldsmith found that the report complied with California law. However, he said that if The City authorizes an early transfer of any property on the site from the Navy to the developer, further environmental review would be required. That leaves the Navy in charge of cleanup.

Read more at the San Francisco Examiner

Sidewalk dumping is costly blight in San Francisco - SF Examiner

Back in November, I posted something about this that was in the SFWeekly, but am posting it again because it's important, and even some friends of mine, who know that I tweet 311 DAILY to report illegal dumping in my neighborhood, have thought nothing of leaving their own trash on the sidewalk for the city to pick up. Thankfully, in the years since I started calling 311, I've actually noticed that the amount of trash dumped near my home has been reduced.  Unfortunately, it hasn't stopped.

Especially in the Bayview, with our freeway and rail overpasses acting as protection for the scofflaws, we have a real problem with people from outside coming into our neighborhood, transients, and with local residents dumping their trash illegally. When you see trash dumped illegally, CALL 311 and report it!

DPW's Mohammed Nuru writes for the SF Examiner,

There is a misconception that if no one picks up your old stuff, there is a planned and budgeted city service that collects the items from sidewalks — things like that old busted fridge or an outdated exercise bike. There is no such service. When The City is picking up sidewalk debris, it is responding to a complaint about sidewalk dumping from nearby residents. The City receives a call and the Department of Public Works sends someone out to pick up and haul items to the transfer station.

What residents do not know is that they are already paying for this service in their monthly refuse bill. In simple math, residents are paying twice to get rid of their junk. It is included in your monthly refuse bill already and we all pay again when Public Works hauls away the items on the taxpayers’ dime.

At a time when The City is tightening its belt, it is paramount that residents take advantage of easy ways to save money, and this is one of them. Save The City $4 million by keeping junk off sidewalks, and that means $4 million more for other services.

Read more at the San Francisco Examiner

Superfund site in San Francisco proves toxic for Navy, neighbors - SF Public Press

The SF Public Press writes,

A year after the dissolution of the Restoration Advisory Board for Hunters Point Shipyard, the Navy says it will introduce a new community involvement plan that it says emphasizes diversity.

The announcement follows the White House’s reconvened interagency effort on environmental justice, which held its first meeting under the Obama administration in September. The group is creating a four-year road map to develop “stronger community relationships” and targets “overburdened communities.” The next meeting is set for April.

But longtime Bayview residents are skeptical about local agencies’ interest in community involvement since the advisory board’s dissolution. While government officials and activists both say that engaging the community in the cleanup process has not worked as intended, few of those involved are willing to accept blame for the communication failures.