Supervisor candidates back Shipyard cleanup

Vote tally: 34 yes, 1 no

San Francisco - Last week, the Bay View asked all the candidates for supervisor in all 11 districts to state, in 100 words or less, their positions on Proposition P, which will appear on the Nov. 7 ballot throughout the City in these words:

“Proposition P: Hunters Point Shipyard Clean-Up [Declaration of Policy] ‘Shall it be City policy to support a full clean-up by the Navy of the Hunters Point Shipyard, to allow unrestricted use of the entire site in the future?’”

Here are the responses:

District 1 candidates

Jake McGoldrick: I support Proposition P, and as a member of the Board of San Francisco Tomorrow I have supported full cleanup of the Hunter’s Point Shipyard by the Navy for a number of years. As Supervisor, I will push hard to make full cleanup a reality. I respect the work of the many activists such as yourself who have worked to bring cleanup to fruition. I am hopeful that with passage of this proposition we will finally see some real movement on this important project and that the people of Bayview Hunters Point will be able to benefit from unrestricted use of the entire shipyard site.

Michael Yaki: As one of the original four signatories to place Proposition P on the ballot, it is simply undeniable that the Navy has refused to accept responsibility with regard to the Hunters Point Shipyard. Their refusal is not only illegal, it is a deliberate snub to the community. It is time to take a public stand. It is time to say “no” to the Navy and “yes” to the community. And that is why I proudly sponsored the placement of Proposition P on the November ballot.

District 3 candidates

Bob Coleman: Yes on P! I have 20 years experience as an environmental activist and attorney, and I’ve been the only District 3 candidate at District 10’s debates, hearing for myself the enormous resentment of citizens over the health impacts of this lingering Superfund site. I share that outrage. Prop P sends the right message to the Navy and other regulators that the site should get funds for a REAL cleanup (to healthy residential standards). I’ll use the Prop. P mandate to end the inexcusable delay, and I’ll follow up and monitor the quality of work until the community finally gets the relief it expects and the reparations it deserves.

Mike DeNunzio: By voting YES on Proposition P, San Franciscans will advocate a legitimate cleanup that will protect human health and the environment. It will also encourage economic development at Hunters Point. Prop P will tell the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that we want maximum protection for our Bayview Hunters Point community. This will also allow additional environmentally safe land use for affordable housing that is so critically needed for San Franciscans. Vote Yes on P! Let’s send Washington a message!

Aaron Peskin: I strongly support Proposition P on this November’s ballot. It is an important step towards ensuring that the Navy cleans up pollution in the Hunters Point Shipyard to a level that allows people to live there safely. As the residents of Bayview Hunters Point know all too well, Bayview Hunters Point unfairly receives a huge portion of the environmental pollution generated in San Francisco. Proposition P is a small but important step towards cleaning up this pollution and achieving environmental justice for the residents of Bayview Hunters Point. All our citizens have the fundamental right to a safe and healthy environment, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or economic standing. 

Lawrence Wong: It’s simple justice for SF to hold the Navy to full responsibility for cleaning up the mess they’ve made. For decades the public has been kept unaware of all the neglect and damage the Navy has perpetrated. Now, the Navy wants to slink away from its responsibility by offering SF a few pieces of silver to somehow take care of an unknown amount of toxins. SF must force the Navy to respond to the health needs of the residents of Hunters Point by helping provide health care treatment for those poisoned by the Navy’s polluting practices. Vote YES on P.

District 4 candidates

Ron Dudum: I support Proposition P. Completely. The Navy has demonstrated by their lack of attention and notification to neighbors of this fire disaster that there is only one solution, complete rehabilitation of the land.

John Shanley: My name is John Shanley and I am a candidate for Supervisor in District 4. I fully support Proposition P. The cleanup of the poisons that have plagued this area is decades overdue. We have a responsibility to the residents of the area, particularly young children most suspectible to such poisons. As a Supervisor, I will do all I can to begin to correct the transgressions of the past against the Bayview Hunters Point community.

Leland Yee: I support Proposition P. Hunters Point Shipyard must be restored to a quality that is sufficient for residential use. The U.S. Navy should be held to the same standards as any business; they are responsible for correcting the problems they have created. The Shipyard is critical for the revitalization of the Bayview and the Navy must be held accountable for their actions. For four years, I’ve been a citywide Supervisor serving the needs of the entire City. To join my grassroots campaign, please call 753-0280, stop by the office at 1611 Noriega, or email me at yee4sunset@juno.com.

District 5 candidates

Rob Anderson: I support Proposition P (except for the comma after Shipyard, which is unnecessary). The Navy made the mess, which means the national government should be held responsible for cleaning it up.
Agar Jaicks: All Hunters Point residents must be given the respect due them by the Navy with a prompt and full cleanup of the Hunters Point Shipyard area. As the proposition language states, the shipyard needs to be detoxified to a degree which would “allow unrestricted use of the entire site in the future,” which I would hope would include enhancement of the area for the full benefit of Bayview Hunters Point residents.

District 6 candidates

Gilbert Criswell: The Navy created the toxic mess. They should clean it up.

Chris Daly: I strongly support Proposition P, because the Shipyard site must be cleaned up to residential - not industrial - levels. City negotiators, who are currently discussing cleanup with the Navy, must get a clear signal from San Francisco voters: the entire site must be made safe, not just for big businesses but for everyday people. Plans are under way right now to build both houses and businesses on the site, and anything less than the most environmentally safe cleanup is unacceptable. Approving Proposition P sets a national standard for base cleanup - one that is long overdue. Vote Yes on P.

Denise D’Anne: I do believe that the Hunters Point Shipyard should be thoroughly cleaned of toxics by the Navy. Further, I believe that the residents of the Bayview Hunters Point area need to have full control over how the land is used. The community that will be affected by any development of the Shipyard needs to guide the development of this valuable piece of land in such a way that it will prevent displacement of current residents and small businesses. 

Garrett Jenkins: I endorse Proposition P. I worked at the Shipyard in 1987 and was appalled at the condition it was in then. Its present condition is just as intolerable. The U.S. Navy must be held fully accountable and should pay all costs for the cleanup of the Shipyard. As for unrestricted use, I hope that we do not forget the homeless veterans who need housing. As a disabled American veteran it is sad to know that 33 percent of the homeless population are people who served our country. 

Davy Jones: I support Proposition P: Hunter’s Point Shipyard Clean-Up and to allow the unrestrictive use of the entire site in the future. The residents of the area have been sick from the toxicity of the site. As president/CEO of Prostate Cancer Resource, a non-profit organization serving the minority community. I know how devastating cancer can be to a sufferer. Therefore, I support Proposition P.

Beryl Magilavy: Yes. One of the City’s highest priorities should be the full environmental remediation of the Shipyard, as well as other hazardous waste sites in the area, such as the Bay Area Drum site and Islais Creek. In addition to immediate cleanup of these areas, the city must prevent future use of these neighborhoods as a toxic dumping ground for the City and determine how the community can rehabilitate and reuse areas that have been damaged by toxics.

Joan Roughgarden: I do support Proposition P and will work on its behalf.

Marc Salomon: Marc Salomon enthusiastically supports Proposition P. For too long, the only affirmative action allowed for communities of color were special rights to toxics and poverty. The Green Party stands with people of color in your fight against pollution and demands a safe and complete cleanup by those responsible, especially when their pockets are deep like the Navy’s. We must ensure a transparent cleanup process as we demilitarize our city, at Treasure Island or the ecological legacy of racism in the Southeast neighborhoods of Bayview and Hunters Point, we know that healthy, diverse communities require a healthy, clean environment. 

Carol Ruth Silver: In the classic book, “Everything I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten,” we learn to clean up the messes we make. The Navy needs to clean up its mess. It is our federal tax dollars which the Navy will use to do this cleanup, which is just and proper, rather than making San Francisco take the cost of the cleanup out of the City budget where it will compete with MUNI and police and fire departments for continued funding.

Hank Wilson: Yes, I wholeheartedly support this proposition. I feel the city attorney should have already filed legal action against the Navy and U.S. government. Also, every time Clinton or Gore comes to San Francisco, they should be pressured, picketed, educated about this issue.We should organize a community protest of their next appearance., or at least threaten it. What a double standard, the Presidio vs. Hunters Point! 

District 8 candidates

Eileen Hansen: I am supporting Proposition P. I believe that this issue has long been ignored by City government and must be addressed. The Navy must take total responsibility for the cleanup of the Hunters Point Shipyard. I will commit to work with the entire Board of Supervisors to ensure that the intent of Proposition P is enacted. I will work to see that this and other environmental issues that have long plagued the Bayview Hunters Point area are finally addressed and resolved. I am not taking contributions from lobbyists and corporate interests; my interests belong to the community.

Mark Leno: As one of the cosponsors of Proposition P, I believe it is of great importance to every San Franciscan that the extensive pollution of Hunters Point Shipyard receive a thorough cleanup. Bayview residents have been more than patient with the Navy over the past 25 years. It is now time for our city to issue the Navy a public mandate stating unequivocally that nothing less than a cleanup plan which will allow for unrestricted use is acceptable. When voters approve this policy statement demanding a comprehensive toxic cleanup plan, it will be precedent setting and will raise this issue to national prominence. A yes vote tells our Bayview neighbors that we share their outrage and concern.

Shawn O’Hearn: Yes, I support that cleanup by the Navy. I went on record at the Democratic County Central Committee and will continue to support efforts to make sure it actually gets done.

District 9 candidates

Lucrecia Bermudez: We support Proposition P. We think the Navy should immediately proceed to clean up the shipyard. As the recent fire clearly demonstrates, the chemical waste left at the shipyard put all our communities at risk. We strongly support to turn over the old Navy Shipyard to an elected council of the community and for the community to decide what to do with it. The Shipyard was built with the blood and sweat of African American workers. Turning over the future of the Shipyard to the Bayview Hunters Point community would be an act of justice.

Ron Norlin: I think that part of the future use of the area would be a community garden and children’s playground. There is a “fire in the hole” right now that no one seems to know what it is that is burning. The cleanup effort should utilize the latest technology and equipment to rid the area of all known toxins and suspected toxins so the area is safe for plants, children, pets and even adults!

District 10 candidates

J.R. Manuel: The Shipyard is very significant to District 10’s economic future and future stability and well being of District 10’s residents and businesses. We all want the Navy to clean the Shipyard, but Proposition P will only waste our tax dollars on an expensive and time-consuming legal battle like last year’s ATM proposition. This policy cannot legally be enforced against the federal government - government has established laws regarding this type of cleanup. As per the Navy’s assurances to me, the Shipyard will be fully cleaned once a viable and community approved development plan is in place. The problem is that we don’t have such a plan.

Sophie Maxwell: With the Shipyard, we have a tremendous opportunity to create new ways for community equity and ownership, housing, businesses, open spaces and educational facilities. We must be assured that this valuable resource is ready and available for all potential uses. The people of Bayview Hunters Point have suffered long enough with elevated rates of cancer and asthma. It is important to support Prop P so that the Navy will hear a united San Franciscan voice say: “Enough is enough. We must accept nothing less than full cleanup for unrestricted use.”

Larry Shockey: Vote yes! I have previously served on the Restoration Advisory Board for the Presidio, the citizens advisory group which oversees the toxic cleanup of that facility. A Restoration Advisory Board exists for the cleanup of the Hunters Point Shipyard, but the Navy has inexcusably dropped anchor in the cleanup and turnover of that facility. This nonsense must stop! The Mayor and the Navy cut a deal to clean the base only to commercial/industrial standards. This isn’t good enough as evidenced by the recent month-long fire. The Army is cleaning the Presidio to residential standards. The Navy can, and must, clean the Shipyard to residential standards. Less is unacceptable.

Hubert Yee: I support the full clean up of the Naval Shipyard. The costs should fall on the Navy, not on San Francisco. The Naval Shipyard should be used in a responsible manner that is beneficial towards the people of Bayview Hunters Point. Affordable housing, a center for job training for youths and adults, and an area for recreation for the surrounding communities should be included. Bayview has been neglected by the city. Now the community is given a chance to grow with new resources, such as the Third Street Rail and the Naval Shipyard. We should take advantage of these opportunities. 

District 11 candidates

Amos Brown: I am in support of Proposition P, the Hunters Point Shipyard Clean-up, November 2000 ballot measure. My legislative record will reveal that I have in the past been an advocate for the Hunters Point neighborhood and for environmental issues that affect all San Franciscans. Specifically, I have supported efforts to close the power plant in the Bayview Hunters Point area. I have fought toward the elimination of environmental racism in the Bayview Hunters Point, as well as other neighborhoods of San Francisco with high concentrations of African Americans and other racial minorities. Accordingly, I am in support of Proposition P. 

Steven Currier: Regarding your question regarding the Hunters Point Shipyard Cleanup Policy, I am disgusted by the corrupt disregard by the City, state, and the federal government in the lack of cooperation in the cleanup policy that the officials in these obvious capacities have ignored regarding the EPA laws and the potential uses of the Hunters Point Shipyard. I have visited this site on several occasions, and I have walked away with the feeling that the children, families, and the people who work nearby are susceptible to fatal health problems due to all the toxic problems that exist at that site.

Douglas Moran: My position is complete support of Proposition P. As a native San Franciscan, I have seen HP and BVHP routinely dumped with environmental disasters no other neighborhood would ever accept. The most recent examples are the proposed gravel excavation yard and the sewage treatment (HUGE TOILETS) facility upgrade that is proposed (both of which I oppose). The month long fire at the Naval base shows that the BVHP community still is encumbered with a huge toxic dump. This incident should serve as a warning to other parts of San Francisco that BVHP requires passage of this important proposition. Although only a declaration of policy, it will serve as a message to the Navy and our federally elected officials (Pelosi, Feinstein, Boxer, Lantos etc.) that the entire city of SF stands behind our neighbors in BVHP and District 10.

Abel Mouton: Same answer as submitted by Lucrecia Bermudez, District 9 candidate.

Gerardo Sandoval: Yes, I support Proposition P. The Navy should clean up its mess at Hunter’s Point. What do they think this is, the Soviet Union? The Navy should not be allowed to get away with leaving a toxic dump behind. The military would never think about trying to get away with it in the Marina. Talk about “Environmental Racism!” Everyone stopped talking about the so-called “Peace Dividend,” but it’s time we started talking about it again. Let’s stop spending money on the military and use the savings to clean up our environment, and invest money in young people instead of building jails. 

Proposition P also received the endorsement of the San Francisco Examiner, announced in an editorial yesterday.