Video by the Labor Video Project
53:53
The 420-acre shipyard was one of the nation’s most notorious Superfund sites, home to a federal nuclear program begun in 1946 that included a secret laboratory [Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory] where tests were conducted to determine the effects of radiation on living organisms. Military equipment and ships contaminated by atomic bomb explosions were kept at Hunters Point, and the grounds were polluted with petroleum fuels, pesticides, heavy metals, PCBs, organic compounds and asbestos. — SF Chronicle, February 7, 2017
On February 8, 2017, government agencies held a meeting on the state of clean up at San Francisco’s former Hunters Point Naval Shipyard. It was an open format” meeting with poster boards and reps scattered around the room, forcing people to individually talk with reps. This was done instead of a real meeting before the whole audience — presentations by the various oversight agencies and questions and answers from audience which would put them on record for their remarks and which everyone could hear. “A government propaganda show,” said a community advocate. This format was deliberately chosen for lack of accountability.
The Navy representative refused to answer a request to hold a meeting with presentations and debate.
Government representatives included:
Nina Bacey, California Dept of Toxic Substances Control
Amy Browntell, SF Department of Public Health
Lily Lee, EPA Cleanup Project Manager, Superfund Division
Zach?, U.S. Navy
Malia Cohen, SF Board of Supervisors
Community advocates who spoke on camera included:
Marie Harris, Green Action
Bradley Angel, Green Action
Dr. Ray Tomkins, environmental scientist
Daniel Hirsch, UCSC Executive Director on Environmental and Nuclear Policy; Founder, Committee to Bridge the Gap
Comments and interviews:
3:10 Interview of Nina Bacey, California DTSC
16:13 Interview of Amy Brownell, SF Public Health
18:37 Marie Harris, Green Action
20:10 Bradley Angel, Green Action
22:11 Dr. Ray Tomkins, environmental scientist — on the testing
29:13 Interview of Lily Lee, EPA
35:10 Daniel Hirsch (UCSC) questions Lily Lee (EPA)
41:40 Interview of Malia Cohen, SF Supervisor
45:07 Bradley Angel, Green Action
From the Labor Video Project
Cover up blows up at SF Hunters Point Naval Shipyard “Clean-up” Meeting, 2-7-17
At a meeting at San Francisco Hunters Point superfund site, the US Navy, EPA, California Department of Toxic Substances and San Francisco Department of Public Health tried to explain what they are doing about the systemic falsification of testing at the highly contaminated site. There has been on Federal, state or local criminal investigation of the intimidation, workplace bullying and termination of health and safety testers and whistleblowers at Test America and Tetra Tech. The US Navy also said they are still employing Tetra Tech around the United States.
