SAN FRANCISCO—A City Hall hearing Tuesday did not dispel concerns of possible radioactive threats on Treasure Island. The Board of Supervisors invited experts to testify on the ongoing radioactive cleanup and possible health risks for residents.
Treasure Island is an artificial island in the San Francisco Bay and famous for its scenic views. Being initially built as the site for the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition, it served as a U.S. Naval Base for more than 50 years.
After the Navy left in the early 1990s, the county of San Francisco began leasing the island—with big plans for new neighborhoods in mind.
Treasure Island Development Authority (TIDA), a public benefit agency dedicated to the economic redevelopment of the former naval base, wants to develop up to 8,000 homes and more than 200,000 square feet of commercial, office, and retail space on the 535-acre island. Additionally, it plans to include extensive parks and open spaces, and wants to establish the isle as a prime event venue.
Because the Navy once used the site for radiological warfare training, the island, located between San Francisco and Oakland, has been undergoing a radioactive clean up.
In recent months, reports that Navy contractors have mishandled the radioactive material, and put children at risk, have put the island’s current population of nearly 2,000 on alert.
In response, the city has begun asking state institutions, including the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), to review the Navy cleanup process.
Supervisor Jane Kim, of District 6—which includes Treasure Island—said on Tuesday that she wants to “ensure the health and human safety of residents and workers” on the isle.
Bob Burns, radiological expert and chief executive officer of NGTS, one of the agencies to review the cleanup, testified at the hearing. Burns confirmed that there are “radiological impacted sites” on the island.
Burns said that this doesn’t necessarily mean there is radioactive contamination, but nor does it mean there isn’t. He estimates the chance of a health risk at these sites at less than five percent. Despite media reports saying so, he said he is not aware of any elevated cancer rates among residents.
All residential areas have been deemed safe by the CDPH, said Amy Brownell, environmental engineer from SF Department of Public Health. “The areas of uncertainty are not where people are living,” she said.
Kim concluded that while some questions have been answered, new ones have been raised. She expressed particular concern for the Children and Boys Club, and the child care center, and wondered whether they should be re-located.
Independent of the outcomes of these investigations, the board voted Tuesday to extend the lease between the Navy and TIDA until November 2013.
The Navy will host a community meeting at the Casa de la Vista on Treasure Island next Tuesday, Sept. 18, to discuss the new environmental findings.
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