Last June, a report revealed the magnitude of threat facing Bayview Hunter’s Point in San Francisco. The report revealed that the low-income community of color is facing heightened risks posed by sea level rise, which could push groundwater and long-buried chemicals to the surface, unleashing a “toxic soup” of contaminants into the surrounding neighborhood. The rising groundwater presents a potentially catastrophic threat to Bayview’s infrastructure. Roadways will be eroded from below; sewer systems won’t drain; home foundations will crack; sewers will backflow and leak into people’s homes.
This neighborhood has long shouldered the burdens of environmental neglect and systemic injustice. Recognized as one of the nation’s most polluted areas, Bayview is home to industrial rendering plants, data plants backed up by diesel generators, the city’s main wastewater treatment facility, and the infamous Hunter’s Point shipyard—a federally designated Superfund hazardous waste site.
The first thing to know about the land of the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard is that most of it isn’t land at all. With the looming threat of war, the Navy needed more space and fast. Faced with the need for more shoreline, soil was dumped into the Bay to form the present-day Hunters Point Naval Shipyard. The report, issued by a Civil Grand Jury, which is an investigatory body created for the protection of society and enforcement of the law, describes it as the birth of “land” that came with a “junk drawer full of problems.”
After World War II, Hunter’s Point shipyard became the Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory which decontaminated heavily radiated ships coming back from the Marshall Islands. In sandblasting warships, toxic and radioactive waste contaminated the soil. When Hunter’s Point was declared an EPA Superfund site in 1989, instead of removing the hazardous waste, the Navy opted for a common but less-than-adequate solution, placing a cement cap on top of the contaminated soil that placed Bayview in a perpetual state of vulnerability. For decades, the Bayview community has pursued a full cleanup. Now, the situation has taken a turn for the worse due to the impending threats of climate change and groundwater level rise.
The gravity of this environmental crisis is enormous. Bayview residents are grappling with very hazardous contaminants—lead, arsenic, and radioactive isotopes. Despite these alarming realities, there has been little action and accountability from people in power. In response to the Civil Grand Jury report, San Francisco Mayor London Breed refuted the findings and dismissed recommendations for an independent study of the shipyard, perpetuating a disturbing pattern of disregard for the well-being of Bayview residents. Without the resources to relocate or the political influence to demand a clean up in their neighborhoods, residents of Bayview bear the burden of environmental harm.
Furthermore, the Embarcadero Seawall, which protects other parts of San Francisco from sea level rise, is currently being repaired. Unfortunately, it stops where Bayview Hunter’s Point begins. In fact, all sea level rise mitigation schemes drawn up by the Port and City of San Francisco exclude Bay View, leaving more than 35,000 people vulnerable to the toxic rising waters—a stark representation of policy inequity.
There is a glimmer of hope for Bayview—the Navy’s upcoming Superfund review of the site in 2024. As concerned citizens, this is a chance to demand accountability. All Superfund sites are required to have examinations every five years to ensure that the remediation plans are still effective. The upcoming Navy review in 2024 provides a crucial opportunity to change the trajectory of the cleanup efforts. Now is the time to channel concerns, frustrations, and demands for action toward the Navy and other relevant authorities. A key point that concerned citizens can emphasize when commenting is the need for an independent study of the shipyard paying attention to sea level rise and climate change. Public pressure can be a powerful catalyst for change, and it is essential that the Navy’s review process reflects the genuine concerns and needs of the Bayview community. To provide input in the Navy’s actions, please send an email to info@sfhpns.com or leave a message on the HPNS Info Line at (415) 295-4742.