[CPEO-MEF] Skaggs Island

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

[This is a letter from the Save the San Francisco Bay Assocation to the
U.S. Navy. Skaggs Island is a former Navy facility that was closed
independent of the Base Realignment and Closure process. - LS]

David Lewis
Executive Director, Save The Bay
1600 Broadway, Suite 300
Oakland, CA  94612

February 2, 2000

The Honorable Robert B. Pirie Jr.
Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Installations and Environment
1000 Navy Pentagon
Washington, DC  20350-1000

Dear Mr. Secretary:

I am writing again to encourage the U.S. Navy to commit promptly to
undertake all necessary environmental remediation activities at the
Skaggs Island Naval Reserve site. I am aware that the Navy and the Fish
and Wildlife Service have exchanged information about the site condition
and identified contamination, and I hope that this investigation will
lead to a common understanding on the Navy's specific obligations and
the Service's requirements.

Save The Bay has been a strong advocate for transfer of this facility to
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for addition to the San Pablo Bay
National Wildlife Refuge.  The Service is anxious to undertake
restoration of the diked baylands on that site and develop valuable
wetland habitats there.  Because the buildings and facilities isolated
within the 60-acre central campus do not appear to be saleable, it would
be most appropriate to transfer the entire site to the U.S. Fish and
Wlidlife Service for restoration.

The Navy must first agree to complete cleanup of contamination on site
to the standard necessary for the intended reuse by the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, which is tidal and seasonal wetlands on the majority
of the site.  The Navy should commit to removal of buildings on site
whose presence would be inconsistent with the intended reuse.  The Navy
should also remove or remediate contaminants present on site - including
asbestos, fuel and solvents, lead shielding and other refuse - and
should pay the cost of these activities.  We understand that the Navy's
own demolition group and the Army Corps of Engineers may be available to
assist with such activities.

We would be pleased to work with you and other policy-makers to ensure
that these matters are resolved promptly, and that the funds necessary
to meet the Navy's obligations are established as a high priority for
the Navy.

Thank you very much for your consideration.

Sincerely,



David Lewis
Executive Director

Cc:    
Kenn N. Kojima, General Services Administration
Michael Spear, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Felicia Marcus, EPA Administrator, Region IX
Mary Nichols, California Secretary of Resources

-- 


Lenny Siegel
Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
c/o PSC, 222B View St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/968-1126
lsiegel@cpeo.org
http://www.cpeo.org


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