The Alameda Point Naval Air Station's Installation Restoration (IR) Program got a little bigger with a 24th site added to this list of the most contaminated properties at the station. As the list of cleanup sites grows, the Navy/Cal-EPA dispute remains at a standstill, with an agreement to disagree. The lack of cleanup progress is associated with an unwillingness on the part of the Navy to accept responsibility for the years of misappropriating costs of its waste management program onto the West End environment.Fourteen years into the assessment and remediation of contaminated property at NAS the identification of contamination continues to out pace the actual cleanup of the toxic waste. Residents of West End of Alameda remain concerned that the pace of cleanup and growing impatience of redevelopment advocates will continue to erode environmental protection standards.
The Navy's interests in minimizing the cost of cleanup continue to be compromised by the tremendous expenses spent to engage in inappropriate dispute with Cal-EPA. The dispute involves compromising environmental protection standards that would subject West End residents to a higher level of environmental contamination than is permitted elsewhere in California. The standstill agreement between Cal-EPA and the Navy will result in duplicative work, potentially doubling expenses to perform cleanup at NAS.
Negative Declaration:
The Planning Commission will accept comments on the Negative Declaration for the Master Use Permit for Alameda Point, at its September 9, 1997, regular meeting. Meetings will be held in the Little Theater at the Historic Alameda High School. Meetings begin at 7 p.m.Site 15 and 16 Removal Actions:
The Navy will host a public informational meeting on Site 16 removal action, Thursday, September 4, 1997, from 6:30 to 7:30 pm. The meeting will be held at Building 1, 950 West Mall Square, Alameda Point. A tour of Site 16 will follow the meeting.Base Reuse Advisory Group Town Meeting:
The Base Reuse Advisory Group will hold a town meeting to update the public on the Reuse Plan. The meeting will begin at 7 -9 pm, Thursday, September 25, 1997, at Alameda High School Cafeteria, Central Avenue between Park St. and Oak St.