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Indybay Feature

Community People are in danger per USGS Liquefaction Map

by Maurice Campbell (mecsoft [at] pacbell.net)
Will a poor low income community of color be victimized once again, when clear and imminent danger is avoidable?
san_francisco_hazard_zones.pdf_600_.jpg
Community People are in danger per USGS Liquefaction Map.
US Geological Survey produced a map of Earthquake Hazard Zones in the Bay Area of known liquefaction danger zones so as to prepare people to be able to protect them selves from incidents like what took place in the Marina District during the Loma Prieta earthquake. So on November 17th 2000 they released the San Francisco Hazard Zone Map, if you look at the map and narrow it down to the Hunters Point Ship Yard you will notice Parcel E is included. The same area identified by Daniel Meer of the EPA as "being too dangerous to be removed" the Parcel E liquefaction danger zone which also had, on August 16th 2000, a major fire incident which burnt for months and endangered the health of the nearby community residents. Well lets recall what took place in the Marina District Loma Prieta quake in 89, another USGS identified liquefaction zone which didn't include underground toxic and radiological hazards.

the Parcel E Toxic Fire of 2000 and the warning that is coming from USGS with their current S.F. Hazard map it seems we have a recipe for disaster and at the very least a disaster waiting to happen, which could cost some of the local residents their life or threaten their health. Why isn't this being addressed by the Regulators, (The EPA, DTSC, Water Resource Board and the Developer, and most importantly the City. At a minimum there should be a warning/evacuation plan in place for the local residents. It cost USGS a tidy sum to produce this map and it was designed to prevent loss of life from major earthquakes and identifying major areas where they expect serious incidents, why is this not being addressed? Is it because it is a low income community of color? Seemingly the Parcel E Landfill Cap will not stand up to Liquefaction and the Navy has predicted a five foot lateral movement in a major quake, and that is why a major study is being undertaken by the Navy with one major option being the removal of the Parcel E Landfill. The community hopes and prays that this takes place before loss of human life from Liquefaction in Parcel E of the Hunters Point Ship Yard.

The implications of a disaster waiting to happen is very clear given what happen in the Marina and that wasn't a toxic radiological fire. It is now more imperative this be addressed with the planed development of the ship yard Parcel E is adjacent to Parcel A which is scheduled for starting development as early as 2005, so you can add workers and the possibility of future residents to the mix of who would be endangered and impacted. You be the judge should this situation be remedied before people are hurt? If the situation is not remedied and community members are injured from liquefaction should those responsible be charged with criminal liability?

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Da Community
Fri, Jan 14, 2005 11:16PM
Da Community
Tue, Dec 7, 2004 5:42PM
david erickson
Mon, Dec 6, 2004 7:06PM
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