THE DAILY KERNEL

Back in April I noted that the time crunch was on to develop cleanup remedies for the Public Health Service Hospital.  The two landfill remediation projects need to happen so the Presidio Trust can move ahead with development plans.  We’ve worked pretty hard over the last several weeks and the team (Presidio Trust, National Park Service, Department of Toxic Substances Control, San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, Presidio Restoration Advisory Board) is meeting tomorrow with senior management (from the same agencies) to work over various proposals.  We may be close to a resolution, but I’m sure that many concerns will be raised by all parties before a final proposal moves ahead.

– Doug Kern

Tags: Remediation by Doug
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Save the date!  Project WISE (Watersheds Inspiring Student Education) will present their findings on May 28th and 29th at two completely different sessions.  

• 2008 Project WISE Environmental Science Symposium
• My Health, My Park, My Community
• WHERE:    Crissy Field Center in the Gathering Room
• WHEN:     May 28 and May 29; 2:00-3:30pm
• WHAT:     Presentations of results of final projects
• TOPICS:   Projects include bioremediation with mushrooms, wetland filtration studies, Presidio tap water quality, effectiveness of water filters, safe and effective cleaners, lead in our Park and our environment, mercury in the Bay and in your body, low level ozone in the park, carbon dioxide studies, presence or absence of coliform in Lobos Creek, geologic modeling, and sand crab monitoring 

Tags: Education by Doug
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Late in 2007 thousands of cubic yards of waste from former Army operations were hauled away from two remediation sites, just south of the Golden Gate Bridge. A landslide develops after the cleanup is complete and prevents the reopening of Baker Beach for public use near the area of potential landslide. This video explores the cleanup sites and takes a look at the landslide at the end of April 2008.

Tags: Remediation by Doug
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Today, we visit the Coyote Gulch restoration site in the Presidio of San Francisco. Formerly known as “Baker Beach Disturbed Area 3″ this site contained tens of thousands of cubic yards of waste, filling the ravine to the rim. In 2004, this waste was removed by the Presidio Trust and later replanted and restored by the National Park Service and the Trust. Removing the waste revealed a small creek flowing down to the beach which now supports wetland plants. Insects, birds and mammals have since recolonized the area. And that’s how the restoration cycle works. Coyote Gulch — a great example of what the Presidio of San Francisco can be.

– Doug Kern

Tags: Remediation, Restoration by Doug
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At the February 25, 2008 San Francisco Board of Supervisors Land Use and Economic Development Committee hearing the Supervisors offer their concluding remarks including Supervisor Alioto-Pier’s desire to convene a meeting of the various parties to resolve the contamination problems at Mountain Lake.

Tags: Remediation by Doug
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At the February 25, 2008 San Francisco Board of Supervisors Land Use and Economic Development Committee hearing Friends of Mountain Lake Park President, Kate Scanlon speaks about the value of Mountain Lake to the local community. Rich Shrieve, with Friends of Mountain Lake Park since 1980 talks about human impacts to the lake and his frustration with potential legal action among the agencies.

Tags: Remediation by Doug
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At the February 25, 2008 San Francisco Board of Supervisors Land Use and Economic Development Committee hearing Presidio Trust Executive Director Craig Middleton confirms that Mountain Lake does need to be cleaned up and that stormwater does need to be diverted away from the lake.

Tags: Remediation by Doug
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At the February 25, 2008 San Francisco Board of Supervisors Land Use and Economic Development Committee hearing Caltrans spokesperson, Dan McElhaney, answers that Caltrans will share in the responsibility for cleaning up Mountain Lake at the Presidio of San Francisco. But does he commit his agency to any action other than meeting with other parties? Does the stalemate continue? You be the judge.

Tags: Remediation by Doug
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At the February 25, 2008 San Francisco Board of Supervisors Land Use and Economic Development Committee hearing Caltrans spokesperson, Dan McElhaney, discusses how Caltrans wants to be a good neighbor and share in the responsibility for Mountain Lake at the Presidio of San Francisco. He makes a claim (at about 2:40 into the video) that Caltrans’ portion of the runoff into Mountain Lake is only about 5% of the total. Highway 1 outlets drain stormwater from the roadway directly into Mountain Lake. Lake sediment testing shows high levels of lead near these stormdrains.

Tags: Remediation by Doug
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At the April 25, 2008 San Francisco Board of Supervisors Land Use and Economic Development Committee hearing Presidio Restoration Advisory Board community member, Doug Kern, comments on the nature and extent of lead and pesticide contamination in Mountain Lake at the Presidio of San Francisco.  

Part 1 of Doug Kern’s comments appears below.

And Part 2…

Tags: Remediation by Doug
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