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In June, the San Francisco civil grand jury found the city, the Navy and the regulators overseeing the site had not adequately accounted for how rising groundwater could mix with toxics and expose residents to contamination. With the pace and scale of climate change, Bay Area climate scientists are increasingly worried the worst-case scenarios will become a reality, which could mean inundation of toxic sites from both above and below.

The report seemed to confirm what Bayview-Hunters Point residents have long been saying: that the city is not acting fast enough on the issue.San Franciscos supervisors said they agree with most of the jurys findings and have expressed frustration with the city's lack of action on the issue. Walton would like to secure resources for an independent commission and a fast-tracked, third-party study of how groundwater rise could impact the Superfund site and the community. He would also like the city and all federal agencies involved to increase oversight of the cleanup to protect the health of residents.Groundwater and sea level rise has not been afforded the level of review and research necessary to protect residents of the shipyard, and understanding the additional science is important to keeping people safe, Walton said during Thursdays hearing.

Tom Paulino, the mayors liaison to the Board of Supervisors, reiterated the mayors objections to the report when pressed at Thursdays hearing. Breed has said she mostly disagrees with its findings and argues that the city is working with regulators, the Navy and other experts on a response to the climate threat that is robust and appropriate. A five-year Navy review of the Superfund site beginning in March 2023 could include updated climate science.

Paulino said additional elements of oversight arent needed and would be duplicative of the existing structures in place. He noted the mayors team is willing to work collaboratively with the Board on the issue.

The jury recommended the city pay for an independent study, using multiple sea-level-rise scenarios, to determine how groundwater rise could affect toxic contamination in the soil at the Superfund site. Its report also recommended convening a permanent oversight committee to examine and question decisions about the cleanup, and communicate requests from residents and the city to the Navy and regulators.

Sara Miles, a member of the jury, said shes happy the Board of Supervisors is taking the report seriously.

There's no way to erase or make good all the harm that has been done, she said, noting that local doctors have found contamination in residents bodies. Were getting somewhere. President Walton wants to take some responsibility. I think thats good.Bayview community members have also pressed city leaders to take action. Arieann Harrison, an organizer with the Marie Harrison Community Foundation, said that the board is taking a step in the right direction to protect residents, but that more work is needed. It's time to take it to big wigs, she said. We need our Nancy Pelosis to come and speak to the issue too. We need them to stop skipping past our community like we are invisible.The Hunters Point Biomonitoring Foundation tested the urine of Harrison and other residents in the past three years and found high levels of contaminants such as uranium, although those tests were not independently confirmed by the health officials. If I tested positive for that stuff, I'm pretty sure that a lot of other residents will test positive as well, she said.

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SF Supervisors Challenge Mayor Breed and the Navy to Bolster Protections at Bayview-Hunters Point - KQED