THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE (06/12/11)
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On this site we were one of the first to educate people about the Precautionary Principle. Simply stated if there is any one fact that adversely impacts life and by that I mean all life - everything, must stop and the necessary evaluation done.
Here is San Francisco we do have the Precautionary Principle on our books, it is law, it is an Ordinance not a Resolution that has clout. Yet, our inept San Francisco Supervisors and our past and present Mayors - have not used this law, this wisdom that is followed in many of the better Nations all over this Earth - to address pollution, adverse impacts, and to bring about sound mitigation, abatement, and the evaluation of any project using empirical data, the latest technology, common sense - a win, win - situation for all. Some sound information about the Precautionary Principle. Our San Francisco Planning Department has chosen to create fake Environmental Impact Reports. Big Developers have used money to fund the SF Planning Department and we saw this with Lennar, a Rogue Developer and the role of a past Planning Director Dean Macris - who had his own staff and access to anything and everything at the SF Planning Department. If Lennar, the Rogue Developer had used the Precautionary Principle thousands of innocent people would not have suffered. Lennar, knowing well - it was breaking the law; graded a large area on Parcel A at Hunters Point in San Francisco - and spewed toxic dust, dangerous particulates, Asbestos friables, and radiological elements - into the air. The Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Toxic and Substances Control, the Regional Water Department, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the San Francisco Health Department did not lift a finger. And there were others all complicit and many of them just happened to be African Americans. We call them sell outs because they were on the pay roll of Lennar, a Rogue Developer who now is tittering, broke, and soon will be history. As human beings, if we at all comprehend the basics, and our scientists and others point to us the baseline of certain standards, and proven empirical data, what is good and what is not. We must pay attention. However, again and again our so called Regulatory Agencies will take money, listen to corrupt forces, including so called Representatives; who do wrong and turn their backs on the constituents they must - serve. Not once did Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi speak against Lennar. The same with Senator Diane Feinstein, George Miller, the many in Sacramento who Represent, did not have the guts to take a stand and stand with the people who are suffering - on a continuous bases. 0ne Senator Mark Leno took money sided with Lennar and soon will be history. The others I could name but you can wallow in your shame and the mediocre representation at California's State Capitol that is broke and lacks leadership. The Precautionary Principle is about common sense and as I said all over the world it has been used to do much good. Shame on San Francisco, it is not looking at evaluating projects at Park Merced, Treasure Island and Yerba Buena, and at Hunters Point on Parcel A and the 10,500 contemplated at Hunters Point and Candle Point. Such blatant disregard will come to haunt San Francisco as it has Vallejo, California. Our Universities be it the San Francisco State University, City College of San Francisco, the University of San Francisco, Golden Gate University - have not stepped up to address the Precautionary Principles linked to Housing, Transportation, Health, the welfare of our children, our mothers, others that have fallen prey to Big Developers and their ploys and machinations. It is a shame when the houses of learning cannot discern and fall prey to nefarious powers; that keep talking the talk but cannot walk the walk. Shame on SF City Departments that must represent and do right by the people but do not; they see and know our children are suffering and yet do not lift a finger to address the situation. Inept SF Supervisors who have lost all respect and today at City Hall are looked down upon. I could name them but it would do no good. All this in one of the richest cities, San Francisco, in the world but poor when it comes to common sense, compassion, and the use of best practices. For more information, download this document in PDF format from the World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology: |
