TENNESSEE HOLLOW WATERSHED PROJECT
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The Presidio Officers' Club is always a nice venue to have a conference, a meeting of the minds, even a workshop. A workshop on the Tennessee Hollow Watershed Project (THWP) was held at the Presidio Officers' Club - November 20, 2002 at 6 p.m. The people gathered were mostly White and did not do justice to the population that is San Francisco nor to the fiscal constraints which are called for in these economic times. The Tennessee Hollow Watershed Project is a dream that looks well on paper. This project is being discussed as a "probability " right now and perhaps for some years from now - a probability with a capitol "P".
The Presidio Trust has conducted many forums, meetings and workshops in past years and set the agenda in stone. At times revealing and suggesting to the PUBLIC avenues detrimental to the majority, which is the PUBLIC - you and I. The Workshops on any topic should give the audience full say in the matter discussed. It is also important to clarify the main elements, which should be open for discussion. For example define what is a marshland, wetlands, lagoon, a cesspool. Right now what we have at Crissy Field is a lagoon many call it a cesspool because it is toxic. The THW Project is being initiated to create some sort of wetlands or marshlands - none of which is possible if the engineers and the hydrologists do not play an important part. Many ecologists, environmentalist, biologists, oceanographers, archeologists, openly criticize what most call a " marshland " at Crissy Field. The present toxic lagoon has been depositing huge amounts of sand it collects from the estuary. The beaches once permitted many sporting events. I know of many International Windsurfers who once loved the beaches at Crissy Field. Today the beaches have eroded - much of the sand that filled the beaches has been drawn into the man made lagoon a result of poor engineering and very poor planning. The National Park Service has yet to state clearly about the existing Shellmounds. It has yet to address toxic hot spots. There is even talk about fuel tanks which have not been removed. Pesticides like Tremac are applied to the lawns. The Crissy lagoon has large amounts of Tremac which contains " agent orange" killed many birds, other living species. Besides water samples from the lagoon contain lead and other toxic contaminants which abound in the near by surroundings. The THW Projects has many questions but very few sound answers! In this case, first and foremost the people own the Presidio because the Presidio of San Francisco is a National Park should be told why in the first place carry out this watershed project. The Presidio Trust nor the National Park Service (NPS) has dealt with the Forest Management Plan, the general cleanup of the Presidio, the aging Infrastructure, not even the Personnel who serve these entities in a righteous manner. The Presidio Trust is top heavy - too many White Management having too much time on their hands doing very little of practical stuff to serve the community. They bring up projects and do no justice to the fiscal constraints linked to the present economy times. We have just concluded many deliberations linked to the amended General Management Plan and the Environmental Impact Report. The Presidio Trust harped that it could not meet its fiscal objective without Lucas the hotels and motels, during the workshops and discussions linked to the amended GMP and EIR. Now the Presidio Trust agrees and sees thing in a different light. At last the Presidio Trust is in agreement with the Presidio Citizens Committee that comprised of a better set of intelligent and wise pool - rather than the ignorant and arrogant Trust Officials who often did not know what they were talking about. Today the TRUST says it can be fiscally viable without Lucas! The Tennessee Hollow Watershed Project has given little thought to the First People who quenched their thirst from the fresh springs. The Strangers in later year would not only rape the land but pollute the fresh springs. They would fill the valleys with toxic debris and cause untold harm to the environment. Even as the Presidio Trust and the NPS thinks that the Tennessee Hollow Watershed Project (THWP) is viable they have NOT figured out how they will pay for this dream project. The 270 -acre plus watershed situated at the southeastern portion of the Presidio was pristine at one time - not any more. Several toxic landfills and the toxic oils from decomposed eucalyptus leaves and more have heavily polluted the watershed. Poor planning and neglect by the NPS and Trust over the last 9 years have caused untold damage. The area has several Shellmounds. While it makes full sense that the First People lived around the Fresh Water Springs for thousands of years. It only makes sense that some of them died and was buried in the surrounding area. The Muwekma Tribe has evidence but time and time again the Muwekma Tribe is forced to surrender proprietary evidence to make our case full proof. The Whites while knowing well they have to abide by certain Federal and State laws will draw the interested parties into the fray and dialog in a condescending manner. At yesterday workshop I had to stand up and state the archeological concerns. Give a history of Loud's findings of Shellmounds and the 1972 Ohlone remains carbon dated to 1300 years all in the vicinity of the proposed planned project. While the dream like plan was being discussed nothing much of substance was spoken about the First People and haunting archeological concerns. They say some dreams come true. In this case we have a far-fetched dream, which has the remote possibility of never coming to fruition. Looming on the horizon is Doyle Drive. The participants who are focused on Doyle Drive have not given much thought about the Riparian Project that is the Tennessee Hollow Watershed Project. In fact the project will meet the Doyle Drive Project head to head near Halleck Street. One will over power the other. There is a possibility both could survive but it will cost billions and call for innovative engineering skills. The bottom line this is a far-fetched dream. You feel good when you are dreaming - once you awake reality hits home - it is worse than the worst hang over. The NPS and the TRUST love to get drunk and create scenes that George Lucas could easily incorporate in his many figment of the imagination films. |
