Glimpses how best those in authority think
they can address environmental issues -
we wish them well.
The Phelps Sewage Treatment Plant and the infrastructure built by the City and County of San Francisco - never created a system - to service - millions of residents - way back in the 1960s - with some hastily prepared upgrades - and community mitigation - that have all but vanished.
The use of the Southeast Community Facility Commission Building situated at 1800 Oakdale - once favored using the now vanished " Green Houses " to collect funds - to give our youth scholarships.
The present Director replacing Toye Moses - who has retired and replaced by some one who is NOT form the community - and less of history of the community - and has FAILED to reach out to those that could have helped him - he is swimming is a " cesspool of his own creation ".
Deferred maintenance and our " hot spots and the many long utility corridors " - prone to liquefaction and severe flooding - foremost will adversely impact service - busted infrastructure - the worst type of contamination.
Never once in all of the discussion - is mention made of the stupidity to tunnel below the Force Main - to accommodate high power electrical conduits. The result the Main Force at 3rd and Marin - right by the Inter-Modal Bridge - compromised.
This matter was reported to the SF Controller Office - who has still not contacted me - over 17 years ago - such are the workings of our City and County of San Francisco.
The Muwekma Sanctuary and Park on Port Property was compromised - this one singular issue and others - are known to many - but it does not help when we are dealing with corruption of the highest order.
Any takers from the City and County of San Francisco - to review and debates - such incidents - and further expose - more of the same - happening right now - at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission among some of the Management making in access of $ 200, 000 plus with benefits.
Once 58 hills made up San Francisco - and the many low lying areas - once cradled water - this land Ohlone Land - where Dinosaurs - that I represent on Land Use, Infrastructure, and in short Quality of Life issues.
Human beings today have encroached - on most of the land - failing to pay attention to nature - stream and rivers - diverted underground.
Further building in and around these riparian areas - where, the inherent flooding - will continue - unless we invest millions - to " contain the water - more during very heavy rain - as we experienced this year 2017.
Superior drainage and manholes, underground containment boxes - huge - some over 26 feet high and as wide as 30 feet.
In one discussion sewer pipes as wide at 28 feet are planned - for the future - and the route taken this time - will avoid areas - prone to severe liquefaction and flooding.
Various methods will be use - to address flooding and related issues.
Prevent pools of water accumulating - this can be accomplished - with eco-friendly plants and trees. Trees have a huge intake of water - the bigger the tree the more the consumption - contributing to less flooding.
In todays world - hundreds of product are there for the landscape architects, the hydrologists to dabble with stop severe flooding - diverting water - in many cases stalling the flooding in catchment areas- and other landscape techniques some of which - we experimented and put in place at the Presidio of San Francisco - way back in the year 1998.
We call them the " Riparian Projects " mostly dealing with steams and rivulets - that from time to time - created flooding problems.
Understanding nature is complicated - but this and other holistic solutions comes easy to those who have their heart in the right place.
You have to be in peace with nature - and those who are inclined and who do not harbor anger and hatred - for those that have standards, more ethics and morals , set a good example by stellar and astute actions - that matter.
Lack of leadership - twenty 24 years ago - created the present mess with have impacted - 1100 miles of sewage pipes - and many of our Force Mains - are in dire straits of repairs.
The over 1000 miles of clean drinking water - also 80 years old plus - and leeching - and no one really cares - besides mentioning the situation at hand - from time to time.
What makes the situation precarious - large tracts of land prone of liquefaction and flooding. The entire area from the Ferry Building to Montgomery Street is prone to severe liquefaction - time will tell.
The many skyscrapers will topple much like match boxes.
Few know that those building - by the Embarcadero - One, Two, Three, Four Embarcadero - their Foundations do NOT touch the bed rock.
Few also are aware of buildings further down - that have been inundated with sewage - again and again.
Some of them visited by Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi and other dignitaries - to raise money - while trampling of contaminated rugs - Delancy.
Most of the pipes are over 80 years old - deferred maintenance - and lack of leadership - kicking the can down the street - has come to bite us in the butt - much soon than anticipated.
San Francisco has a population of about 650, 000 - the day time population increases to over a million and a half - when we have conventions and other large events - baseball games and so on - more human beings - use toilet facilities - and of course use water to wash their hands and for other uses.
Our dual sewer system - one of kind - is tasked - initially, the system could manage to treat the amount of sewage water - not any more - we know this - but those in authority - keep hoodwinking us - failing to report to us and publish - in real time - the many Notice of Violations - this one act - means someone is not following Transparency and Accountability.
We must STOP building skyscrapers - because our Infrastructure right now - on Ohlone Land - cannot handle the situation at hand - and we must learn to respect - Mother Earth.
The wear and tear on our sewer system - is huge - and the many analysis done - reveals - we have NOT been able to address the many - " adverse impacts ".
Mostly because some in management have been " nonchalant " and others - though few - totally incompetent -having no knowledge of engineering, less of environmental issues that matter.
We know those that try to copy others, steal ideas, have Press Conferences without going to proper channel - doing things that are illegal - and so far have been tolerated. No more.
The operations - linked to our City's sewage system - where the heavier objects within our dual system - logs, tires, gravel, sand, other materials that land in the duly system - impede and heavily task the " headworks equipment ".
More - resulting in the failure to control the stench - the gravel, large rocks, sand and other material - impede the main purpose of the " headworks equipment and generally result in total operational failure".
Added to this - some of the equipment has been compromised by
" with intent " - installing parts that do not properly work because the parts are defective.
This results in those monitoring the system - in the collection of samples - preventing them and stalling them from doing their work - properly. What else does anyone want to know?
The many Notice of Violations at the Phelps Sewage Treatment Plant are known - to those in authority.
Those in authority at all levels - have failed in their leadership - and the time has come - to promote some still available within the chain of command - who can step up and deliver - more astute and stellar engineers - who can speak up and maintain standards - to serve the public at large - as best they can.
As the Director of Environmental Justice Advocacy - my interaction with the advocates and the community - has been one of service with humility - for the last 35 years.
Our Black and Brown families have suffered for too many years.
Some of those in Management at the SF Public Utilities are busy milking the Community Benefits - monies set aside to help the community.
Many decision made - behind lose doors and in the dark - decisions made without Accountability and Transparency - by those who handle some $300 million plus - established to better service the community at large.
The Task Force naive with the workings of disbursements - were tricked into asking for 5% of the $6 Billion - set aside for Community Outreach and Workforce Development - those in charge of the divided pot of cash - $150 million each - decided to have a field day.
One of them - was caught and should have been fired - but is still badgering other employees - and thinks she can commit murder in broad daylight - and go Scott Free - I assure you - no more.
A Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Request to one Michelle Peters is slow coming - patience is the Mother of all Virtues - and after that - all hell will break loose. This matter was discussed in the open - before the SF Public Utilities Commissioners.
What do we ask?
Line item - how much money of the $300 million - has been spent - money set aside as Community Benefits - to address help the adversely impacted community more - Work Force and Community Outreach - to main areas - decided by the SF Public Utilities Commission - without consulting the community at large.
It is not right - when some one in the Management - dares to challenge our advocates, those educated on issues - those that have worked very hard - funneling $200, 000 to entities like Green For All.
Thank God this matter was brought before the State of California - Fair Political Action Committee - and one Juliet Ellis was charged and paid the fine.
The SF Ethics Commission dragged the process - finally upheld the decision of the Fair Political Action Committee - but fell short of - telling Juliet Ellis to step down - and more advising her not to work on a Public Enterprise like the SF Public Utilities Commission.
The Community at large - has worked hard and made a lot of sacrifices - to seek progress and real benefits - linked to Quality of Life issues.
What we want - because years have passed - is not demand - more mandate - using the Precautionary Principal - other sound and vetted Environmental Principles.
Please address the many issues among them - " the foul smell and added adverse impacts that have further adversely impacted the community at large - and areas at least five miles in all directions - from the centre of the Phelps Raw Sewage Treatment Plant - in the Bayview situated on Phelps Street.
In the year 2017 - the City and County of San Francisco - and those agencies - who should be doing what must be considered a priority have not been - doing their job.
First and foremost Barbara Garcia the Director of the Health Department - has failed to test the air and water samples - which will clearly show the adverse impacts - on the community and more general the enviroment - over a long period of time - decades.
The City and County of San Francisco - has Department of Environment - that has had no hearing - on the above issue.
With the SF Health Department - has a Division of the Environment - headed by Stephanie Cushing - there has NOT been a whimper form this entity.
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has failed miserably.
The Regional Water Board is fully aware of many spills - half treated sewage - so called secondary effluents - that has adversely impacted the Bay - and compromises all life - daily in our Bay, our watershed, the land in general - and the environment.
Our City and County of San Francisco has the Precautionary Principle on its books:
http://rachel.org/files/document/San_Francisco_Precautionary_Principle_Ordinanc.pdf
The Southeast Sector has suffered more because the City and County has been dealing with Black and Brown people - and thinks that the constituents will suffer for ever - and not take a stand.
This is Blatant Discrimination.
For too long - have we in good faith - cooperated with the SF Public Utilities Commission and Commissioners - they have failed to address and find solutions - failed to address critical issues vetted issues - more environmental - with disdain.
The Sewer issue has been discussed for decades - a matrix that includes " Cumulative Impacts " - " Health Adverse Impacts " - " Failure to address Quality of Life Issues " linked our infants, children, youth, young adults, seniors, those with compromised health - these issues have NOT - been prioritized at all.
This is a slap on the face - of the many constituents - more a drastically changing current - demographics - the usual suspects - crooks mostly Black - keep trying to rake in the thousands - all in the name of helping the community at large - but that is NOT the case.
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