Pelosi, Newsom and Navy Complete First Major Transfer of Hunters Point Shipyard to San Francisco

Pelosi, Newsom and Navy Complete First Major Transfer of Hunters Point Shipyard to San Francisco

San Francisco -- At an event at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard Wednesday morning, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Mayor Gavin Newsom, Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, and Navy Assistant Secretary Wayne Arny completed the title transfer to the first 75-acres of the Navy Shipyard to San Francisco.

"The transfer of this land brings us closer to realizing long-held dreams for the Bayview Hunters Point Community - dreams of jobs and economic development; a safe, healthy environment with recreation areas for children; and affordable housing and a renewed sense of community," Pelosi said. "I thank Mayor Newsom for picking up where his predecessors left off and making the transfer a priority of his Administration, Senators Feinstein and Boxer for their years of work on the transfer, and my friend and colleague Congressman Murtha for helping us finalize the details of the transfer with the Navy."

In 1989, Pelosi won congressional approval for the Navy to "develop a master plan for future use" of the Shipyard. Then in 1990, Congress passed the "Pelosi Amendment" which authorized the transfer of the Shipyard to the city. Over the years Pelosi has secured more than $260 million in federal funding for environmental cleanup and infrastructure improvements for Hunters Point. The transfer was made possible by the Conveyance Agreement Pelosi helped negotiate and that the Navy entered into in March 2004 and was approved by the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency in April.

"The people of Bayview Hunters Point know better than anyone the potential of this land, and their contributions will help ensure a brighter future for the Shipyard today and for future generations," Pelosi said. "I would like to commend the Mayor's Citizens Advisory Committee members who have volunteered so many hours to ensure the people of the Hunters Point Community are represented in the process."

Pelosi has worked to minimize disruption to Shipyard tenants, particularly artists; to include a local hiring preference to provide opportunities for environmental restoration and construction contracts for residents of the Bayview Hunters Point community; and to establish continuing responsibility for environmental remediation with the Department of Defense.

"The Hunters Point community and the Shipyard arts community are very much aware and appreciative of Congresswoman Pelosi's efforts over these many years," Scott Madison, Chair of the Mayor's Hunters Point Shipyard Citizens Advisory Committee, said. "This agreement would not have happened were it not for Congresswoman Pelosi's tenacity and hard work."

"For more than 15 years, we worked to transfer a safe and clean parcel of land to the community," Pelosi said. "As we continue to work to make the shipyard a place of promise, my top priority will remain ensuring the protection of the health and environment of the Bayview Hunters Point community."

http://www.house.gov/pelosi/press/releases/Jan05/HuntersPoint011205.html