Regional Development:
[Any] idea of saving open space in Livermore so you can put 6,000 homes at Alameda Point is a bogus idea. Even [the Sierra Club's] president, Kent Lewenkowki said he would not support a plan that did not have a viable traffic plan. Right off the top-anything over 1,800 homes at Alameda Point is not supportable. This is a regional issue.

From what I understand, the water allocation for the Naval Station was directed elsewhere and there is presently no real allocation of water for a huge redevelopment plan at Alameda Point. This is a regional issue.

Transit options for Alameda Point would include a ferry. Any plan to move the ferry to the lagoon area it would have to anchor outside of the breakwater making it very inconvenient to most commuters. 30% of the workforce in Alameda works in San Francisco-about 1,500 workers every morning who are potential ferry riders. If each ferry held 200 people then it would mean 7 ferry trips in the A.M. Does that sound likely? This is a regional issue.

Busses may be our salvation but I wouldn’t count on frequent rapid bus systems. Alameda Point doesn’t lead to anywhere else. It is a dead end. AC transit can barely fund the San Pablo and International Boulevard rapid bus corridors. Those streets are not competing with cars through a tube. This is a regional issue.

Gondolas will not work.

What do you think can be done to improve our solid waste recycling program and do you think the City will meet the County’s landfill waste reduction goal?
This is a question I want to ask the Sierra Club. Your club indorsed the SunCal plan. That plan would take down over 200 buildings at Alameda Point. They said they would have a deconstruction plan to reuse materials---really? I just bought CD which talks about Monterey and its urban renewal problems. Many blocks downtown were leveled –huge mountains of debris. Lots of big fires on the waterfront. All that could happen in Alameda if we don’t pursue a reuse plan for most all of those buildings. Building 5 has 1 million square feet of unobstuctable space which is 50’ high. That building would be a wonderful sigh tfor some company. An Aircraft manufacturing/repair company has just leased 170,000 sq ft of space at the New Brunswick ME’s former Naval Air Station. Some one will see the possibilities. The Navy has no hospitals or residents on that site if the building is torn down.

Wildlife Refuge:
The jury is still out on the subject of the runways and the dump sites. The Navy is still investigating. Interesting that when Fish and Wildlife contemplated taking the land, there was no investigation but now that the VA wants it, there is going to be investigation-I wonder about the politics.

Lots of issues. There are two dump sites. One is in site 1 and a larger one in Site two. They have recommended caps on those sites in both places. I my mind that is very risky technology. Lots of questions.

Alameda Point Environmental Restoration:
The percentages according to the Navy and the regulators is 40% ready for transfer, 35% in remediation and 25% still investigation.

The standards between the EPA (both state and federal), Water Board, and DTSC vary but for Alameda Point, very early on, they agreed on common standards. There have been disagreements based on standards that have been “negotiated” too low. We never disagree when the standard is too high.

Alameda energy policy:
Don’t forget that Alameda Point is included in this map. The same issue covers both areas. Why would the Sierra Club want 6,000 homes in an area that is going to be under water in a few decades. It would seem that moving an airport to San Jose etc would be easier than watching 6,000 homes go under water.

Transportation hubs with high-density and low-income housing
First of all you need a transportation hub. Alameda Point is not a transportation hub. Alameda Point goes nowhere. It is a dead end. It is not and never will be a transportation hub until the Oakland cargo terminals close down and we can get another bridge on the west end. Even so why would you want a bridge to somewhere that is going to be under water in a few decades.

What characteristics must a business development project have for you to consider it sustainable economic development that would benefit the local community?
I don’t know what a business development project is. I consider sustainable economic development a benefit if there is, for instance, reuse of the buildings at Alameda Point to provide jobs for the people in Alameda. The building trades have really suffered and we need to get people back to work. The buildings need significant repair and renovation. There has been lots of vandalism due to the low vacancy rate. We need jobs for the people in Alameda. .. We could get those buildings at Alameda Point back in production to provide jobs for the 40% of the workers who drive off the island to work elsewhere.