Given the history of environmental injustice and the high level of pollution in the Southeast corridor of San Francisco, the Potrero Power Plant Citizen Advisory Task Force (Task Force) opposes any new developments in the City and County of San Francisco (City) that will increase airborne pollution in close proximity to housing, schools, or our dense urban population.
Therefore, the Task Force recommends that the Board of Supervisors oppose any new fossil fueled generating plants in San Francisco and require that the City withhold any licenses, permits, easements or approvals unless and until the following goals and objectives are met:
1. Hunter's Point power plant must be shut down immediately upon the commencement of any new commercial generation at Potrero Power Plant.
2. The Potrero Peaker Units 3, 4 and 5 must be shut down immediately upon the commencement of any new commercial generation at Potrero Power Plant.
3. The new generation must reduce potential and actual emissions of air pollutants (PM10s, NOx, SO2 and all other recognized pollutants) in the City, and, in particular, the Southeast Communities of Dogpatch, Potrero Hill, Bayview and Hunters Point from levels that occur without the proposal, separate from the emission reductions achieved with the decommissioning of the Hunters Point power plant. Verification of emission reductions should occur both at the point of emission (the stack) as well as within the local communities.
4. Any new generating facilities must use the best available pollution control technology.
5. The project will employ only Union Contractors and the plant will continue to be operated through an extension of the current collective bargaining contract.
6. The applicant must provide a generous mitigation package to the Southeast Communities to offset any adverse social, economic, cultural, and environmental impacts associated with the new power plant.
The Task Force further recommends that the State of California and the City adopt plans to implement all practical transmission, conservation, efficiency and renewable alternatives to fossil fuel generation in San Francisco through a public process that includes all relevant agencies along with concerned citizens. Plans for such a process must be adopted prior to the licensing of any new generation facilities and the cost of such process borne by the applicant as part of any proposed mitigation package.
In order to successfully achieve these goals and objective, the Task Force recommends that the Board immediately fund outside consultants through the Mayors Office of Economic Development to coordinate all necessary work to comply with these goals and objectives, the cost of which, along with any costs borne by the City with regard to this application, shall be reimbursed by the applicant, should a license be issued to construct new generating facilities at the Potrero Power Plant site.
