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East Harbor Supported by the City

PG&E made a long-shot — and ill-recieved — proposal that the city of San Francisco consider getting rid of East Harbor, also known as Gashouse Cove, according to an article in the San Francisco Chronicle

‘Fat chance’, said city officials (although that is not a direct quote).

The suggestion was part of ongoing discussions about cleaning up toxic soil from two fuel facilities "originally owned by companies that became part of PG&E when the utility incorporated in 1905" that were then destroyed by the 1906 quake, the Chronicle said. The article added that city officials believed the proposal was "an attempt by PG&E to avoid paying for a proper cleanup."

East Harbor is our kind of marina. You won’t find any megayachts there — the largest slip is 35 feet, making Gashouse Cove home to a fleet of small daysailers. With slip space and access already at a premium, East Harbor is one of many essential facilities for sailors on the Bay.

According to the Chronicle, the city of San Francisco wants to dredge the century-old toxic mud before renovating East Harbor, "even adding room for a few more boats." In a meeting with the Recreation and Park Commission almost two weeks ago, PG&E — which has been replacing toxic silt around the Marina for years — made their far-fetched suggestion.

While this might strike a nerve for sailors, we would like to urge calm. It is not uncommon for large corporations to test the waters (so to speak) when tens of millions of dollars are at stake. We’re happy that the city seems to be unwavering in its support of East Harbor, and we’ll continue to follow this story as (or if) it develops.   

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