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The Presidio Trust Act, by Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), desperately needed the support of environmentalists to win congressional approval.

The bill did something that had historically been considered anathema to environmental leaders: it turned control of a national park over to a private, unelected trust controlled by big businesses and real estate developers.

But Pelosi promised that this bitter pill would be coated in green: the park's general management plan, she insisted, would prevent the place from becoming an intensively developed office complex (see "Presidio Inc.," 1/12/94).

The Tides Foundation and the Energy Foundation, which were part of the first nonmilitary project at the Presidio, the Thoreau Center, were also key supporters of Pelosi's plan (see "Anatomy of a Sellout," 10/8/97). They all had sweetheart leases at the park – and neither they nor the groups they funded would utter a peep against the privatization of the park.

But now even they are taking issue with the direction the trust is taking. Friedman of Tides told us that the foundation's comments would be along the same lines as those of other environmental groups. And while the Energy Foundation isn't taking a position on the project, executive director Hal Harvey told us he personally opposes it. "I think the decision to develop that whole corner of the park is a big mistake," he said.

The Presidio Alliance, which represents the nonprofits located at the Presidio, is not taking an official position on the project. But it did send out a copy of the National Parks and Conservation Association's stated objections to the proposal.

At the time Pelosi's bill was going through Congress, critics pointed out that the bill gave the trust the ability to ignore the general management plan – and that, in fact, the bill turned the plan on its head by requiring the trust to make financial return the top priority for the use of park land.

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$50.2 Million for Presidio

Appropriations Panel Also Wants Report to Speed Hunters

Point Clean-up

July 1, 1999

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Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco, a senior Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, announced today that the full Committee approved a fiscal year 2000 appropriation for the U.S. Interior Department that includes a total of $44.4 million for the Presidio Trust -- $24.4 million for operations and $20 million in borrowing authority to rehabilitate property for leasing.

In addition, the U.S. Park Service received $5.8 million to cover its responsibilities at the Presidio, including $800,000 for rehabilitation of Crissy Field. The Committee Report also encourages the Presidio Trust and the Smithsonian Institution to explore avenues for affiliation. "This funding," said Pelosi, "will enable the Presidio to proceed at all deliberate speed toward the twin goals of preserving the essence of a magnificent national park and achieving economic self-sufficiency."

Hunters Point

The Appropriations Committee also approved Pelosi language recognizing "the important progress" being made to clean up Hunters Point Naval Shipyard and complete its transfer to the City of San Francisco.

"It is the belief of the Committee," said Pelosi, "that the necessary funding to achieve the environmental clean-up goals at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard should be allocated by the Navy to expedite, and coincide with, the implementation of City land re-use and redevelopment plans."

The Appropriations Committee directed the Secretary of the Navy to report to the Committee no later than January 15, 2000, on the progress being made to complete the timely transfer and redevelopment of Hunters Point and on the compatibility of the process with local revitalization plans. "This provision is important," Pelosi noted, "because it will hurry the reinvigoration of the surrounding neighborhoods and create much-needed job opportunities."

http://www.house.gov/pelosi/presidap.htm