Is Parcel G at the Hunters Point Shipyard as safe as Mount Rushmore?

Dr. Kathryn Higley of the US Navy assured Bayview residents at the Hunters Point Citizens Advisory Committee meeting that radiation exposure from the former shipyard is low and comparable to a weeklong trip to Mt. Rushmore. Resident Lonnie Mason challenged this assertion, citing personal tragedies, including the cancer deaths of three family members. Higley explained that radiation levels at “Parcel G” averaged just over one millirem, a measurement deemed "not even detectable.

" However, she admitted researchers cannot ascertain the effects of radiation levels below 10,000 millirems. Residents remained skeptical, especially in light of past fraudulent cleanup efforts by Tetra Tech, the Navy's contractor. Environmental Coordinator Michael Pound reported on remediation efforts, stating that all buildings had been scanned and cleared for demolition set to begin in February. A separate presentation on sea level rise indicated potential flooding risks that could disturb radioactive waste at the site. The meeting ended with unresolved tensions, with residents demanding more transparency from Navy officials.