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An Open Letter to the People of the Bay Area

From Former GGNRA Commissioner Neil D. Eisenberg

Until August 31st, when I was summarily dismissed by Secretary of the Interior 
Bruce Babbitt, I had been a federal commissioner representing
San Francisco for more than seven years on the Golden Gate National Recreation 
Area Advisory Commission, which many expected would be over-
seeing the transition of the Presidio Army Base to a public park land. What I 
witnessed, as commissioner, was an intricate web of collusion between
the University of Califorrua, Pacific Gas and Electric, developers and other 
representatives of big money business interests who are attempting to
hijack the Presidio and create a park where people of color and diversity will 
have no place.

My removal effectively silenced any opposition to this collusion that threatens 
the future of one of the most valuable and historic pieces of real
estate in the world.

What is now planned is the creation of a tax-free, publidy unaccountable, yet 
publidy subsidized, corporation that will operate as a combined
pro-growth corporation and super-redevelopment agency with extensive and awesome
powers. This entity would oversee the carving up of most of
the Presidio between PG&E, the US Army and the UC Med Center and turn most of 
what is left into a business park which would be marketed like
a shopping mall.

The original plan, authored by the late Congressman, Phil Burton, provided for 
public use of the Presidio's recreational facilities as well as pub-
lic use of the Letterman-LAIR Hospital Complex that could have continued to 
provide medical care for the more than 300,000 retired military per-
sonnel in the Bay Area and their dependents.

But instead, the medical facility, which could provide health care for so many 
thousands, will be converted by the UC Med Center to a huge
"bio-medical research facility" where dogs, cats, sheep, monkeys, and mice will 
be subjected to cruel and lethal experimentation in a facility that is
expected to release toxic air emissions and generate hazardous infectious, 
radioactive and carcinogenic waste.

Additionally, the Interior Department negotiated a secret deal that will make 40
percent of the Presidio, induding the golf course, bowling alley,
riding stables, swimming pool tennis courts and 272 buildings, inaccessible to 
the public. And it is very likely that Pacific Gas and Electric will be
paid millions of dollars to take over the Presidio's electrical facilities and 
then sell electricity back to the park at an enormous profit.

While these secret deals were taking place, the public was fooled by a series of
GGNRA "public hearings" into believing that there was actually
public input into the decision making process. But a separate advisory group, 
the Presidio Council, was formed which then convened a coalition of
high power, downtown development experts, behind the scenes, to provide its real
input while $2.5 million was raised from secret private sources to
finance the carving up process.

At 7:30 PM on September 22nd, the GGNRA Advisory Commission will meet at Fort 
Mason. At that meeting GGNRA Superintendent Brian
O'Neill will present the final Environmental Impact Statement on the Presidio 
conversion. But contrary to law, there will be no hearing and no pub-
lic comment.

What the Commission cannot do is prevent the public from attending. For the 
first time in seven years I will be in the audience... and I'll be
screaming mad. If you share my outrage at this betrayal of the public trust, I 
urge you to join me there at GGNRA headquarters on September 22nd.


STAND UP FOR PUBLIC USE OF THE PRESIDIO,
FOR CONTINUED MEDICAL CARE TO THOUSANDS
OF MILITARY RETIREES,
AND TO STOP THE UNPRECEDENTED COMMERCIALIZATION OF A NATIONAL PARK

JOIN US, 
Thursday, Sept. 22nd AT 5:00 PM 
at the Presidio's Lombard Gate (Lombard and Lyon) 
for a rally and march to
Park Headquarters, Bldg. 201, 
Fort Mason, at Bay and Franklin Streets
 for the 7:30 PM Meeting of the GGNRA Advisory Commission.

For additional information, and to confirm your participation, call 415-731-1434
or 415-453-9984

JOIN THE FIGHT
TO PRESERVE
THE PRESIDIO

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[ ] Yes, I'd like to join Preserve the Presidio Campaign and help defeat
HR 3433 and S 1639.

[ ] I have enclosed $                (make check payable to IDA-
Preserve the Presidio Campaign) to contribute to the legal challenges
necessary to stop this outrageous giveaway of a national park to spe-
cial interests.

[ ] Please send me additional information.

Name: ___________________________________

Address: ___________________________________

City : _________________State: ______ Zip Code: ______________

Phone: ____________________

Please return this coupon to:

Preserve the Presidio Campaign
202 Grattan Street
San Francisco, CA 94117
Phone: (415) 731-1434
Fax: (415) 824-9770

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   STOP THE PRESIDIO HIJACKING

To:
U.S. Senator Dale Bumpers (D-Arkansas), Chair,
Public Lands, National Parks and Forests Subcommittee,
Energy and Natural Resourees Committee
308 Dirksen, Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-8115 Fax: (202) 224-4340

HR 3433 and S 1639, which are being considered in Congress and
would set up a corporation to run the proposed Presidio National
Park in San Francisco without adequate oversight or accountabili-
ty.

This flawed legislation will create precedents for privatization, com-
mercialization, and animal experimentation in our national park Sys-
tem.

From:

Name: ___________________________________

Address: ___________________________________

City : _________________State: ______ Zip Code: ______________

Phone: ____________________

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       STOP THE PRESIDIO HIJACKING 
To: U.S. Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt
1849 C Street, NW, Washington, DC 20240 
Phone: (202) 208-7351 Fax: (202) 208-6956

The National Park Service, which is under your jurisdiction, is planning to
change the Presidio, a designated national park, into a business park
This scheme, proposed in bills before Congress and in the Final General Man- 
agement Plan Amendment for the Presidio, will start the process of privatiza-
tion, commerdalization, and animal experimentation in our national park sys- 
tem. for the first time in our nation's history.
Please direct the National Park Service to withdraw its support for FIR 3433
and S 1639 in Congress and STOP the Presidio General Management Plan until
additional public hearings.

The Presidio National Park needs to he preserved unimpaired for future gen- 
erations. What you do now will determine whether that happens or not. From: 

Name: ___________________________________

Address: ___________________________________

City : _________________State: ______ Zip Code: ______________

Phone: ____________________


-- 
Bill Michel			
bm@eng.sun.com		These views are my own, not Sun's.