SFO Runways could have wiped out Coyote Point + Third Avenue

[jsampiero]

wooooot!

That is great news - way to go, all of you.

[diannesf]

Wow! It really did seem like a David vs. Goliath fight back then. There isn't enough thanks in the world for the people who kept fighting, kept everyone informed and upset, and kept going to those endless, mind-numbing meetings!!!

This is not only a victory for windsurfing but for the entire Bay and everyone who lives and visits here.

Did anyone see the Earth Day special on PBS that showed how polluted and development-driven this area was in 1969? And how different it is today?? It's so great. A lot of the turnaround is credited to regular people who just really wanted to keep the Bay and the area a great place to live and to have fun.

THANK YOU!!!!

[jp5]

as Diane Fienstein says; right on brother, stick it to da man!

[geohaye]

email from Captain Kirk (San Pedro/Baja CA):

Great News! I've sailed Coyote and 3rd and it would have been a damn shame. On iWindsurf, I understand the Don Quixote graphic you have next to your name - except this time The Impossible Dream came true!

email from John Miller, formerly of ASD:

Thanks for the blast. I am proud to have been part of it.

email from Kevin Pritchard:

Good job!! Sounds like a real hard fight and a great obstacle to overcome..

Kevin

email from James Williams of Flexifoil Kiteboarding, Chichester, West Sussex, UK:

This is fantastic news; thanks for passing it on!

[tsokat]

What is amazing about this was not only incredible dedication on the part of those involved, but how measured and intelligent they had to be in working the political process to overcome those with far greater power. This should be a case study in every Poli Sci 101 class. The folks who spearheaded this will rightfully be able to look back at this as one of the proudest accomplishments of their lives. Best regards, Tom Sokat

[kirk]

[vfrj]

I don't wish to pour cold water on everyone's enthusiasm and I do want
to thank and congratulate those who spearheaded the effort, but there is
a certain amount of nonsense being spouted here. I lived through this
business and was heavily involved (by my own admittedly nonpolitical
standards). I remember keenly how much momentum there was for
building these runways but I fear the main person we have to thank for
our victory is Osama bin Laden. The whole runway thing deflated after
September 11 when air travel dropped, United tanked and the airport's
financial situation became painfully apparent. I think our efforts had some
small effect but we would have still had a huge fight on our hands without
Sept 11 and I'm not at all sure we would have won.

[geohaye]

This is a very important point. Osama (wherever he is(?)) must be credited. This is certainly not just about the SFO opposition, at all. Anyway, the coalition went far beyond windsurfers, of course. Many in the scientific community were strongly on our side. It's just that certain groups were uniquely fired up -- and we were one of them.

Over time it became clear that many officials and politicians (someone said that these were the ones who were apparently not being paid off enough, but that's just a theory) were not convinced of the dire need for the unnecessary new runways.

My sense is that SFO did not have an easy road at all after all the stakeholders had become engaged and firing on all cylinders. It was feeding time and we were all attack dogs fighting for our Bay and what it meant to US. SF and SFO had a lot to prove, but no clear legitimate way to prove it.

The bigger point: do we believe that Osama and the brothers with the box cutters really ruined our entire nation's economy for the rest of our lives?

If not, the fact that SFO and SF have now decided that the runway extensions and bay fill are "not an option" is momentous. Otherwise, it would have just been a matter of time -- regardless of osama yo momma, and whoever else on that 911 day.

[scott]

Congratulations George, Bill and all the Rest of the San Francisco Bay active volunteers.

Just a word of warning - they COULD COME BACK. Maybe not now, maybe not for 5 years from now - maybe 10 years or more -
they COULD COME BACK.

As long as you have SFO to ride/sail under -- they COULD come back.

BUT I HAVE NO DOUBT - YOU WILL BE STANDING STRONG AGAINST THIS ABOMINATION ON THE BAY - or maybe your descendants will, Standing Taller on the Strong Shoulders that you have PROVIDED for their Future Defense.

Scott Carter
LA

[kirk]