Hundreds of police employees sue Tetra Tech over Hunters Point exposure

Nearly 400 San Francisco police employees have sued Tetra Tech Inc. in federal court on claims of negligence and racketeering conspiracy for allegedly causing them to be exposed to radiation and other hazardous substances at the city’s former Hunters Point Naval Shipyard.

The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in San Francisco on Nov. 14 by 386 present and former officers and employees who worked at the site, 149 spouses and domestic partners and the family members of two deceased former employees.

They claim that Tetra Tech misled the U.S. Navy – which is in charge of cleaning up the site – about the presence of and potential for hazardous substances, and then conducted a “negligent, reckless, and willfully dangerous cleanup” that allegedly increased risks of cancer, heart disease, skin conditions and asthma.

In addition to ionizing radiation from former shipyard activities, hazardous substances at the site include hydrocarbons, lead arsenic and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit includes claims of negligence, public nuisance and conspiracy to engage in fraudulent racketeering activity. It asks for financial compensation, which could be tripled under racketeering law, and punitive damages.

Tetra Tech spokesman Sam Singer said in a statement:

“Tetra Tech’s work at the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard was done properly and to the standards of the contracts with the Navy.”

He said:

“Tetra Tech maintains that these new allegations are without merit.”

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