Navy Finds More Evidence of ‘Potential Data Manipulation’ in Hunters Point Shipyard Cleanup

Federal officials uncovered more evidence of a botched cleanup at the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard in San Francisco, a new Navy report shows.

The NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit already exposed that Tetra Tech, the company in charge, cheated on the cleanup of the superfund site that’s slated for redevelopment. But in a new draft report, the Navy admits “evidence of potential data manipulation and falsification was discovered” during an investigation into Tetra Tech’s past cleanup activities.

Last year, Navy consultants launched a comprehensive review of the radiological data Tetra Tech collected at the shipyard, after former workers spoke exclusively to NBC Bay Area alleging widespread fraud by the company. The data are measurements of the amount of contamination in the soil. The Navy’s report, dated September 2017, discusses activities on 80 acres of the shipyard’s more than 900 acres of land.

Navy officials say as a matter of policy, they don’t speculate on draft reports. A Navy spokesman said the agency is in the final stages of reviewing a number of reports to ensure they’re accurate and complete. Officials promised to sit down with NBC Bay Area later this month to discuss the Navy’s work plan for additional soil sampling and soil excavations.

Tetra Tech did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

NBC Bay Area first reported in 2014 that Navy officials caught Tetra Tech mishandling soil samples and falsifying data in several locations. The company later took corrective action and disciplined workers involved.

The new report came to light through a public records request filed by a local Hunters Point community group, Greenaction. Last summer, the group petitioned the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to take away Tetra Tech’s license. Greenaction made another filing Thursday, citing new revelations of potential fraud.