The Loma Prietan
November 2001
Bay Area is Bidding for 2012 Summer Olympics
by Mark Jordan
The Bay Area is bidding to host the 2012 Summer Olympics. The Sierra Club has not yet taken a position on this issue, but the Bay Area Sports Organizing Committee (BASOC) claims they have environmental performance and sustainability at the core of their bid.
BASOC has adopted a comprehensive environmental management system. This includes a Chief Environmental Officer who is on the core management team with the CEO, CFO, and COO. There is also
a requirement for transparent external auditing by environmental groups to assure follow-through on commitments, and funding for them to do so. There is also funding for environmental groups to provide ongoing input into the design and management of the Games.
A litany of specific commitments have been made with the goal of leaving a lasting positive environmental legacy: reliance on predominately in-place infrastructure; building green, high-density, low-income housing; organic
food at all venues; no parking at any event or in surrounding areas (every ticket will have public transport already included); rehabilitation of the Dumbarton Rail Bridge for public transit and HOV use only; required extensive environmental training for all suppliers and vendors, etc.
The BASOC looks forward to the Sierra Club participating in the process and welcomes the opportunity to share and discuss ideas and concerns. A brief time line: San Francisco and the Bay Area are competing with seven other U.S. cities to be selected as the U.S. bid city at the international level for the 2012 Summer Olympics. The cities are New York, Washington/Baltimore, Tampa Bay, Houston, Dallas, Cincinnati, and Los Angeles. The USOC will winnow the list to four cities by January and select the U.S. bid city in fall of 2002. The IOC
will select the host city for 2012 in 2005.
For more information please call BASOC at 650/856-2234.
Mark Jordan is Chairman of WaterKeepers Northern California and was asked to design the environmental plan for the San Francisco Bay Area’s bid. He in now also on the Executive Board of BASOC.