Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, along with Congressman Mark DeSaulnier, Senator Alex Padilla, and Senator Adam Schiff, announced on June 3 that they led a public comment letter to the Federal Bureau of Prisons voicing opposition to any reopening of the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Dublin in California. The letter highlighted significant environmental and safety concerns at the facility following the Bureau’s release of its Environmental Assessment as part of efforts to permanently deactivate and close FCI Dublin.
In their letter, the lawmakers said, “We support the decision to permanently close FCI Dublin and recognize the EA’s findings that the property is unsafe, environmentally compromised, and would require substantial public investment to restore it to habitable condition. At the same time, although the EA evaluates the impacts of BOP ceasing operations at the facility, identifying numerous significant environmental hazards and unresolved contamination concerns, it does not sufficiently assess what is reasonably foreseeable to occur after closure, including continued vacancy, transfer, redevelopment, demolition, or repurposing of the site. Nor does it adequately address the environmental and public health implications associated with those potential outcomes.
Given the substantial evidence of contamination, environmental degradation, and unresolved data gaps identified throughout the EA, it would be irresponsible and scientifically unsound for BOP to proceed to a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) without additional environmental review and mitigation planning. Instead… we support demolishing FCI Dublin. We also strongly oppose any efforts to transfer ownership of the facility to an entity that will utilize it for immigration detention.”
The members urged that, “[t]o ensure that proposed action complies with NEPA and adequately protects public health and environmental safety,” several steps should be taken: pausing issuance timelines for any Finding of No Significant Impact pending further review; conducting additional investigation into contamination concerns; preparing a comprehensive Mitigation Action Plan; fully analyzing post-closure outcomes such as prolonged vacancy or repurposing; evaluating community impacts if reused as another detention center; and considering demolition with full remediation as an alternative under NEPA.
The letter was also signed by Representatives Julia Brownley (CA-26), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), John Garamendi (CA-08), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Sam Liccardo (CA-16), Dave Min (CA-47), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-At Large), Nancy Pelosi (CA-11), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Brad Sherman (CA-30), and Lateefah Simon (CA-12).
Zoe Lofgren is currently serving in Congress representing California’s 18th district since 1995 after replacing Don Edwards. She previously served on Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors from 1981 until 1994. Lofgren was born in San Mateo in 1947 and lives in San Jose. She graduated from Stanford University in 1970 with a BA degree before earning her JD from Santa Clara University in 1975, according to the Office of Zoe Lofgren.
