Host of TV Show Files Suit in Fight to Save Naval Station

The battle over the fate of the Long Beach Naval Station escalated Thursday as TV personality Huell Howser announced that a lawsuit has been filed on his behalf to prevent demolition of the historic base.

The host of KCET’s “Visiting . . . With Huell Howser” and “California’s Gold” argued that tens of millions of dollars would be wasted if the Port of Long Beach is allowed to pave the station to make way for a 145-acre cargo terminal.

“This land belongs to all of us,” said Howser. “We’ve invested countless millions into the facility over the years.”

His attorney, Richard Fine, added that the proposed terminal might be better suited to another site within the San Pedro Bay ports--such as the Port of Los Angeles.

“The only thing that is really taking place here is a competition between the city of Long Beach and the city of Los Angeles” over which city gets the cargo facility, Fine said.

City and Port of Long Beach officials responded to the lawsuit announcement by attacking Howser’s legal strategy and questioning his motives.

“We feel that the [suit’s] legal issues will be fairly quickly resolved,” assistant City Atty. Robert Shannon said. “It appears that somebody’s out for publicity.”

Geraldine Knatz, planning director for the Port of Long Beach, added that the State Lands Commission and the state Coastal Commission have already approved plans for the terminal.

Meanwhile, Navy officials are still reviewing the city’s proposal to hand over the Terminal Island base to the Port of Long Beach, which wants to lease the proposed container terminal to a major Chinese shipping line.