[CPEO-MEF] Moffett Field hangar has PCBs

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

Posted on Sat, May. 03, 2003	
Toxics threaten historic hangar
SOLUTIONS INCLUDE RAZING MOFFETT FIELD LANDMARK BUILT FOR BLIMPS
By Joshua L. Kwan
San Jose Mercury News


Hangar One, the hulking gray dome that seems to hover alongside Highway
101 in Mountain View [California], could be torn down because of
concerns about toxic chemicals at the Moffett Field building, officials
at NASA/Ames Research Center said.

Environmental engineers at Ames have found enough evidence of PCBs, or
polychlorinated biphenyls, to suggest immediate and drastic action,
including the possible razing of the historic facility.

NASA/Ames officials offered two other courses of action in a press
release issued Friday.

The toxins could be trapped in a protective sealant. Or the materials
containing the toxins could be removed and replaced. But the latter
option also carries the risk of damaging the landmark building's
structural integrity.

``I'm optimistic that we'll find a solution that will allow us to deal
with the hangar and that it'll stay there,'' said Ames spokesman David
Morse. Each option presented by Ames will require environmental reviews
by state and federal regulators, as well as public hearings. The cost of
the proposed fixes is estimated to range from $10 million and $50
million; NASA said it could take months to choose.

Officials ordered the hangar closed on Friday; no NASA employees work
full-time in the building.


...

for the entire story, see
http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/5777306.htm

-- 


Lenny Siegel
Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
c/o PSC, 278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~