[CPEO-MEF] Navy drops early transfer offer of Alameda air base

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California
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
Navy drops early transfer offer of Alameda air base
By Susan Fuller
Posted on Tue, Aug. 19, 2003

The Navy has backed away from its plan to give the city the 1,000-acre
Alameda Naval Air Station all at once because of a disagreement over the
cost of cleaning it up.

When the station closed in 1997, the Navy proposed an early transfer
that would turn over the entire property and leave the cleanup to
Navy-paid contractors.

Now, the Navy has ended those talks, saying the city's estimated cleanup
cost is too steep. The city asked for nearly $600 million. The Navy was
mum on its estimate, but several city officials pegged it at $140
million to $150 million.

The alternative to early transfer is the traditional method in which the
military transfers pieces of land as they are cleaned. The city and Navy
have continued to talk since a June 12 letter informing city officials
of the end of early transfer.

City officials say they are guardedly optimistic they will acquire
Alameda Point on a schedule fairly similar to the current plan.

"There are lots of alternatives," said assistant city manager Doug
Yount. He said he is looking into lowering the city's estimate.

This article can be viewed at:
http://www.bayarea.com/mld/cctimes/news/6566227.htm

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