[CPEO-MEF] Plattsburgh Airbase (NY) "early transfer"

[Lenny Siegel <lennysiegel@gmail.com>]

Air Force officials transfer more than 500 acres of former Plattsburgh 
AFB for redevelopment

Air Force News Service
July 20, 2009

SAN ANTONIO -- The Air Force Real Property Agency staff here July 17 
signed a deed to transfer nearly 540 acres that was once home to 
Plattsburgh Air Force Base in New York to the Plattsburgh Airbase 
Redevelopment Corporation for economic reuse.

The Finding of Suitability for Early Transfer for the land was approved 
by Environmental Protection Agency officials, with concurrence from New 
York Governor David Paterson.

It was approved for "early transfer" because of strong professional 
partnerships among officials from the New York State Department of 
Environmental Conservation, New York State Department of Health, EPA 
Region 2, PARC and AFRPA.

Prior to transferring the property, Air Force officials were responsible 
for ensuring the land was environmentally clean and safe for 
redevelopment. In the 1990s, hundreds of underground petroleum storage 
tanks were removed from the property and environmental work focused on 
treating the remaining groundwater and soil contamination. Because all 
remedial action necessary was taken to protect human health and the 
environment with respect to hazardous substances remaining on the 
property, the acreage was deemed suitable for early transfer. While the 
FOSET allows the early transfer of Plattsburgh AFB property, Air Force 
officials remain committed to managing their environmental work at the 
former base until completion.

"We have been working the environmental issues at Plattsburgh and making 
tremendous progress," said Dave Farnsworth, the AFRPA Bas Realignment 
and Closure environmental coordinator for Plattsburgh AFB. "The 
community has been pleased with the results and the Air Force will 
continue to be a presence in Plattsburgh until the environmental sites 
are closed out."

The property was transferred through an Economic Development Conveyance, 
a type of transaction used by the Department of Defense with the intent 
to expedite the reuse of closed military bases, creating new jobs and 
stimulating the economy of a BRAC-affected community. Since the closure 
of Plattsburgh AFB 14 years ago, PARC, the redevelopment authority 
responsible for the base's reuse, has now converted 2,642 acres of 
former Plattsburgh AFB land to businesses, nonprofit agencies, 
residential neighborhoods, community college facilities and an 
international airport.

The Air Force Real Property Agency is responsible for remediation and 
property transfer at 40 former Air Force installations throughout the 
U.S. under the BRAC program.

...

For the original release, see
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123159453

--


Lenny Siegel
Executive Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
a project of the Pacific Studies Center
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



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