[CPEO-MEF] CLOSURE: A new BRAC - my view

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

BRAC Isn't So Bad When You Consider the Alternative

Opinion by Lenny Siegel

The members of Congress and Senators who are questioning Defense  
Secretary Panetta's proposal for two new Base Closure rounds are  
being shortsighted. Once again, the U.S. military's base structure  
exceeds its force structure, and it's costing the country a lot of  
money. I have no problem with our elected representatives pointing  
out the essential nature of installations in their jurisdictions. It  
may help minimize bad closure decisions. But it's a mistake to oppose  
all closures in the hope of protecting local jobs and other economic  
activity,.

I am reminded of the Maurice Chevalier quote, "Old age isn't so bad  
when you consider the alternative." A new Base Realignment and  
Closure (BRAC) round isn't bad when you consider the alternative: a  
reduction of activity on many bases with no opportunity for  
alternative use. That is, it's better to turn over bases to host  
communities than to let them deteriorate into ghost towns.

Secretary Panetta, with Fort Ord in his backyard back home, is more  
aware that most federal officials of the challenges of cleaning and  
reusing former military bases and ranges. There's no question that  
the process should be further streamlined. But nearly all Defense  
installations are in a much better place than they were in the early  
1990s, when Fort Ord was proposed for closure. Contamination has been  
characterized across the board. Some facilities may require  
additional cleanup before transfer, but I'm guessing that paperwork,  
not moving dirt, will now be the major obstacle to rapid reuse.




--

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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