Posts Tagged ‘BRAC’

As expected, the Senate Armed Services Committee ignored the Obama administration’s request to authorize new BRAC rounds in completing its work on the fiscal 2013 defense authorization bill Thursday, but the potential for future downsizings may not be far off, based on several provisions in the legislation. The panel directs the Government Accountability Office to conduct two studies related to base closures and realignments, according to a summary of the bill provided by the committee …

The Department of Defense is considering improving and expanding the Defense Access Roads program, according to the committee report accompanying the fiscal 2013 military construction and veterans affairs spending bill approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday. The changes are intended to address the strict eligibility requirements of the program, which is the only mechanism DOD has for upgrading roads outside of military installations. To be eligible for aid through the DAR program, an installation must demonstrate that traffic congestion for commuters has doubled, an extremely high hurdle for urban areas to satisfy …

Local officials on Tuesday celebrated the opening of a new headquarters for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in Arlington County, Va., one of the few bright spots for a county that lost almost 20,000 jobs in the last BRAC round. “It’s fair to say that nobody got hit harder by BRAC than Arlington County,” said Arlington County Board Chairwoman Mary Hynes …

The Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday recommended spending $10.6 billion for military construction programs in fiscal 2013, matching the funding level approved by the House Appropriations Committee last week. Total funding for the military construction and veterans affairs measure was close as well. Senate Appropriators approved a $71.9 billion bill, while the House Appropriations Committee provided $71.7 billion in discretionary funds. As a result, the FY 2013 milcon spending measure is expected to be easily reconciled between the two chambers …

The Senate Armed Services’ Readiness and Management Support Subcommittee failed to endorse the Pentagon’s request for BRAC rounds in 2013 and 2015 in the portion of the fiscal 2013 defense authorization bill it marked up Tuesday. The outcome was not a surprise as the panel’s chair, Sen. Claire McCaskill, previously revealed her opposition to the department’s request. “At minimum, base closures are extraordinarily disruptive to local communities …

At some BRAC 2005 closures, additional cleanup requirements being imposed by state regulators could delay the transfer of properties to local redevelopment authorities, according to the report of the House Appropriations Committee accompanying the fiscal 2013 spending bill for military construction and veterans affairs. As a result, the committee encourages DOD’s deputy undersecretary for installations and environment to work with the Environmental Protection Agency to reach “remediation agreements with standards allowed under current BRAC law …

The city of Spokane and Spokane County have agreed to carry out the recommendations of a joint land use study designed to protect Fairchild Air Force Base from development. “What this document provides is a perfect balance between protecting present property rights and limiting future development so we greatly reduce if not eliminate additional encroachment on Fairchild Air Force Base,” Spokane County Commissioner Mark Richard told KXLY.com. Not all of the municipalities in the region have signed the agreement. One potential threat to the eastern Washington base is a nearby casino the Spokane Tribe is planning to build. The tribe, however, has said it is working with the Air Force to ensure its project is compatible with Fairchild.

The Army will transfer more than 560 acres at the former Fort Monmouth to the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority through an economic development conveyance over the next nine months, under an agreement signed last week by the Army and the state of New Jersey. By June 15, the Army will convey a 55-acre parcel that is designated to house a 650,000-square-foot headquarters for locally based CommVault. A number of other parcels — including the former Paterson Army Hospital which is slated to be purchased by AcuteCare Health Systems — will be transferred by Oct. 1 …

The Defense Department would be required to provide Congress 90 days’ notice, along with a detailed justification, before reducing by more than 1,000 the number of military personnel assigned to an installation, under an amendment to the fiscal 2013 defense authorization bill adopted by the House Friday. The amendment was sponsored by lawmakers from Alaska and southwestern Pennsylvania upset over force structure changes proposed by the Air Force as part of its FY 2013 budget request. The provision expands requirements Congress included in last year’s authorization bill to increase its oversight over major realignments proposed outside of BRAC …

The Army’s plans to trim its end strength will not be hampered if a round of base closures is not held in 2013, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno told reporters Wednesday. Reductions in personnel most likely would occur at major installations, so the Army will be OK, he said, implying that officials were not planning on closing larger posts in the next BRAC round. “And I feel pretty comfortable with that …