Posts Tagged ‘BRAC’

President Obama designated almost 15,000 acres at the former Fort Ord on California’s Central Coast a national monument on Friday, permanently preserving much of the open space at the closed installation and providing a boost in tourism for the entire Monterey Bay region. “This national monument will not only protect one of the crown jewels of California’s coast, but will also honor the heroism and dedication of men and women who served our nation and fought in the major conflicts of the 20th century …

The Alaska legislature has sent a measure creating military facility zones that offer state and federal incentives for businesses that support Alaska’s military to Gov. Sean Parnell (R) for his signature. The bill is intended to help the state’s installations in a variety of ways. The legislation, for instance, would make low-cost loans or tax credits available to companies for projects that lower the operating cost of installations …

A ceremony last week at the former Charles Kelly Support Facility outside of Pittsburgh kicked off demolition of 10 dilapidated Army office buildings and barracks at the future site of a park for Collier Township. Reuse planning for the support facility started after it was designated for closure during the 2005 round of base closures. The township obtained 72 acres of the site for the park. A $150,000 grant from Allegheny County is covering much of the cost of demolition. Construction of a multipurpose field, tennis courts, dek hockey rink and playground is scheduled to begin after the demolition is complete, reported the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Most of the funds from a $6 million bond issuance will go toward the project.

A measure providing bond money from the state of Alabama to school districts affected by BRAC mission growth was approved in committee this week and is expected to go to the House floor shortly. House Bill 407 would make it easier for school systems to qualify for special renovation or construction bonds by removing the requirement for the schools to first raise their sales or property tax rates …

Legislation that would rely on the Office of Management and Budget to oversee the disposal of thousands of excess federal buildings could start advancing in the Senate next month. Sen. Tom Carper is planning to mark up S. 2178 in the subcommittee he chairs, the Federal Financial Management Subcommittee of the Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee …

Echoing past BRAC rounds, advocates of the Pittsburgh Air Reserve Station gathered at the facility’s entrance prior to the arrival of First Lady Michelle Obama on Tuesday to show their support for a base the Air Force wants to close. Obama’s visit was brief; she spent less than 20 minutes talking to personnel of the Air Force Reserve’s 911th Airlift Wing before heading into downtown Pittsburgh for two fundraisers. The first lady said she hoped the base could remain open, according to service members and family members at the event …

After spending $11 million over the last several years on projects meant to raise the military value of Naval Submarine Base New London, the state of Connecticut is on the lookout for its next project. “If you could get something going next week I’d come and break ground for it,” Gov. Dannel Malloy said Thursday. One strong possibility is a project to improve the base’s energy efficiency …

The city of Virginia Beach and the commonwealth of Virginia have undertaken a vigilant effort to reduce encroachment of Naval Air Station Oceana since the 2005 round of base closures and, as a result, the recent crash of an F/A-18 based there into an apartment complex in Virginia Beach should not renew calls to close the Navy’s East Coast master jet base, according to local officials. After the BRAC Commission called for the community to address urban development surrounding the base, “the commonwealth got the message, the city got the message and they have done everything they have promised …

The city of New Orleans is seeking a developer/developer team to redevelop the Naval Support Activity East Bank site as outlined in the approved reuse plan. Interested parties can view the request for proposals at www.nola.gov (click on “Bids, Proposals & Contracts”). The RFP number is 2188-01249. The RFP outlines the reuse plan along with the roles and responsibilities expected of the developer/developer team …

Local officials estimate losing a net total of 20 aircraft at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich., could cost the region $25 million annually after eliminating the jobs of 550 individuals. As part of planned force structure changes intended to save $8.7 billion over five years, the Air Force is proposing to relocate or retire the 107th Fighter Squadron’s 24 A-10 Thunderbolt jets and replace them with four KC-135 aerial refueling planes …