Bill would spend $261M to expand Hanscom

Bedford Minuteman
Thursday, February 10, 2005

By Paul M. Furfari/ Staff Writer

Gov. Mitt Romney's recently filed legislation brightened an otherwise
cloudy future for Hanscom Air Force Base.

The governor's proposal would spend $261 million to expand Hanscom and
Natick's U.S. Army Soldier Systems Center if the bases make it off the
federal Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) list. The bill was approved
unanimously by the House and Senate.

A quarter of the nation's military installations are expected to be
closed when the Pentagon releases the list of base closures in May.
Massachusetts is among several other states that are desperately trying to
stay off the list.

"The preservation and enhancement of these two important technical
facilities are critical for our state economy and the evolving mission and
capabilities of the nation's military," said Romney in a statement. "The
investment, paid for through bond funds, will significantly upgrade the
Hanscom and Natick facilities, increasing their competitiveness in the
upcoming Base Realignment and Closure process."

In a bid to show the federal government that the state is dedicated to
keeping the bases open, The Military Mission Expansion Bond Act of 2005 is
pushing to drastically infuse the installations with capital and an
increased mission scope.

The legislation would increase Hanscom's size by 1.25 million square
feet and would create 4,000 new jobs at the base. Natick would see a $19
million expansion that includes 110,000 square feet of new mission-related
space and could bring 200 new jobs to the state.

"Hanscom alone generates almost $1 billion a year and distributes more
than 700 contracts to Massachusetts companies in 41 cities and towns," said
Sen. Susan Fargo. "This bill represents an important milestone in the
collaboration between our federal, state and local officials."

"The plan will be funded by the state at a total estimated cost of $242
million, with up to an additional $168 million in self-financed military
housing to be built by private developers. Also funded through the bond bill
are infrastructure improvements at and around the base to improve local
commuter traffic," Romney's office said.

Other states have put forth plans for grants for installation and
infrastructure improvements around military installations if the bases are
removed from the list, but have yet to match Massachusetts $261 million
plan.

"The Governor and Senator Kennedy put a great proposal on the table and
all of us - community leaders, state legislators, our Congressional
delegation, and the business community - came together to speak with one
voice in support," said Rep. Jay Kaufman (D-Lexington). "The message to the
Pentagon is loud and clear: These bases are important to the nation and to
us; we're committed to them; and we're prepared to put money and energy
behind that commitment."

"Our communities - Bedford, Concord, Lexington and Lincoln - have been
working together on this for years," said Rep. Charles Murphy
(D-Burlington).

Town Administrator Richard Reed expressed cautious optimism while
discussing the plan Monday.

"It certainly is good that it shows that the state is willing to invest
in Hanscom to do what's needed to keep Hanscom Air Force Base open and here
in Massachusetts, but it doesn't guarantee that the federal government will
do it," he said.

Reed is focused on the process and waiting like many other state's to
see what bases will be putting up on the chopping block.

"It's not a definite at this point that the base will be expanding.
It's really going to be in the hands of the federal government through the
BRAC committee and process," he said. "If the federal government decides to
stay here and expand the base, then yes this is very good news...," he said.

"Time is of the essence with moving this bill forward, these bases can
generate as many as 44,000 high paying high tech jobs. We need to show the
Pentagon that we mean business," said Fargo.

The senate had initially adopted a Fargo amendment that would have
provided neighboring communities to comment on local concerns and
considerations.

The House objected to the amendment and the Fargo moved that the Senate
recede from its amendment.

"I want to make sure that we put Massachusetts first and as we go
forward I will work with our towns to make sure that they are actively
involved and part of that means allowing local leaders to be informed," said
Fargo. "Any base expansion will require cooperation from local officials
because some of the needed improvements will take place beyond the
boundaries of the base."

"Working with the community, our congressional delegation and members
of the Legislature, we have been making the case to military officials that
Massachusetts possesses a critical cluster of intellectual, economic and
human resources that maximizes the military value of these installations,"
Romney said.

Governor Romney and Senator Kennedy are the co-chairmen of the
Massachusetts Defense Technology Initiative (DTI) - a public-private
partnership of business, scientific, and educational leaders and public
officials working to protect these facilities from possible closure.