Bedford Minuteman
Wednesday, July 16, 2003

Could FedEx flights cause security risk?

By Natalie Goodale / Staff Writer

Increased air and ground traffic isn't the only concern regarding FedEx's possible future operations out of Hanscom Field. Safety and security, some say, are at risk.

Bedford Selectman Sheldon Moll is the Bedford representative on the Hanscom Field Advisory Commission (HFAC) and has been heavily involved in discussing the arrival of Federal Express. He claims that the environment is not the only thing that may be compromised if the shipping company is allowed to come here.

"The United States Air Force Base at Hansom is the basis of research for the Air Force in the area," Moll said. "It is a target for terrorism."

Moll said there has been no mention by Massport of increased security to make sure all of the packages are safe and not dangerous. He thinks inspection is very important, as many sealed packages would potentially be travelling around or through the base every day.

FedEx's arrival at Hanscom would mean one flight every weekday to the air field between the hours of 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. Moll said the cargo would be unloaded to nine trucks on the ground, and five other trucks would take cargo to the field to be shipped out. The total amounts to 14 trucks a day and 28 trips on the roads.

According to Moll, FedEx would either take Battle Road to enter and exit the airfield, or the trucks would take a shortcut across the base and drive along Hartwell Avenue. Moll said there is no inspection station for packages set up now, and he is not sure that one at Hanscom would even be as secure as those at Logan.

Moll said one reason for FedEx's possible arrival at Hanscom is Logan's new restriction on cargo flights. He said there will be no reduction in these flights at Logan, but FedEx will not be able to expand there now, either.

With MITRE Corp., Raytheon, Lincoln Laboratories, and other companies, Moll said the area is too much of a target to have cargo traffic every day. And even without FedEx's arrival, Moll said the base is not secure enough, especially along the lines of passenger inspection. HFAC has brought the issue up to Massport in the past and continues to do so.

"The security is woefully lacking at Hanscom," he said. "HATS and HFAC have asked Massport for a review of security measures. Massport said they don't want to tell us about their security because they don't want to tell the terrorists how they operate. But they say it is 'pretty good.' So now in addition to having bad passenger security not up to quota, they would have continuous packages from FedEx and have no inspection."

Moll said Massport has spoken of improving security measures, such as building higher fences. But he hasn't seen as much progress as he would like.

"Massport always said the security is in the hands of the airlines," he said. "But we don't have many airlines here, so it should be Massport. The trouble on 911 originated in Portland - a small airport like Hanscom."

Massport spokesman Richard Walsh, said the transportation security administration is currently responsible for all passenger checkpoints at the airfield.

"It's just like any other airport," he said.

Walsh said it is too early to think about the added security that may be necessary upon FedEx's arrival, but the same rules would be followed here as anywhere else.

"I think that FedEx, like any other user of national airports, would have to comply with the regulations," he said. "They have to be consistent. FedEx flies into hundreds of airports worldwide."

Walsh confirmed that HFAC has requested more information about the security measures Massport currently provides.

"We have tried to have the selectmen sit with the Massport security people because the question has come up about some of the enhancements at the airport," Walsh said. "But they haven't gotten back to us yet."

According to Moll, FedEx has requested separate meetings with each of the four towns' selectmen. But HFAC was turned down when they requested a July 15 meeting with FedEx. Moll said the commission was going to ask them a series of 25 questions; HFAC sent them the questions in advance.

"They are going to come to HFAC on September 16 instead," Moll said. "They said these are tough questions. But I think they will be asked the same questions when the meet with the selectmen."

Moll said most of the questions had to do with security and the effects of the cargo traffic on the environment. He speculated that FedEx may want a more structured atmosphere at which to meet with the towns, one not as populated by activists that they may see at an HFAC meeting. But Moll said if FedEx meets with all five selectmen, it must be a public meeting.

"I will definitely bring up the questions at the selectmen's meeting," Moll said. "I'll see if FedEx can answer them for us since they can't answer them for HFAC."

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