Base Reuse

Opportunities for Base Reuse and Redevelopment

Past closures and realignments have shown that there is life after BRAC. Whereas a factory closing or corporate headquarters relocation can leave towns and states with little recourse, communities affected by a military base restructuring can depend on wide range of Federal and Department of Defense help.

In 1993, BENS helped White House officials develop a five-point plan to assist communities in expediting redevelopment and creating new jobs. It offered:

• Job-centered property disposal (property transfers for job creation);

• Larger federal grants for economic development and technical assistance;

• On-site base-transition coordinators to interact with the community;

• Direct access to federal transition and redevelopment help; and

• Fast track environmental remediation (restoration) screening.

That same year Congress began loosening restrictions that prevented an easy transfer of property and facilities to communities in the event of base closures. The Secretary of Defense was authorized to transfer or lease closure property at or below fair market value - a departure from the “best offer” policy of the past - and to negotiate the terms and conditions of payment. In 1995, the Pentagon sweetened the deal, offering unneeded facilities and land at no cost to communities through an Economic Development Conveyance, if they could show how it could be used to create jobs.

Congress also permitted land to be sold for the price of environmental clean up or in exchange for clean up costs at another base closing site. In addition, unneeded government personal property (fire trucks, cafeteria fixtures, snow plows, etc…) could be transferred without cost.

back to top