Thursday, Aug. 25, 2005 | 11:13 a.m.
WASHINGTON -- Citing mistakes made by the Pentagon in calculating economic impact, costs savings and strategic military value, the Base Realignment and Closure Commission on Wednesday voted unanimously to spare the Hawthorne Army Depot.
The Pentagon had recommended that Hawthorne close and its massive munitions holdings be shipped to Tooele Army Depot in Utah, a smaller facility. Hawthorne, roughly 300 miles northwest of Las Vegas, claims to be the world's largest depot, with roughly 2,400 bunkers and 178 buildings for ammunition storage, currently filled to about 56 percent capacity, or roughly 300,000 tons.
The Base Realignment and Closure Commission, or BRAC, is charged with evaluating the Pentagon plan and is meeting this week for the final time before issuing a report to President Bush.
As early as this afternoon it could vote on another Nevada base proposal that would transfer the Reno-based Air National Guard's eight C-130 planes out of Nevada.
BRAC has been under intense public pressure as communities pleaded with members to spare their bases from cuts or closure. Commissioners and staffers since May visited 173 installations, held 19 regional hearings and had 8 million hits on their Web site. Nevada's top politicians and Hawthorne residents mounted a high-pressure lobbying campaign to keep Hawthorne open.
The panel, meeting in Arlington, Va., on Wednesday amid swarms of media, listened as a BRAC staffer reviewed arguments against the Pentagon's proposal to close Hawthorne.
Among them:
The Pentagon miscalculated the economic impact of closure, relying too heavily on the minimal effect the closure would have on Reno, 130 miles away.
But the closure ultimately could affect 37 percent of Mineral County's workforce, BRAC analyst George Delgado told the panel. The commission in its base deliberations had considered whether economic development might grow from closed bases, but in Hawthorne that would "almost be impossible," commission chairman Anthony Principi said.
It could cost an estimated $180.3 million to close Hawthorne, with estimated savings of $777 million over 20 years. But environmental restoration could cost $383 million, with a total cleanup pricetag of as much as $708 million, Delgado said.
The Defense Department did not adequately consider the strategic value of Hawthorne, considered by the Pentagon to be the No. 1 depot in the nation for "demilitarization" of munitions, and No. 2 for storage.
The depot has other capabilities not adequately considered by the Pentagon, including ammunitions restoration and robotics testing, BRAC staffers said.
Some of the site's 147,000 acres are also used for live-fire training, including sniper training. Next month Marines and special forces, including Navy SEALs, will train on the site's "Afghanistan-like" terrain before they deploy overseas, Lt. Col. John Summers, Hawthorne commander, said.
"This is a site with high military value for its mission," said commissioner Philip Coyle, who visited Hawthorne in July when 600 locals packed the Mineral County High School gym for a rally. He added, "Cost savings have been overstated (by the Pentagon)."
Mineral County Commission Chairman Richard Bryant said it was obvious to Coyle and Principi upon visiting the site that the Pentagon made some serious mistakes in recommending Hawthorne for the chopping block.
"He (Principi) had this coy little smile on his face, like you really screwed up, didn't you?" Bryant said.
Nevada has a key ally on the panel -- James Bilbray, a former Nevada congressman. Federal law requires that the president consult with minority congressional leaders, and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., recommended Bilbray.
Before the vote Wednesday Bilbray correctly predicted a unanimous vote against the Hawthorne closure. It was 7-0, with Bilbray and Commissioner James Hansen abstaining.
"It's the No. 1 facility for its military value among all the depots," Bilbray said. "The staff looked at it and said, 'This is ridiculous.' "
The government-owned, contractor-operated depot has a workforce of 552, which the Pentagon also under-estimated, Hawthorne officials said. The depot's one military staffer -- Summers -- said the Pentagon had made 10 significant factual errors in its statistical justification for closure.
"We gave them (the commission) the facts, and when they got all the facts straight they saw that it didn't make any sense to close Hawthorne," a jubilant Summers said Wednesday. On a trip to Texas, Summers learned of the news as he landed at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.
"As soon as we hit the ground, my cell phone started buzzing," he said.
Locals will sleep better knowing the 75-year-old facility won't be shuttered, several said.
"This would have had a devastating impact on the community," said Hal Holder, who owns the 107-room, pre-World War II-era El Capitan Casino, a Hawthorne landmark. "The depot would have been very difficult to replace. I'm glad they made the right decision."
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