Will great open space be given to developer?

Navy wants to turn Concord base over to private firm

The conversion of the former Concord Naval Weapons Station (CNWS) to civilian uses could be a tremendous regional open-space opportunity - but a private developer is trying to short-circuit the process.

The Shaw Company, a large international company based in Louisiana with a Concord office, recently proposed that the Navy transfer ownership of the CNWS to it, claiming that the Federal government owes it several billion dollars for clean-up work done after Katrina, in Iraq, and in other countries. This exchange would reduce the federal government's debt to Shaw by an estimated $1 billion. Shaw could then sell the property to developers and greatly reduce the community input and the city's control of the planning process. The Navy appears to be seriously considering Shaw's proposal.

Ordinarily, when the military gives up land, it follows the federal Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process, under which the Navy had appointed the city to serve as the local reuse authority. The Navy was scheduled to issue a "notice of surplus" for the CNWS on Nov. 9, but it has postponed this until Jan. 22 to consider the Shaw proposal. Issuing a "notice of surplus" allows public agencies, such as the East Bay Regional Park District, to request a public conveyance of property.

Shaw has hired a public-relations specialist and attorneys who are working in the city contacting residents, business representatives, and executives of large corporations, asking them to contact officials on Shaw's behalf.

The East Bay Regional Park District, the CNWS Neighborhood Alliance, and environmental groups such as Greenbelt Alliance and the Sierra Club are joining together in support of the city.

WhatYouCanDo - This month's key action

Contact:

Rep. George Miller
House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
George.Miller@mail.house.gov
(925)602-1880

Concord City Council
1950 Parkside Drive
Concord, CA 94519
citycouncil@ci.concord.ca.us

Wayne Arny
Deputy Assistant Secretary
Department of the Navy (Installations and Facilities)
1000 Navy Pentagon
Washington, DC 20350.

Ask them to make sure that the Navy follows the BRAC process, and promptly issues a "notice of surplus" for the CNWS.

Kathy Gleason, CNWS Neighborhood Alliance