Congresswoman Chellie Pingree introduces provision to help redevelopment efforts at Brunswick Naval Air Station

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree today said she was pleased that a defense authorization bill passed by the House Armed Services Committee this week includes a provision that could make a substantial contribution to the redevelopment of the Brunswick Naval Air Station.

Earlier this year Pingree introduced a bill (H.R. 1959, the “Defense Communities Redevelopment Act of 2009”) that instructed the government to transfer land at decommissioned military bases to the community at no cost if there is a significant economic benefit.   Over the last eight years, the Department of Defense has required communities to pay for the land—sometimes millions of dollars—and that has resulted in many parcels going unused after a base is closed.

The Defense Authorization Act passed by Pingree’s committee yesterday incorporated her proposal and now goes on to the full House for a vote later this month. 

“The closing of the Brunswick Naval Air Station is going to have a big impact on the Midcoast,” Pingree said.  “I’m confident that the base can be redeveloped and become a productive part of the local economy, but transferring the land to the community at no cost is going to make that happen a lot quicker.”

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton praised the work that Pingree had done on this issue.

“Through the expansion of no-cost EDCs, communities impacted by BRAC will have another tool at their disposal to develop these lands for public use,” Skelton said. “Thanks to the hard work of Representative Pingree, these communities will find it easier to take advantage of the opportunity and improve the quality of life for those most impacted by these decisions.”

Local officials say the “no cost economic development transfer” bill that Pingree introduced is critical.

“Without a no cost transfer we would have to come up with $20 to $30 million to purchase land at the base,” said Steve Levesque, Executive Director of the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority.  “I don’t know where anyone would come up with that kind of cash in this environment.  And that would mean a big part of BNAS would sit undeveloped.  This region would suffer greatly.”

Pingree said the provision won’t just benefit Maine, since military bases across the country are slated to close in 2011 as part of the BRAC process.

“At a time of declining property values, devastating job losses, and crippling economic hardship, we must provide communities with every possible tool to redevelop and reorganize,” Pingree said.  “This provision will assist in that effort.”

Pingree’s provision allows directs the Department of Defense to make no-cost transfers to a Local Redevelopment Authority.  In Brunswick, that would be the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority (MRRA.)