For Immediate Release

January 30, 1999

$83.7 MILLION IN MILITARY CONSTRUCTION
PLANNED IN STATE NEXT FISCAL YEAR

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Clinton administration’s budget for the next fiscal year will include $83.7 million for construction projects at Washington State military bases, U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks said today.

          The total was contained In documents to be released on Monday, as the administration sends its budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2000 to Congress, said Rep. Dicks, who serves on the House Military Construction Appropriations Subcommittee.

          Included in the request for next year will be another increment of funding for facilities needed to equip the Trident submarines based at Sub Base Bangor with the updated Trident II missile, which will also lead to substantial retrofit work for Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton in future years, Dicks said.

          Similarly, continued funding is being requested for military construction projects at McChord Air Force Base in Tacoma, associated with the plan to bring the new C-17 cargo aircraft to the base beginning in mid-1999. The new cargo and troop-carrying jets will replace the aging C-141s, which have been based at McChord for many years.

       "These are all expenditures which help keep Washington State military bases modern and efficient and which will enhance their value to their respective services as we look forward to future decisions about potential base closures," Rep. Dicks noted. He also added that his subcommittee has often submitted additional Washington State projects to the budget if critical funds are necessary to accelerate construction or repair of facilities at state bases, including a boost of $40 million beyond the President’s request for funds in the current fiscal year.

          The following construction projects are planned in the upcoming year in Washington State [note that not all of these funds will necessarily be spent within the actual fiscal year, but they are committed to the completion of the project]:

NAVY
D-5 missile facility/ Strategic Weapons Fac. Bremerton - $ 6,300,000
Dredging, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard - $ 15,610,000
Port Hadlock Ordnance Facility Tomahawk magazines - $ 3,400,000
Aircrew Water Survival Training Facility, Whidbey Isl. NAS - $ 4,700,000

AIR FORCE
Survival Training Complex, Fairchild AFB - $ 4,500,000
C-17 Squadron Ops facility, McChord AFB - $ 7,900,000
Addition to fuel hydrant system, Fairchild AFB - $12,400,000

ARMY
Tank Trail Erosion Project, Yakima Training Center - $12,000,000
Physical Fitness Training Center, Fort Lewis - $ 6,200,000
Ammunition Supply Point, Yakima Training Center - $ 5,200,000
Dental Clinic Replacement, Fort Lewis - $ 5,500,000
Army Nat. Guard MATES project, Yakima Training Center - [*$ 3,464,000]

TOTAL WASHINGTON STATE - $ 83,750,000

[* denotes expenditure not included in total authorization in administration budget, but expected to be spent during fiscal year]

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