As a result of federal government approval of recommendations
made by the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission this year, local
operations of the Onizuka Air Station in Sunnyvale will be reduced through
realignment over the next several years.
The same BRAC process, however, kept the 129th Air Rescue Group based at
Moffett Field, where it can continue to provide support to NASA Ames Research
Center for operating aviation activities at the Moffett facilities.
The greatest impact of the BRAC realignment of Onizuka will be the transfer
of military and civilian jobs from Sunnyvale to Falcon Air Force Base in
Colorado by 2001. Onizuka will continue to operate its space guidance and
control systems from Sunnyvale. The long-term future of the facility, however,
will depend on the development of compatible commercial activities with
the Air Force and community support for ongoing roles for the personnel
and equipment remaining at Onizuka Air Station.
During the spring this year, the City of Sunnyvale worked in close cooperation
with Mountain View, the State of California, and local community and business
organizations in an effort to persuade the Department of Defense and the
United States Congress that the continuing operation of Onizuka Air Force
Base is both in the best interest of the nation and is the most cost effective
solution for base realignment.
Both Onizuka and the 129th Air Guard are vital links to the continuing ability
of NASA Ames Research Center to operate Moffett Federal Air Field, and they
both contribute to the economic strength of Silicon Valley aerospace, technology
and defense industries.
Currently, NASA is reviewing its overall mission and its resources nationwide.
The agency is facing potentially substantial budget reductions during the
ongoing review of the federal budget in Washington which could seriously
affect various NASA facilities, including Ames Research Center. | Among
the alternatives under consideration by NASA are the possible redefinition
of some Ames research and aviation activities or their relocation to other
NASA facilities.
If NASA does cut back and redefine the mission of Ames Research Center,
it could have major consequences for the Silicon Valley matrix of technology
research and development. In combination with recent reductions in local
military operations throughout the San Francisco Bay area, and the continuing
downsizing of the defense industry locally, federal budget decisions regarding
NASA could seriously affect thousands of jobs and the economy in Silicon
Valley.
Because of its critical location and function, the future of Moffett Field
has a direct impact on Sunnyvale. In 1992, Sunnyvale
citizens voted overwhelmingly to oppose general aviation activities at Moffett,
and voted to have the Sunnyvale City Council take a leadership role for
any changes that may be proposed at these federal facilities. The current
federal budget may force the City to consider new alternatives to help keep
NASA as the "host agency" for other federal operations located
at Moffett.
For this reason, the Sunnyvale City Council in August retained consultants
to help the City obtain, analyze and present information regarding NASA
Ames, the Silicon Valley economy, and related issues to Washington decision
makers over the coming year. The goal of this effort is to increase the
likelihood that federal decisions affecting Sunnyvale and Silicon Valley
are made with complete and accurate information about their economic and
technological impact, not only on the region, but on the nation in general.
The City Council is seeking to have direct input into the decision-making
process which affects the future of NASA Ames Research Center and Moffett
Field to ensure the community's interests are protected.
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