Hangar One now under 'formal dispute' Hangar One now under 'formal dispute' (March 04, 2005)

Navy, EPA continue battle over historic landmark

By Jon Wiener

The Navy raised eyebrows last week during the latest salvo in the fight over Hangar One.

The director of the Navy's nationwide clean-up efforts sent a harshly worded Feb. 25 letter to officials of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and regional water board. Kimberly Kesler accused the regulatory agencies of ignoring procedures in their zeal to force the Navy to take responsibility for the pollution inside the hangar.

Ever since the toxic contamination was discovered inside the massive structure a year and a half ago, the Moffett Field landmark has sat lifeless, enjoyed only by highway travelers and airplane passengers catching a passing glance of the exterior.

In recent months, nearly 30 different groups, including the two agencies overseeing the Moffett Field cleanup, have attacked the Navy for its claim that the inside of the building is not its problem. But when EPA and regional water quality officials gave up on resolving the argument informally, the Navy responded critically.

Rick Weisenborn, the Navy clean-up manager at Moffett, said that the agencies had not exhausted informal steps before declaring a formal dispute. Such a process could lead all the way to Washington, D.C, where the EPA Administrator would make the final decision.

Bob Moss, co-chair of a group of concerned residents and other parties that meet every other month to discuss the progress of the Moffett cleanup, said he was stunned by the Navy's argument.

"It's obviously a delaying tactic," he said of the letter. "They've been talking since October."

Thus, the fate of the South Bay's most visible landmark hangs in the balance. The contamination, mostly from lead and PCBs that were built into the building's materials, has blocked plans for a $380 million theme park inside the hangar and could ultimately lead to the building's demolition.

Neither side has deviated from the positions they originally laid out last summer.

"We're legally stuck," said Lida Tan, the EPA's project manager at Hangar One.

Tan expressed dismay that the Navy rejected the terms of a proposed meeting.

"The letter does not address any of the substantive issues we raised," said Tan. "They're not responding. They're just complaining about who the letter was sent to."

Moss expects Hangar One to again be a hot topic at the next Restoration Advisory Board meeting, scheduled for March 10 at Mountain View City Hall. Other agenda items include updates on investigations of a polluted drainage pond and the Orion Park housing complex, where toxic contamination has thrown a wrench into the Navy's plan to privatize military units and stirred up a legal battle similar to the one plaguing the hangar.

Though many suspect the Navy, no one knows for sure who polluted Orion Park. The Navy maintains that it is not responsible for the pollution nor finding out who is. EPA officials say that the success or failure of the Hangar One debate could determine how they proceed on Orion Park.

Spokesperson Jill Votaw said the Navy is planning a public tour of Moffett's clean-up sites during the second week of May.

E-mail Jon Wiener at jwiener@mv-voice.com

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