A highly anticipated report that would announce the fate of Moffett Field's historic Hangar One has been delayed again, this time so the Navy can do a structural analysis of the hangar's steel frame.

Even though the report has been delayed almost a year now, preservationists believe this latest delay could be a good sign.

"It sounds like the Navy is considering preservation, as we asked them to do, and they need more time," wrote Save Hangar One Committee member Steve Williams in his blog.

And committee member and founder Lenny Siegel, a longtime advocate for toxic cleanup of military bases, agrees.

"I don't think a structural analysis is very useful if the Navy intends to propose demolition," he wrote in an e-mail. "This suggests that it [the Navy] may propose removing the contaminated materials and leaving the superstructure intact. In that case, it would be up to NASA, other agencies, local communities, or private companies to fund re-skinning."

According to a monthly Hangar One report issued by the Navy, the structural analysis will determine whether the hangar's frame can stand on its own or withstand the weight of a new coating.

In a letter, Navy spokesperson Darren Newton said the new efforts are "in response to concerns expressed by the regulatory agencies and members of the community." He went on to say that "conducting a structural analysis at this time will provide useful information necessary for a sound evaluation of the feasibility of several alternatives being considered in the EE/CA" -- shorthand for environmental evaluation and cost analysis.

The Navy has also announced that the original 13 alternatives studied in the EE/CA have been narrowed down to six, which will be selected based on cost. Those options include covering the hangar with rubberized material, with acrylic material, or -- the least favorite among locals -- demolish and remove the hangar altogether.

Toxic PCBs have been found in Hangar One's siding, and are leeching into the air and the groundwater. The Navy, which is on the hook to clean up the toxic materials, had previously decided to demolish the structure, causing a public outcry last year.

For more information, contact Newton at (619) 532-0963 or darren.newton@navy.mil.

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