Facing heavy criticism over a report that appeared to greatly exaggerate the difference in costs between demolishing Hangar One and preserving it, the Navy announced three weeks ago that it would put both options out to bid in hopes of clarifying the issue.
But the results of that bidding process will remain secret until after the Navy has made its decision, disappointing those working to ward off demolition.
“They can play games with how they ask the questions and how they schedule the responses to get answers that they’re looking for,” said Bob Moss, co-chair of Restoration Advisory Board that advises the Navy on the Moffett cleanup.
Navy spokesperson Jill Votaw said Department of Defense policy governs how the Navy awards its cleanup contracts.
The Navy has estimated demolition at $12 million and replacing the structure’s contaminated siding at twice that amount. But a leaked NASA report showed that a more detailed look at the alternatives conducted in 2003 put them both close to $30 million, leading NASA employees and others to question whether the Navy was purposely downplaying the costs of demolition in order to manipulate the decision-making process.
Demolition would protect both NASA and the Navy from any potential future liability for the safety of the building and the toxic material in its walls.
Navy cleanup manager Rick Weissenborn said the $12 million estimate was not a detailed study and that the bidding process would provide better information. But now the information will remain confidential, leaving activists who have discussed raising funds to cover the difference thinking that it may not be possible.
“They’re going to be at this point where we don’t know what’s going on,” said Lenny Siegel, an RAB member and a co-founder of the Save Hangar One Committee.
“It’s hard for SHOC to know what to do. I think we’ve pretty well shown that the community finds it unacceptable to demolish the hangar. We’ve accomplished that.”
E-mail Jon Wiener at jwiener@mv-voice.com
