Air Force officials and local representatives gathered to celebrate the transfer of the final parcel of land on the former Plattsburgh Air Force Base in upstate New York from military ownership to the greater Plattsburgh community. The Air Force turned over the final 732 acres of land to Clinton County on Sept. 19, reported WCAX, a TV station in Burlington, Vt. The Air Force closed the air base in 1995 under BRAC and has been gradually cleaning up site contamination and returning portions of the property to the community. The Plattsburgh Airbase Redevelopment Corporation has been in charge of the rebuilding process. Today, the former base is home to 60 tenants in such fields as aerospace, composites, health care, high-tech engineering, manufacturing, market research, pharmaceuticals, rail transportation, and warehousing, states an Air Force Real Property Agency release. The Plattsburgh International Airport takes up half of the old base, and is expanding, according to WCAX.
Lawmakers are growing impatient for an overdue fighter recapitalization study from the Air Force, and members say they'll demand more detailed justifications for future aircraft retirements.