The Niagara Falls Air Reserve Base serves a critical role in military missions abroad, in domestic emergencies such as natural disasters, and provides work to an estimated 3,300 military and civilian employees. So says Congresswoman Kathy Hochul, who was on the local base Tuesday morning to announce that leaders were united and already campaigning on behalf of the base in anticipation of a new Base Realignment and Closing commission, or BRAC, to be formed as part of the Pentagon's recently released 2013 budget.
That budget calls for an estimated $487 billion over the next ten years and would retire ships and streamline air squadrons while refocusing military attention on Asia and the Middle East.
Congresswoman Hochul pointed out that there's no information to suggest the local base is even under consideration for shutdown. Niagara Falls was on a BRAC commission's list of recommended closings in 2005, but was ultimately spared.
Hochul says while the Pentagon may be trying to save a lot of taxpayer dollars, it's also wasting the tens of millions invested in the Niagara base in recent years.
"This base provides a critical mission for the protection of our country. Last year alone it flew over 1,500 missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. Very few bases can claim such success," said Hochul. "Domestically, they're on the front lines when there's natural disasters. This is a fleet that's available for the governor to call out in times of turbulence, hurricanes, tropical storms."
She also pointed out the significant economic impact that comes from the installation.
"This base is the largest employer in Niagara County. 3,300 military and civilian jobs relay on this base. And that says nothing of the $168 million economic spinoff that is derived from this community, whether it's people simply going to local restaurants, the cleaners, the facilities bringing in training. And the partnership that they're developing with our local universities is important as well."
John Cooper, Vice Chairman of the Niagara Military Affairs Council, says Congress must pass new legislation to form a new BRAC commission. The last BRAC commission was formed in 2002 and put Niagara Falls on its list of recommended shutdowns in 2005. Cooper did not know if the timeline would be same this time around.
"At this point it's just been a request," said Cooper. "When Congress would bring it up, when they would vote on it... we're entering an election year... I don't know."
