Posted on May 18, 2022
Air Force looking at next steps on Space Command basing decision - SpaceNews
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“We're all hoping to move forward with a final decision as quickly as we can," said Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall
WASHINGTON – During a hearing May 13 of the House Appropriations Committee’s defense subcommittee, Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.) asked Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall to lay out the next steps in the possible relocation of U.S. Space Command.
“Assuming that the GAO does not recommend overturning the original basing decision” to move Space Command from Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado to Redstone Arsenal in Alabama, Aderholt asked, how long will it take to get this done?
“We’re all hoping to move forward with a final decision as quickly as we can,” Kendall told Aderholt.
The Government Accountability Office has completed one of two independent investigations of how the Air Force determined its preferred location for U.S. Space Command.
Alleging that the former Trump administration improperly influenced the decision, Colorado lawmakers asked GAO and the Defense Department’s inspector general to review the process that led the Air Force in January 2021 to recommend Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama.
The IG said in a report last week that investigators found no evidence of undue influence. Many of the details of how six candidate bases were scored and comments made by senior U.S. military officials were redacted from the IG report.
WASHINGTON – During a hearing May 13 of the House Appropriations Committee’s defense subcommittee, Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.) asked Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall to lay out the next steps in the possible relocation of U.S. Space Command.
“Assuming that the GAO does not recommend overturning the original basing decision” to move Space Command from Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado to Redstone Arsenal in Alabama, Aderholt asked, how long will it take to get this done?
“We’re all hoping to move forward with a final decision as quickly as we can,” Kendall told Aderholt.
The Government Accountability Office has completed one of two independent investigations of how the Air Force determined its preferred location for U.S. Space Command.
Alleging that the former Trump administration improperly influenced the decision, Colorado lawmakers asked GAO and the Defense Department’s inspector general to review the process that led the Air Force in January 2021 to recommend Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama.
The IG said in a report last week that investigators found no evidence of undue influence. Many of the details of how six candidate bases were scored and comments made by senior U.S. military officials were redacted from the IG report.
Air Force looking at next steps on Space Command basing decision - SpaceNews
Posted from spacenews.comPosted in these groups: U.S. House of RepresentativesU.S. Government Accountability Office
Peterson AFB
Redstone Arsenal
Peterson AFB Redstone Arsenal
Posted 2 y ago
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How much money for a relocation when that funding could used more elsewhere. But hey, politicians need to keep the bribes coming and the voters thinking jobs are coming.
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Lt Col Scott Shuttleworth
Well a move to redstone arsenal wouldn't be abad thing. Unknown to many it has always been the center of excellence for space and rocket design. Peterson was jsut the headquarters for USAF space command...not the new DoD Component Space Command. ALl of the rocket and missile research, desing and most testing is done right there in Huntsville. The community can support it, the facilities are already in place minus a few new starts I am sure, and most of the knowledge base for that type of work is also there. It basically is ground zero for all things going into and out of space. I think it would be a cost effective and extrememly smart move for DoD to make this place the center of excellence for SPACECOM. IMHO.
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."The 1970 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires federal agencies to assess the environmental effects of their proposed actions prior to making decisions.
Normally, that process would take about four months total, Kendall said. Three months would be needed to complete the assessment and a month to allow public comments. “I’m very hopeful that one way or the other, we get a final decision within the next several months,” he said.
If Redstone Arsenal passes the environmental review and no major issues emerge, the new headquarters would still take several years to stand up.
Kendall noted a new building would have to be constructed that meets the requirements of a military command headquarters."
..."The 1970 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires federal agencies to assess the environmental effects of their proposed actions prior to making decisions.
Normally, that process would take about four months total, Kendall said. Three months would be needed to complete the assessment and a month to allow public comments. “I’m very hopeful that one way or the other, we get a final decision within the next several months,” he said.
If Redstone Arsenal passes the environmental review and no major issues emerge, the new headquarters would still take several years to stand up.
Kendall noted a new building would have to be constructed that meets the requirements of a military command headquarters."
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