SIERRA ARMY DEPOT
(Realignment)  

KEY CONTACTS:
Site Manager:
Patrick Landon, 1rap@thegrid.net
FAX (530) 257-6599

Lassen County CAO:
Bill Bixby, (530) 251-8333
Address: 221 S Roop Street
Susanville CA 96130

UPDATE 2000:

The Local Reuse Authority for properties at Sierra Army Depot has presented a comprehensive Economic Development Conveyance (EDC) application to the Army. The EDC has been identified as the optimal mechanism for transfer of properties at the installation. Previously, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army, Paul Johnson, notified the community that they had attained "rural" status and the properties would be transferred to the community at no cost.

The EDC application had been held in suspension pending response from the Army on the community's utilities proposal. The Community had submitted the utilities proposal pursuant to a mandate from the installation commander that the proposal be received by October 28th, 1999. The Army then indicated they would have various departments review the proposal and would respond by December 7th. In the absence of such response, the Local Reuse Authority (LRA) Executive Council incorporated the utilities proposal into the EDC application and at its December 7th meeting, voted to forward the application to the LRA's Board of Supervisors.

At its meeting December 14th, the Local Reuse Authority reviewed the components of the EDC application and voted to approve the application's submition to the Army. The LRA Board also requested that the Base Reuse Plan be revised to reflect the changes included in the EDC application and to have the revised Base Reuse Plan draft made available for review by the end of 1999.

The EDC application was submitted to Adrian Nakayama headquartered at the Department of the Army-BRAC office, on December 15th, 1999.

The EDC application requested properties to be determined surplus at Sierra Army Depot, including the Herlong parcel and the East Shore parcel.

Acres Transferred: Retained by the federal government (preliminary decision):

• U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), 600 acres, for federal penitentiary
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services/Indian Health Service, 1,037 acres for use by the Susanville Indian Rancheria
• U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), 72 acres for use by the Susanville Indian Rancheria

Job Loss: 408 M, 404 C, and an additional 329 M jobs are being lost due to force reduction.

Location: The base is located in the high desert unincorporated area of Lassen County, adjacent to the community of Herlong (pop.800). The base is 45 miles from Reno and 42 miles from Susanville. Sierra Army Depot is a vast (over 96,000 acres) depot with two primary national defense missions: the repair, storage, and shipping of all the Army Operational Project Stocks used to support deployed soldiers around the globe; and the demilitarization (destruction) of conventional ammunition. Under a BRAC 95 realignment decision, the strategic or long-term ammunition storage mission was eliminated.

Projected Realignment: All active ammunition must be moved out of the Depot for the realignment to be complete. This project was scheduled to be completed by October 1999.

Area and Facilities: The base is located in an arid area, adjacent to two railroad lines -- the Southern Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads, which merged in July 1995. There are 59 miles of railroad track on the base.

The main base covers 32,292 acres including 165 units of housing, 3 schools, credit union, barbershop, theater, chapel, an airfield with a 7,168 foot runway, and some administration buildings. The "industrial" portion of the base, which will be retained by the Army, includes several very large warehouses.

The Army also owns a 4,030-acre parcel on a mountainside, which is separated from the main base by land owned by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). It is currently used for ammunition demolition.

The base also includes the 60,000-acre Honey Lake, which at one time belonged to the State of California. The State retains reversionary rights to the property and the State Lands Commission, in a letter dated September 11, 1996, and has agreed to accept the land following the successful completion of environmental restoration.

Background: The Lassen County Board of Supervisors serves as the local reuse authority (LRA). In late 1995, the Board appointed a LRA Advisory Council which includes 5 members: the Board of Supervisor member who represents the area, the Mayor of Susanville, a member of the Lassen County Chamber of Commerce, a member of the West Patton Village Community Services District, and 3 at-large representatives of the Herlong area. The Susanville Indian Rancheria is also represented in the reuse planning process.

The Local Reuse Authority (LRA), headed by Lassen County, seeks to preserve and enhance the unincorporated community of Herlong, adjacent to the base. Its highest priority is economic development; particularly manufacturing, which complements the remaining activities of the Depot.

On November 1, 1996 the Army issued a Final Report of Excess Real Property. Then, on January 6, 1997, the Army identified additional excess property. In total, the Army found that it no longer needs about 4,400 acres of the 32,000-acre base, nor does it need the 60,000-acre Honey Lake.

The parcels that were declared excess to the needs of the Army, along with anticipated future recipients and uses, were as follows:

• 957 acres of vacant intermittently flooded land along the east shore of Honey Lake was offered to the Susanville Indian Rancheria or the LRA. The Rancheria will accept the property.
• Approximately 552 acres in the main post cantonment area will be apportioned to several entities, as follows:
  • 120 duplex housing units, the Post Exchange, and four other buildings, including a 17,000 square foot administrative building, are proposed for a no-cost federal-to-federal transfer to the Susanville Rancheria, under sponsorship of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
  • 3 schools, surrounding property, and athletic fields would be transferred to the Fort Sage Unified School District, which has operated the schools for many years.
  • A parcel, including one building, for Lassen Community College.
  • A parcel of vacant land, including microwave communications facilities, for possible transfer to the LRA for economic and/or housing development.
• 2,228-acre airfield property, which includes a 7,168-foot long runway. The runway was recently resurfaced and Lassen County hopes to develop a cargo facility and industrial park on the property.
• A 602 acre vacant parcel requested by the Bureau of Prisons for a federal penitentiary for 1,000 prisoners and a minimum security facility for 500 inmates. The property will transfer to BOP by May 1998.
• 50 acres adjacent to the prison parcel will be offered to the Susanville Indians for ceremonial use.

The Army will retain 26,000 acres necessary to support its continued depot storage and ammunition demilitarization activities. Also retained are parts of the main post, including the headquarters building, 40 units of housing, the guest house, medical clinic (which will be made available for joint use), and child development center.

Planning Status: The Lassen Board of Supervisors approved a reuse plan on September 8, 1998.

On July 1995, the Lassen County Board of Supervisors voted to approve a contract for the development of a Redevelopment Plan, including an assessment of utilities to determine if the utility system can be divided between the Army and the civilian areas.

The LRA will redevelop the airport parcel. Beginning in the spring 1998, the Nevada Air National Guard began using the airfield. The LRA has received expressions of interest from freight operators seeking to relocate from Reno airport. The 7,700-foot airstrip currently has no hangars or other structures.

The Army analyzed the medium-low intensity reuse scenario resulting in an estimated employee population of 825 employees. It found that this reuse would not result in a significant environmental or socio-economic impact. An EIS is not required and a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) will be published.

Current Activity: The Army has issued its 3rd excess notice, which includes the C-Mart store. The Rancheria has since requested the property. The LRA supports this request if the property is conveyed through deed title. It will not support the conveyance of the property if the Bureau of Indian Affairs holds it in trust for the Rancheria. If held in trust, the store would be exempt from taxes.

On March 25, 1998, the Army released an Environmental Assessment (EA) and a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the realignment of the Depot. The EA addresses the environmental consequences of the depot's disposal and reuse. An EIS will not be prepared. The EA indicated that the Army would negotiate the transfer of 2,688 acres to the LRA, transfer 1,037 acres to U.S. Health and Human Services/Indian Health Services and 600 acres to the U.S. Department of Justice. Seventy-two acres have transferred to the U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs.

The LRA will submit a rural no-cost EDC application in 1999.

The LRA considered establishing a Community Service Area (CSA) in order to acquire that portion of the water and sewer distribution lines deemed excess by the Army. A CSA could acquire these systems through a public benefit conveyance or a negotiated sale and could contract professionally for their management and operation. The LRA is currently examining the establishment of a cooperative.

On July 30, 1997, the Susanville Indian Rancheria transferred 72 acres to the U.S. Department of the Interior for use.The Rancheria will be the property manager for the DOI, until such time as the property transfers to the Bureau of Indian Affairs to be held in trust for the Rancheria. This is the first transfer of base closure property to the DOI for use by Native Americans in California. The property consists of an administration building and two housing complexes: Lahontan Court, built in 1978, with 40 housing units; and Sierra Court, built in 1989, with 80 housing units. The Rancheria retained most of the 65 federal employee tenants who occupied these units. The remaining available units were offered to tribal members and the general public. As of April 1998, nearly all the units were occupied. The barracks and dining facility transferred to the Rancheria in late 1998.

The Rancheria hired a project manager to oversee the 120 housing units and to manage the other Rancheria activities at the depot.

The Army will use the medical clinic jointly and the Susanville Indian Rancheria pursuant to a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed on April 15, 1997, by the Department of the Army, the Madigan Army Medical Center and the Susanville Indian Rancheria. Joint-use of the depot's medical clinic will produce full health care services for the Army's remaining active duty soldiers, depot employees, their families, military reservists and retirees, Native Americans and the community at-large. Currently, medical treatment is available in Susanville, California, 40 miles from the depot. Full medical services are available in Reno, Nevada, 60 miles from the Depot.

Under the new co-use arrangement, eight civilian Army medical personnel will continue to offer occupational health services to Army personnel for on-the-job related injuries. Bolstering the Army staff will be medical staff from the Rancheria's Lassen Indian Health Center, who will offer primary health care to both Army personnel and the entire community. Laboratory, X-ray, dental and pharmacy services also will be available.

The agreement grew out of the unique needs of both the Army and the Susanville Indian Rancheria. Under the BRAC 1995 realignment decision, the depot's long-term ammunition storage mission was reduced, and the depot's main mission became the disassembly and destruction of conventional ammunition. The change in mission resulted in the reassignment of most of the depot's 400 military personnel, including active duty medical personnel. Without the Army's military medical personnel, the depot's Health Clinic mission was reduced to that of an Occupational Health Clinic, manned by civilian Army medical personnel and serving only the depot's remaining 750 civilian employees.

Also, as a result of BRAC, the Susanville Indian Rancheria has received excess depot property in order to develop a Youth Regional Treatment Center for young Native Americans with substance abuse problems. To provide medical services for this program, the Rancheria needed to extend the medical services of its Lassen Indian Health Center. The Lassen facility, located at the Susanville Indian Rancheria, is a program of the U.S. Public Health Service and the Indian Health Services, which offers primary health services to Native Americans.

The co-use agreement, forged over a period of 10 months, provides that the Army will continue to own and maintain the 22,000 square-foot medical clinic and that the Rancheria will pay for the agreed upon items identified in the MOA. The clinic's medical equipment, estimated to be worth close to $500,000, has been given to the Rancheria.

Housing: Lahontan Court, built in 1978, consists of 40 housing units in 20 buildings on about 20 acres. Sierra Court, built in 1989 consists of 80 two-story townhouse-type units in 40 buildings. On July 30, 1997, both complexes were transferred to the DOI to be managed by the Susanville Rancheria until such time as the property transfers to the BIA in trust for the Rancheria. As of April 1998, nearly all the units were occupied.

Environmental Contamination: The Defense Environmental Response Program Report for FY 1997 shows that cleanup should be completed by the year 2020 for a total cost of $93 million. As of FY 1997, about $29 million has been spent.

The Environmental Baseline Survey (EBS) was completed in April 1997. An Environmental Assessment for NEPA is underway and is expected in mid-1997. It is unclear if Honey Lake contains unexploded ordnance (UXO), though no firm evidence of its presence has been found.

Amedee Airfield: The airfield will be deemed surplus. The Nevada National Guard began using the airfield in 1998. The Guard will construct a 2,500 square feet secure storage area and install an AWOS system. Eventually, the Guard plans to re-certify the instrument approach at the airfield.

The runway is 7,168 feet long, 150 feet wide with marginal Army Combat System lighting, and limited electronic landing aid equipment. It was resurfaced in 1996. The LRA has hired a contractor to assess the feasibility of converting the airfield to civilian reuse. In early 1998, the Nevada Air National Guard began using the airfield.

Infrastructure: At a Lassen County Board of Supervisors meeting on December 16, 1997, the Supervisors unanimously directed staff to prepare an application for the formation of a County Service Area (CSA) for consideration by the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO). The establishment of a CSA would enable the county to acquire that portion of the water and sewer distribution lines located on 4,400 acres deemed excess by the Army. A CSA could acquire these systems through a public benefit conveyance or a negotiated sale and could contract professionally for their management and operation. However, the Army may retain the water wells, the sewage treatment plant and the water and sewer distribution lines on the 32,000 acres it is retaining for its continuing mission as an ammunition depot.

The County Service Area Law (California Government Code Section 25210.1 through 25211.33) was enacted in the 1950's to enable counties to localize the provision and financing of expanded services, such as street lighting or flood control, in unincorporated areas, which seek, improved levels of public service. For example, when a county provides enhanced services to an urbanized unincorporated area through a Community Service Area (CSA), these extended services are financed by the taxpayers of the CSA. Thus, the county can insure that only those who will receive them pay for additional services. CSAs may provide those services, which the county is authorized to perform, but which are not already performed on a countywide basis. Ratepayers within the CSA finance these extended services, such as water and sewer service, refuse collection and road maintenance.

This new CSA will be the fourth to be established in Lassen County. The governing body will be the county board of supervisors. However, the recommendation is to appoint an advisory board composed of the District's supervisor, the Sierra Army Depot commander, representatives of the West Patton Village Community Service District, the Susanville Indian Rancheria, the School District and members at large.

Already, the Susanville Indian Rancheria and the Fort Sage Unified School District are reusing excess Army facilities. Additionally, the Federal Bureau of Prisons may build a new facility on excess Army property. Army water wells at the Depot currently supply enough water to meet the Army's needs, but they cannot meet the increasing needs of the surrounding civilian community. While this water meets primary drinking water standards, it does not meet secondary drinking water standards. The Army's sewage treatment plant is also at capacity. The local reuse authority must therefore find a new water supply and develop a new sewage treatment system in order to redevelop the excess 4,400 acres.

The Army has taken the opportunity offered by realignment, to investigate privatization of its water and sewage treatment system serving the newly realigned 32,000-acre base. On May 20, 1997, the Army published a notice in the Commerce Business Daily, requesting expressions of interest in privatizing both water and sewer at the base. The notice stated that the domestic water must meet primary and secondary water standards. Six companies responded, and the Army is evaluating all options.

Film Production Opportunities: The base offers many visually untouched natural areas of arid flatlands surrounded by mountains. There is an open airfield without any structures in the vicinity. The main post area offers a variety of buildings built from 1940 to the present day. Because the property is still owned by the Army, film scripts will need Army approval. Property is not expected to convey to the LRA until the spring 1998. Call Patrick Landon, with the LRA, at (530) 257-6583.

Jurisdiction: The base is under the exclusive jurisdiction of the federal government. The local sheriff under a Memorandum of Agreement with the DOJ and the DOI secures Land that has transferred to the DOI but is still under federal jurisdiction.

Grant Awards:

• 1996 OEA planning grant for $111,047 (covering 7-month period)
• 1997 OEA grant for $299,280
• 1996 CA TCA grant $18,500
• 1997 CA TCA grant $49,000

Government Representatives:
U.S House District 2 - Herger-R
State Senate District 1 - Leslie-R
State Assembly District 3 - Aanestad-R

California Military Base Closures and Realignments: Current Status of Reuse Efforts -- February 2000

This report is prepared by:
California Trade and Commerce Agency
Office of Business Development
801 K Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916)-327-3116

State of California
Gray Davis, Governor