BRUNSWICK -- "The longer it takes us to get the property, the onger it takes for us to create jobs." That's the bottom line for Steve Levesque, Executive Director of the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority (MRRA). He was speaking specifically about the airport facilities, 8000 feet of airstrip that is the physical center of the Master Reuse Plan for the property at Naval Air Station - Brunswick. Levesque's frustration is palpable. He and his staff, along with the MRRA Board of Directors were charged with implementing the Reuse lans
for both the Brunswick property and the Topsham Annex over two years ago. But they really can't take any concrete steps until they have the assets.
And that requires the Navy to complete an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which is an assessment of how the Plan, if implemented, would affect the communities surrounding the Base. MRRA had expected the analysis of the Topsham Reuse Plan to be completed last September; it is still pending. The more complex EIS for the Brunswick site was supposed to be completed this coming May. Now it looks more like August. Levesque cannot account for the delay in the Navy's actions. "It's business as usual," he says. Our Congressional delegation is "very aware" of the issue. Based on the findings in the EIS, the Federal Aviation Agency FAA has the authority to transfer the airport facilities. Levesque says that 'while there's never a guarantee,' he's not aware of any problems at this stage with the FAA transferring those assets to MRRA. He's hopeful that once the EIS is completed, the FAA will act quickly. Meanwhile, MRRA has taken a couple of steps that will put them in a position to take advantage of the airport facilities. They are advertising for an Aviation Services Manager, whose job it will be "todevelop the former naval aviation airport into a civilian general aviation airport."
They have also selected Flightlevel Aviation, of Norwood, Massachusetts as the fixed-base operator and the parties are negotiating the terms of that agreement right now. Peter Eichleay, President of Flightlevel Aviation said that 'it's unfortunate' that they won't be able to get started until after the summer season. Their work is providing services and amenities, primarily individual and charter flights. Summer is the high season for those activities. But, asked whether this delay is a deal-breaker, he said 'absolutely not.'
Levesque alluded to the slowness of the process back in December when MRRA adopted their goals for implementing the Reuse Plans. At that time, when pressed for a timeline for even the short-range objective of replacing the 700 civilian jobs that will be lost with the base closure, he said 'so much of this is beyond our control' and cited, specifically, that we didn't know when the Navy would actually transfer the property. And so we wait.

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