Military Base Closure: Socioeconomic Impacts (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
Revised Feb. 7, 2012 |
| Report Number |
RS22147 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Tadlock Cowan, Analyst in Natural Resources and Rural Development; Oscar R. Gonzales, Analyst in Economic Development Policy |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
-
Premium Revised May 2, 2011 (9 pages, $24.95)
add
-
Premium Revised Jan. 11, 2011 (9 pages, $24.95)
add
-
Premium Revised Jan. 25, 2010 (9 pages, $24.95)
add
-
Premium Revised Jan. 13, 2009 (9 pages, $24.95)
add
-
Premium Revised Sept. 19, 2008 (6 pages, $24.95)
add
-
Premium Revised March 14, 2007 (6 pages, $24.95)
add
-
Premium Revised Oct. 3, 2005 (6 pages, $24.95)
add
-
Premium May 18, 2005 (6 pages, $24.95)
add
|
Summary:
The most recent Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission submitted its final report to the Administration on September 8, 2005. Implementation of the BRAC round was officially completed on September 15, 2011. In the report, the commission rejected 13 of the initial Department of Defense recommendations, significantly modified the recommendations for 13 other installations, and approved 22 major closures. The loss of related jobs, and efforts to replace them and to implement a viable base reuse plan, can pose significant challenges for affected communities. However, while base closures and realignments often create socioeconomic distress in communities initially, research has shown that they generally have not had the dire effects that many communities expected. For rural areas, however, the impacts can be greater and the economic recovery slower. Early planning and decisive leadership from officials are important factors in addressing local socioeconomic impacts from base realignment and closing. Drawing from existing studies, this report assesses the potential community impacts and proposals for minimizing those impacts.
For additional information on the BRAC process, see CRS Report RL32216, Military Base Closures: Implementing the 2005 Round, by David E. Lockwood; and CRS Report RL33766, Military Base Closures and Realignment: Status of the 2005 Implementation Plan, by Kristine E. Blackwell.
