Ceremony marks final chapter in Mather AFB success story Published June 3, 2013 By AFCEC Public Affairs SACRAMENTO, Calif -- -- The Air Force and Sacramento County will celebrate the transfer of the last Air Force property at the former Mather Air Force Base, Calif., to Sacramento County in a ceremony today at 10 a.m. at the Mather Terminal, 10510 Superfortress Ave., in Rancho Cordova. "For 70 years, Mather Air Force Base served as a training base for pilots from World War I through the first Gulf War," said Philip Mook, Western Region Supervisor for the Air Force Civil Engineer Center, responsible for the environmental cleanup and property transfer of the former base. "Today, we're pleased to see Mather's distinguished legacy of service continue by providing jobs, homes, and parklands for the local community." Having the entire base transferred to the local community is a major milestone. Giving full title to properties that have been in lease enables the new owners to plan long-term operations and keep an ongoing presence in the local community. "This is an important step toward creating more jobs at Mather," said Sacramento County Supervisor Don Nottoli, who represents the 5th District, which includes the former base. Slated for closure by the Base Realignment and Closure commission in 1988, Mather closed in 1993. Upon closing, the Air Force leased a large portion of the 5,717-acre base to Sacramento County enabling redevelopment to begin immediately. The transfer of deeds has occurred through the years as the Air Force and regulatory agencies worked to ensure the successful cleanup of the base following environmental contamination from past Air Force activities at the former base. In 1994, the Air Force transfered a portion of the base to the Cordova Parks District. Since then, the former base has been transformed into Mather Commerce Center, home to a wide range of businesses and community support agencies, including a Veteran's Affairs Medical Center, a sports-complex, a 600-acre corporate campus, a cargo airport and the Federal Aviation Administration's Terminal Radar Approach Control, a transitional housing program for the homeless, a residential neighborhood, and several hundred acres of wetland and open space. Concurrent with the redevelopment, the Air Force has continued the environmental cleanup it started in the 1980s. The military used chemicals, including fuels, solvents and oils at Mather in support of its training mission. In 1979, contamination was detected in water supply wells. Environmental cleanup began in the 1980s, years before Mather closed. The cleanup primarily includes removing contaminants from the soil and groundwater beneath the land surface. Progress made in the environmental cleanup has been a successful platform for the redevelopment of Mather, ensuring the safety of those who live and work at the former base. As parcels are cleaned through the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act, they are transferred to Sacramento County or other recipients for redevelopment. This final transfer is a tangible indication that the Air Force has met its objectives of cleaning up the base and transferring it from federal ownership as directed by the BRAC commission. The Air Force Civil Engineer Center, a San Antonio-based field operating agency, manages the disposal of Air Force property in accordance with Base Realignment and Closure law and a BRAC Master Plan. The goal of Air Force BRAC is to return value to the Air Force and local communities by transferring surplus military property and ensuring the protection of human health and the environment on former military land. Media Contacts: Linda Geissinger Air Force Civil Engineer Center Public Affairs Office 916-643-0460 ext. 109 Cell: 916-708-1526 Linda.geissinger@us.af.mil Daniel Regan Sacramento County Communication & Media Office 916-874-7056 Cell: 916-591-0047 www.saccounty.net