There have been various news releases recently regarding the Alaska
Aerospace Corporation and Kodiak Launch Complex funding for Launch Pad 3
construction. Gov. Parnell recently approved $25 million on top of the
$8 million inserted into the state’s operating budget for the AAC for
the remainder of 2012 ($33 million total) and the governor and AAC would
like the public to believe Lockheed Martin will finance $100 million
out of the $125 million needed for Launch Pad 3 and future KLC
infrastructure.
However, the State of Alaska Capital Project
Summary Fiscal Year 2012 Supplemental (March 8, 2012) proposed budget
list for FY13 and FY14 shows the state’s proposed designated general
funding of $100 million to the AAC “to complete the facility.” While
lying to the public the state is prepared to foot the whole bill. The
AAC is back to square one before the launch complex was built, when it
had no funding and former CEO Pat Ladner said, “Build it and they will
come.”
The Missile Defense Agency (via the Air Force) gave $80
million in 2010 to the University of Alaska Fairbanks for defense
programs and for the AAC and Kodiak Launch Complex. How much did the
AAC receive?
Regarding larger vehicle launches from the KLC the
AAC board of directors is sitting on important environmental hazard
information that it does not want the Kodiak public to know, especially
those people living in close proximity to Narrow Cape. Concerned
residents should check out the Kodiak Launch Complex section in NASA’s
Environmental Assessment for Launch of NASA Routine Payloads, dated
November 2011, as the hazards are listed. Before any further KLC
infrastructure takes place, the public should demand a site-specific
environmental impact statement for Narrow Cape because of future
contamination to the island and human health risks.
By Carolyn Heitman
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