Detailed Time Line, 1995-96
December 1995
- Air cargo companies propose a regional cargo center at Moffett with
up to 18 jet flights daily. [3]
- Residents criticise the plan. Jeffrey M. Weiss wrote [5],
the plan "would subject 170,000 citizens in the most densely populated
part of the valley (Mountain View and Sunnyvale) to noise that is currently
banned from San Jose International Airport". Sunnyvale Mayor Robin
N. Parker wrote"I join with the citizens of Sunnyvale who value a quality
of life free of noise pollution and who are offended that we should be asked
to endure early morning flights that are unacceptable to San Jose residents."
and "the council will not accept recommendations which have been developed
by the San Jose City Council, or other outside interests, without any contact
or participation by the city of Sunnyvale." [9]
Timothy K. Risch asked, "Is it not possible that the loss in property
values and the decrease in quality of life will dwarf any projected cost
savings to local businesses?" [6]
- The policy of Mountain View and Sunnyvale is to maintain NASA control
of Moffett. [7] [14]
January 1996
- San Jose gives notice that Moffett Field will be included in the SJC
airport master plan update.
- Sunnyvale officials deliver a sixteen page letter
(32KB) to San Jose and Federal Aviation Administration officials opposing
the plan. The San Jose Mercury News reported that the letter threatened
to sue [8], however the letter
itself merely states that Sunnyvale is "the process of evaluating its
legal rights and remedies with regard to any adverse impacts." I.e.,
determine whether the City of San Jose has jurisdiction, and what recourse
Sunnyvale has. Now lawyers always veil their threats, and the threat of
legal action is implicit in any letter from an attorney. But the tone of
the letter seems to me to suggest that if San Jose considers the objections
raised, and considers that costs and benefits must ultimately be traded
off region wide, then it will not proceed with any plans for Moffett and
a lawsuit will not be required. The Sunnyvale Sun newspaper [13],
reports that "if San Jose and the FAA continue to press a plan that
is 'neither practical nor feasible,' according to legal analysis received
by Sunnyvale, the city will demand an evaluation of Moffett Field that discusses
all potential impacts of civil aviation." The Sun also reports that
San Jose City Attorney Joan Gallo said "San Jose is not studying Moffett
Field as an alternative and does not have a project in mind for it."
- The Mercury News reports
that the airport battle will center on SJC's master plan to be adopted by
San Jose city council by the end of the year. Three of the four alternatives
in the plan would increase capacity at the San Jose airport from 8.6 million
people to 17.6 million. Gary Burke, president of the Santa Clara Valley
Manufacturing Group is quoted as saying "If you could ignore the wishes
of Sunnyvale and Mountain View, it probably makes logical sense to have
air cargo at Moffett. But we are not prepared to ignore their wishes. They
must agree to the use of that airfield, because we believe it is within
their sphere of influence."
February
- Sunnyvale officials say there is not any formal air cargo proposal to
act on.
March
- March 23. The public received the first specifics of the air
cargo proposal, as Mountain View assistant city manager Nadine Levin gave
a lucid explanation in a presentation at a public
committee meeting.
- GAO releases a report on the CRAF
program.
June
July
- Public meetings uncovered numerous
flaws in the report. See comments
by the Alliance for a New Moffett Field.
- NASA admits that it does not have statuatory authority to bring in air
cargo, contrary to earlier representations, but that special
legislation would be required.
- July 23 NASA delays final Environmental Assessment by approximately
6 months, suggests formation of a citizens' committee to examine alternatives
for maintaining Moffett as an airport, and asks
cities not to hold a vote on air cargo in the November general election.
- July 26 Alliance for a New Moffett Field welcomes the suggested
citizens' advisory committee, but asserts that its' scope should include
"not only air operations, for alternative sources of revenue to support
NASA's ability to remain a viable entity in this community", and maintains
that the public vote on air cargo is still
necessary.
- July 29 Mountain View public meeting on air cargo operations
at Moffett Federal Airfield
- July 30 Mountain View City Council Meeting. Item 7.2 on the agenda
was consideration of whether to allow the citizens of Mountain View to vote
on the air cargo proposal.
- July 30 Sunnyvale City Council Meeting. Item 2 on the agenda
was consideration of whether to allow the citizens of Sunnyvale to vote
on the air cargo proposal.
Moffett History 
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