The Environmental Impact of Base Closure: A Case Study of Laredo, Texas.

Military bases exercise a significant influence on many communities. A base closure inevitably creates strong community apprehension. Many of these apprehensions can be allayed once the impact of a military base on a nearby community is fully understood. The DOD has been unable to accurately assess the environmental impact of a military base closure on a nearby community hence, they have begun to establish a data base from which environmental impact assessments of base closures can be made. This research examined the closure of Laredo Air Force Base, Laredo, Texas. The research objectives were to identify factors changed significantly subsequent to base closure. The methods employed in analysis were factor analysis, time-series, and subjective analysis. The research revealed that three major factors existed which explained the environmental impact of the base clsoure the Growth Factor, the Extrinsic Factor, and the Intrinsic Factor. The researchers concluded that there was no significant impact apparent in the Growth Factor, while there was a significant impact apparent in both the extrinsic Factor and the Intrinsic Factor. Author