Ventura Supervisors Back Air Guard Move to Point Mugu in Blow to Opponents

The Ventura County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday welcomed the planned move of a Van Nuys-based Air National Guard wing to Point Mugu on the Ventura coast, dealing a blow to those who have tried to prevent the transfer.

The protesters, who have objected on environmental grounds, said they would continue fighting the move in Congress.

The supervisors not only rejected a motion by Supervisor Ed Jones to object to the move but went a step further and passed a motion favoring the wing’s relocation to the Point Mugu Naval Air Station.

Jones had asked the county board to join the city governments of Camarillo, Lancaster and Palmdale, which have already called for the 146th Tactical Airlift Wing to move to Palmdale.

The vote was a non-binding expression of opinion. The supervisors and the city governments have no control over the transfer, which is up to the California state government and the Defense Department.

But passage of Jones’ resolution would have added to the political strength of the coalition of groups that has been fighting to change the plans by blocking congressional funding for it.

Lease Has Expired

The wing must leave Van Nuys because the federal government’s $1-a-year lease expired last year. Also, Air Guard officers have said, the airfield in the middle of the San Fernando Valley has become so crowded with civilian planes and the area around it so developed, that it is no longer safe for military flying.

Camarillo residents have been fighting to prevent the wing, which has 1,500 members and flies 16 propjet C-130 cargo planes, from moving into neighboring Point Mugu, charging that the relocation would cause traffic, safety and air-pollution problems.

Palmdale and Lancaster, adjoining cities in the Antelope Valley, want the unit to relocate to a nearby Air Force base for the economic benefits it would bring. The wing, which has about 300 full-time members, puts $25 million a year into its home area’s economy, its officers say.

Officers of the 146th argued that relocation to Point Mugu would give the wing access to a large pool of potential recruits. They also contend that a base in Palmdale would have such recruiting problems that the wing, which depends on volunteers, might die out. It is the oldest Air National Guard unit in California and the largest Air Guard tactical airlift wing in the United States.

After two years of dispute, the Air Force announced in November that the unit would move to Point Mugu over the next four years.

Camarillo area homeowner groups and officials of the three cities then started a campaign to lobby Southern California congressmen to halt the move, asking them to block a $5-million appropriation needed to buy land next to the Naval Air Station for the Guard unit’s base.

After months of wrangling, the money was approved in the current federal budget. However, at the request of six California representatives, the chairman of the House subcommittee on military construction, Rep. W. G. Hefner (D-N.C.) instructed the Air Force not to spend the funds until the committee reevaluates the selection of Point Mugu over Palmdale.

200 Attend Meeting

About 200 people attended Tuesday’s board debate on the issue, including Guard members.

Board Chairman James R. Dougherty cast the swing vote that defeated Jones’ motion, 3 to 2, saying he was not sufficiently impressed by arguments that the wing’s operations would noticeably harm the quality of life in the area.

“I just don’t see it,” Dougherty said. He and Supervisors John Flynn and Susan K. Lacey then passed a motion supporting the choice of Point Mugu.

Jones was supported by Supervisor Maggie Erickson.

Jones said later that he still plans to bring up the subject to California congressional representatives when he visits Washington next week, “but I’ll have to say that the board has come out in favor of the move to Mugu, although I personally have grave environmental concerns about that.”

Issue of Cost

Lancaster City Councilwoman Barbara Little, who addressed the supervisors on behalf of Jones’ measure, said later, “We’re going to continue the battle at the Washington level, where the significant issue is cost.” The protesters argue that the federal government would save millions of dollars by moving the wing to Palmdale.

“There’s still room for us to go on,” said Palmdale Mayor Al Beasley, who also attended the Ventura meeting.

Leaders of Camarillo homeowner groups also said they would continue to try to block the funds the wing needs to begin the move.

National Guard officers said they hope the board’s vote signaled the beginning of the end of the dispute. “I certainly hope so,” said Lt. Col. Tandy Bozeman, the wing’s vice commander.

“We think this really represents the true feelings of the majority of the people of Ventura County,” said Lt. Col. Edmund C. Zysk, government affairs officer of the California Military Department in Sacramento.

Lt. Col. Fred Claebusch, the base engineer, said the guardsmen were pleasantly surprised by the vote. “We thought when we came here the best we could hope for was to have the motion referred to an advisory commission,” he said.

“They lost a big battle today, but I’m sure the war isn’t over, although I don’t like to think of it as a war,” said Capt. Lloyd T. Crumrine, a part-time pilot with the unit who worked on preparation of the environmental impact report on the move.

“I wish we were coming to the same welcome here that they want to give us in Palmdale and Lancaster.”