As we reported earlier, the EPA allowed the Air Force to transfer a 62-acre parcel of the former McClellan Air Force Base in California to Sacramento County, prior to its removal from the Superfund site list. An EPA release states that a ceremony Aug. 27 “marked the first time that the military will fund a private party to conduct clean up in conjunction with redevelopment at a Superfund site.” The Air Force is paying the country $11.2 million, which the county will pay to McClelland Business Park to clean up the property. The base has been on the Superfund list since 1987. Since then the Air Force has been working the clean up of more than 300 contaminated sites at the former maintenance depot, and it will continue to clean up the rest of the 3,000-acre facility.
Expanded production of the B-21 bomber can be accomplished at Northrop Grumman's existing Palmdale, Calif., facilities, the Air Force said. It also said test aircraft will be so simular to the production version that early examples could be used in combat if called for.