Eglin: Val-P's FOIA request will cost $1.5 million

EGLIN AFB - Valparaiso Mayor Bruce Arnold came to a meeting with base officials armed with three attorneys and the Freedom of Information Act lawsuit the city has filed but has not served. He left without pulling the trigger.

Eglin Air Force Base wore a $1.5 million armored vest. The base denied Valparaiso's request last week for expedited processing and waived fees, and shared the price tag for the information this week. According to base estimates, the search for the requested documents will take 51,428 hours to complete at a cost of more than $1.49 million.

"We have already provided the City of Valparaiso with numerous documents at no cost. Additionally, certain information can be provided through the NEPA (National Environment Policy Act) process at no cost," said Marie Vanover, a spokeswoman for Eglin. "We believe the Final EIS (Environmental Impact Statement), once released by the Air Force, will include much of the information requested by Valparaiso under the FOIA request. Our intent is to continue to work with the City of Valparaiso and provide them with as much information as possible in the most efficient way possible."

"The FOIA request is actively being worked by Eglin staff," added Col. Arnold Bunch, vice commander of the Air Armament Center.  "The FOIA request, as submitted, encompasses an extensive amount of information which requires a great deal of research."

Arnold did not leave the meeting empty-handed. Eglin provided 460 pages of media releases, notices of availability and intent, public notices, and a public scoping report.

Valparaiso officials had requested the information in a letter dated Sept. 24.

Arnold also received a "Summary of Cooperation and Communication with the City of Valparaiso." The summary listed meetings with Arnold, documents released to Valparaiso attorneys and a status report on Valparaiso's other requests.

Most of the documents the base has received consist of public comments that will be added to the final Environmental Impact Statement. City attorney Doug Wyckoff said the documents were not what the city needed.

"The comments are nothing more than that, not data or analysis," Wyckoff said. "They're just comments."

In the Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed Sept. 22, the city requested all of the Air Force's records relating to BRAC, the Joint Land Use Study and the draft EIS.

Valparaiso officials and many residents are worried about noise generated by the Joint Strike Fighter mission's F-35 jets that will stand up at Eglin beginning in 2011. The lawsuit was filed to obtain more information about the potential impact on Valparaiso.

To date, the city has not been provided data from the noise tests performed on the F-35. Wyckoff said the city would serve the FOIA lawsuit papers if the information is not provided soon.

"That is still up in the air and within the power of the Air Force to determine whether we have to go that route or not," said Wyckoff.

"The final EIS, when published by the Air Force, will contain more data. However, as we receive information, we are providing it," said Vanover. "Our goal is to move out of the FOIA process to a more collaborative effort. We are looking for ways to continue to meet with the City of Valparaiso to ensure they receive the information."

"Successful execution of the BRAC bed-down at Eglin, including careful and thorough consideration of community concerns, is my highest priority." Maj. Gen. David Eidsaune, the Air Armament Center's commander, said in a statement released shortly after the meeting. "I've also asked Col. Bruce McClintock, (96th Air Base Wing) commander, and Col. Arnold Bunch, AAC vice commander, to give this their full attention."

Wyckoff said the city wants more than that.

"Thus far, it's been a lot of talk," he said. "We're looking for some action."