(a) To speed the economic recovery of communities affected by closures and realignments, the Department of Defense will identify DoD and Federal interests in real property at closing and realigning installations as quickly as possible. The Secretary concerned shall identify such interests. The Secretary concerned will keep the LRA informed of these interests. This section establishes a uniform process, with specified timelines, for identifying real property that is available for use by DoD Components (which for purposes of this section includes the United States Coast Guard) or is excess to the needs of the Department of Defense and available for use by other Federal agencies, and for the disposal of surplus property for various purposes.

(b) The Secretary concerned should consider LRA input, if provided, in making determinations on the retention of property (location and size of cantonment area).

(c) Within one week of the date of approval of the closure or realignment, the Secretary concerned shall issue a notice of availability to the DoD Components and other Federal agencies covering closing and realigning installation buildings and property available for transfer to the DoD Components and other Federal agencies. The notice of availability should describe the property and buildings available for transfer. Withdrawn public domain lands which the Secretary of the Interior has determined are suitable for return to the jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior (DoI) will not be included in the notice of availability.

(d) To obtain consideration of a requirement for such available buildings and property, a DoD Component or Federal agency is required to provide a written, firm expression of interest for buildings and property within 30 days of the date of the notice of availability. An expression of interest must explain the intended use and the corresponding requirement for the buildings and property.

(e)(1) Within 60 days of the date of the notice of availability, the DoD Component or Federal agency expressing interest in buildings or property must submit an application for transfer of such property to a Military Department or Federal agency. In the case of a DoD Component that would normally, under the circumstances, obtain its real property needs from the Military Department disposing of the real property, the application should indicate the property would not transfer to another Military Department but should be retained by the current Military Department for the use of the DoD Component. To the extent a different Military Department provides real property support for the requesting DoD Component, the application must indicate the concurrence of the supporting Military Department.

(2) Within 90 days of the notice of availability, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) should survey the air traffic control and air navigation equipment at the installation to determine what is needed to support the air traffic control, surveillance, and communications functions supported by the Military Department, and to identify the facilities needed to support the National Airspace System. FAA requests for property to manage the National Airspace System will not be governed by paragraph (h) of this section. Instead, the FAA shall work directly with the Military Department to prepare an agreement to assume custody of the property necessary for control of the airspace being relinquished by the Military Department.

(f) The Secretary concerned will keep the LRA informed of the progress in identifying interests. At the same time, the LRA is encouraged to contact Federal agencies which sponsor public benefit conveyances for information and technical assistance. The Secretary concerned will provide to the LRA points of contact at the Federal agencies.

(g) DoD Components and Federal agencies are encouraged to discuss their plans and needs with the LRA, if an LRA exists. If an LRA does not exist, the consultation should be pursued with the governor or the heads of the local governments in whose jurisdiction the property is located. DoD Components and Federal agencies are encouraged to notify the Secretary concerned of the results of this consultation. The Secretary concerned, the Transition Coordinator, and the DoD Office of Economic Adjustment Project Manager are available to help facilitate communication between the DoD Components and Federal agencies, and the LRA, governor, and heads of local governments.

(h) An application for property from a DoD Component or Federal agency must contain the following information:

(1) A completed GSA Form 1334, Request for Transfer (for requests from DoD Components, a DD Form 1354 will be used). This must be signed by the head of the Component or agency requesting the property. If the authority to acquire property has been delegated, a copy of the delegation must accompany the form;

(2) A statement from the head of the requesting Component or agency that the request does not establish a new program (i.e., one that has never been reflected in a previous budget submission or Congressional action);

(3) A statement that the requesting Component or agency has reviewed its real property holdings and cannot satisfy its requirement with existing property. This review must include all property under the requester's accountability, including permits to other Federal agencies and outleases to other organizations;

(4) A statement that the requested property would provide greater long-term economic benefits for the program than acquisition of a new facility or other property;

(5) A statement that the program for which the property is requested has long-term viability;

(6) A statement that considerations of design, layout, geographic location, age, state of repair, and expected maintenance costs of the requested property clearly demonstrate that the transfer will prove more economical over a sustained period of time than acquiring a new facility;

(7) A statement that the size of the property requested is consistent with the actual requirement;

(8) A statement that fair market value reimbursement to the Military Department will be made at the later of January of 2008, or at the time of transfer, unless this obligation is waived by the Office of Management and Budget and the Secretary concerned, or a public law specifically provides for a non-reimbursable transfer (this requirement does not apply to requests from DoD Components);

(9) A statement that the requesting DoD Component or Federal agency agrees to accept the care and custody costs for the property on the date the property is available for transfer, as determined by the Secretary concerned; and

(10) A statement that the requesting agency agrees to accept transfer of the property in its existing condition, unless this obligation is waived by the Secretary concerned.

(i) The Secretary concerned will make a decision on an application from a DoD Component or Federal agency based upon the following factors:

(1) The requirement must be valid and appropriate;

(2) The proposed use is consistent with the highest and best use of the property;

(3) The proposed transfer will not have an adverse impact on the transfer of any remaining portion of the installation;

(4) The proposed transfer will not establish a new program or substantially increase the level of a Component's or agency's existing programs;

(5) The application offers fair market value for the property, unless waived;

(6) The proposed transfer addresses applicable environmental responsibilities to the satisfaction of the Secretary concerned; and

(7) The proposed transfer is in the best interest of the Government.

(j) When there is more than one acceptable application for the same building or property, the Secretary concerned shall consider, in the following order—

(1) The need to perform the national defense missions of the Department of Defense and the Coast Guard;

(2) The need to support the homeland defense mission; and

(3) The LRA's comments as well as other factors in the determination of highest and best use.

(k) If the Federal agency does not meet its commitment under paragraph (h)(8) of this section to provide the required reimbursement, and the requested property has not yet been transferred to the agency, the requested property will be declared surplus and disposed of in accordance with the provisions of this part.

(l) Closing or realigning installations may contain “public domain lands” which have been withdrawn by the Secretary of the Interior from operation of the public land laws and reserved for use by the Department of Defense. Lands deemed suitable for return to the public domain are not real property governed by title 40, United States Code, and are not governed by the property management and disposal provisions of a base closure law. Public domain lands are under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior and administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) unless the Secretary of the Interior has withdrawn the lands and reserved them for another Federal agency's use.

(1) The Secretary concerned will provide the BLM with information about which, if any, public domain lands will be affected by the installation's closure or realignment.

(2) The BLM will review the information to determine if any installations contain withdrawn public domain lands. The BLM will review its land records to identify any withdrawn public domain lands at the closing installations. Any records discrepancies between the BLM and Military Departments should be resolved. The BLM will notify the Secretary concerned as to the final agreed upon withdrawn and reserved public domain lands at an installation.

(3) Upon agreement as to what withdrawn and reserved public domain lands are affected at closing installations, the BLM will initiate a screening of DoI agencies to determine if these lands are suitable for programs of the Secretary of the Interior.

(4) The Secretary concerned will transmit a Notice of Intent to Relinquish (see 43 CFR Part 2370) to the BLM as soon as it is known that there is no DoD Component interest in reusing the public domain lands. The BLM will complete the suitability determination screening process within 30 days of receipt of the Secretary's Notice of Intent to Relinquish. If a DoD Component is approved to reuse the public domain lands, the BLM will be notified and BLM will determine if the current authority for military use of these lands needs to be modified or amended.

(5) If BLM determines the land is suitable for return, it shall notify the Secretary concerned that the intent of the Secretary of the Interior is to accept the relinquishment of the land by the Secretary concerned.

(6) If BLM determines the land is not suitable for return to the DoI, the land should be disposed of pursuant to base closure law.

(m) The Secretary concerned should make a surplus determination within six (6) months of the date of approval of closure or realignment, and shall inform the LRA of the determination. If requested by the LRA, the Secretary may postpone the surplus determination for a period of no more than six (6) additional months after the date of approval if the Secretary determines that such postponement is in the best interests of the communities affected by the closure or realignment.

(1) In unusual circumstances, extensions beyond six months can be granted by the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Installations and Environment).

(2) Extensions of the surplus determination should be limited to the portions of the installation where there is an outstanding interest, and every effort should be made to make decisions on as much of the installation as possible, within the specified timeframes.

(n) Once the surplus determination has been made, the Secretary concerned shall follow the procedures in part 176 of this title.

(o) Following the surplus determination, but prior to the disposal of property, the Secretary concerned may, at the Secretary's discretion, withdraw the surplus determination and evaluate a Federal agency's late request for excess property.

(1) Transfers under this paragraph shall be limited to special cases, as determined by the Secretary concerned.

(2) Requests shall be made to the Secretary concerned, as specified under paragraphs (h) and (i) of this section, and the Secretary shall notify the LRA of such late request.

(3) Comments received from the LRA and the time and effort invested by the LRA in the planning process should be considered when the Secretary concerned is reviewing a late request.