REPORT PAVES WAY FOR NEW SQUADRONS AT POINT MUGU.

Byline: David Greenberg Daily News Staff Writer

A favorable environmental impact statement has all but assured that the Point Mugu Naval Air Weapons Station will begin housing the first of what will be 16 E-2 Hawkeye radar planes in mid-summer.

The report concluded that moving the aircraft to the 50-year-old base would have no significant effect on water, construction, traffic or noise because the E-2s are not as loud as existing flight operations.

``A very thorough review has been conducted here, and right now it certainly appears that Point Mugu is well qualified to host the wing,'' said Capt. Gregg Hartung, public affairs officer for the San Diego-based Commander Naval Air Force U.S. Pacific Fleet, which oversaw the EIS. ``(But) until it has been signed by the secretary of the Navy, nothing is official.''

E-2s are jet-propelled radar planes that conduct air surveillance, feeding target and tracking information to squadrons of fighter jets.

The final report, signed off earlier this month by Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy Duncan Holaday, recommended Point Mugu over three other California Naval bases: Lemoore, El Centro and North Island in Coronado.

Navy Secretary John Dalton is expected to approve the impact statement, officials said.

Bringing the aircraft to Point Mugu would mean the relocation of 988 Navy personnel and their families to the area, Navy officials said.

Capt. Stephen Beal, commanding officer at Point Mugu, said the report's recommendation is certainly a hopeful sign in an era of military base closures.

``That's in the back of everybody's mind,'' Beal said. ``I can't honestly say this one thing is going to save one base. But I certainly think this is a positive sign.''

The base already employs more than 8,000 contractors, civilian government workers and military personnel.

The additional aircraft would pose no treat in the area of public health and safety, or visual character, the report stated.

Any area schools pushed beyond capacity as a result of the influx of new families would be eligible for federal aid to compensate school districts, according to the report.

Air quality concerns would be placated by monitoring the amount of flying in the area.

The E-2 squadrons, each containing four planes, are generally assigned to six-month deployment missions.

``There will be almost no time when all 16 aircraft are (at Point Mugu) because normally at least one squadron would be . . . in the Arabian Gulf and western Pacific,'' Hartung said.

Money also played a major role in the recommendation, Navy officials said.

Because Point Mugu already has the hangars needed to store the planes, construction costs for a new trainer building, parking lot and bridge crane, as well as other site modifications, will cost only $28.6 million, officials said.

``I'll be able to use existing facilities,'' said Beal. ``That's a savings to the taxpayers.''

The EIS is now amid a public review period scheduled to end May 18.

The results will be incorporated into the ``record of decision,'' which will be passed through the chain of Navy command and be on Dalton's desk by the end of the month.

Ventura County officials have been pushing Point Mugu as the best base for the E-2s, one of which will be on display and likely part of the air show at Point Mugu this weekend.