Blackwater Won't Build in Potrero

Blackwater's opponents are rejoicing that the company is not going ahead with a planned facility on a site in Potrero, CA (pictured). What caused the private security contrator to change its mind? Fiery environmentalists? Political protesters? Hippie pacifists? Actually, it was the acoustics.

"Recent noise tests indicated that sound levels in the bowl-shaped valley exceeded the county limits and would have been prohibitively expensive to fix," the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

"The decision was ultimately made yesterday based on the fact that there was no feasible mitigation with regard to our noise tests," Brian Bonfiglio, Blackwater vice president, told the Associated Press "You'd basically have to put roofs on every single range. It's not workable."

"Blackwater has maintained its position from the very beginning that if we could not meet or exceed (California) and San Diego County guidelines that we would not proceed, and we are keeping to that commitment," Bonfiglio was reported by the San Diego Union-Tribune as saying.

Still, some are tempted to read more into the story. A source close to Blackwater lays these notions to rest: "The company decided for business reasons that the site wasn't worth the planned investment. It could have countered the protesters and challenged the recall vote with a very modest outlay, but opted out completely. [Blackwater] requires either more land or a topography surrounded by high and steep hills to contain the shooting noise.... For the protesters to claim victory is like claiming credit for the sunrise."

AP video describes Blackwater 'tent city' for fire victims

The Associated Press has run a highly informative video of Blackwater's "tent city" for victims of the wildfires in southern California. The quick, 92-second video describes the charitable relief operation and shows how the temporary housing is being put together for those made homeless by the fires. Click here to view the video.

Blackwater undaunted; will expand training centers

Undaunted by partisan political attacks and a politically motivated lawsuit, Blackwater says it's committed to expanding its operations from coast to coast, and that it intends to build its police training facility in San Diego County.

Antiwar activists are intent on stopping the planned Blackwater training facility at Potrero, California, but Brian Bonfiglio, a company vice president overseeing the project, tells the San Diego Union-Tribune, "Their charter is to make this thing work even more now."

Activists are trying to stir up public oppsition to the 824-acre development by saying that Blackwater will train "mercenaries" there, but they're flat wrong, says Bonfiglio. "No independent contractors would be trained here," he says. Just law enforcement and military personnel.