NASA administrator Charlie Bolden’s recent decision to designate Moffett Federal Airfield as excess property has far-reaching implications for the local economy, disaster response and quality of life for residents of the Peninsula. The decision to “excess” Moffett was made with little consideration of these factors and must be reversed to mitigate serious long-term consequences.

Among those directly affected will be the Silicon Valley defense industry, which uses Moffett to transport cargo; the California National Guard 129th Rescue Wing, which provides specialized air rescue and emergency response capability; and Bay Area residents who are accustomed to the limited air traffic and reduced road congestion enabled by preserving Moffett under the current arrangement.

As the largest tenant of the airfield since 1978, the 129th Rescue Wing may have the carpet pulled out from beneath it just two years after the same NASA administrator approved a 50-year lease with the Air Force establishing Moffett as the wing’s permanent base. The Air Force has since obligated $40 million in new construction projects that are bringing much-needed jobs to the Bay Area.

The wing’s lease was secured thanks to the fortitude of Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Palo Alto, who fought for nearly 15 years to get it. It also was championed by Pete Worden, the NASA Ames Research Center director, in order to share costs and increase collaboration between agencies.

While other NASA centers struggle to define their role in the post-space shuttle era, Ames has evoked the tenacity of a Silicon Valley startup, boasting achievements that include finding ice on the moon, discovering planets around other stars and redefining commercial architecture with sustainable engineering practices.

The wing is one of only three units in the Air Force with the principal responsibility of conducting its lifesaving search-and-rescue mission. Moffett is the wing’s main base for rapid response to earthquakes, fires, hurricanes and other crises. As members of California’s National Guard, the wing is uniquely positioned to respond to emergencies affecting the 7 million Bay Area residents and is able to rapidly deploy beyond that range when called upon.

The wing has been credited with 951 saved lives in its 34-year history, more than 600 of those accomplished since 2006. It also responds to long-range overwater rescues that are beyond the reach of the U.S. Coast Guard, including the rescue of two severely burned Chinese fishermen 700 miles off the coast of Mexico in March.

California and the federal government have spent the past decade developing capabilities and strategies to use Moffett to support response and recovery operations following an earthquake or other regional disaster. Declaring the property excess places these efforts at risk and forces local governments to fill gaps when they clearly do not have the means to do so.

In addition to supporting innovative research and technology development, Moffett serves as urban open space that mitigates Bay Area road traffic and air quality. The wing was one of the major proponents for the extension of the Bay Trails behind Moffett and the preservation of the San Francisco Bay wetlands.

The creation of Moffett in the orchards of Santa Clara Valley ushered in a culture of innovation and exploration that still leads the nation and fuels the global economy today. Those of us who understand Moffett and call it home believe the destiny of the airfield should be purposefully determined by our elected representatives with input from users, innovators and the community.

Col. Steven Butow is the 129th Rescue Wing commander for the California Air National Guard. He wrote this article for this newspaper.