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Posted: Friday, July 15th, 2005 5:04 AM HST

Report: closing Pearl Harbor shipyard would cost Hawaii $1.3 billion

By Associated Press

HONOLULU (AP) _ A new report predicts Hawaii's economy would lose one-point-three (b) billion dollars and nearly ten-thousand jobs if Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard is closed. The report by Enterprise Honolulu, an economic development group, was prepared as Hawaii's military, political and business leaders prepare to defend the shipyard next week in Washington before the Base Realignment and Closure Commission. The commission is considering adding Pearl Harbor to the list of bases to be closed or realigned. Pearl Harbor shipyard is Hawaii's largest industrial employer, with more than 43-hundred civilian employees and a payroll last year of 385 (m) million dollars. The report says closing the shipyard and its related facilities would eliminate two-point-two percent of Oahu's labor force, including the loss of another 45-hundred jobs outside of the yard that are dependent on it for survival. (Copyright 2005 by the Associated Press. All rights reserved.)