The Base Realignment and Closure Commission couldn’t close Brunswick Naval Air Station today. Every cent of political capital available in the affected communities, state and Congress would be spent to stop it, or alter its terms, because of the economy.

Unfortunately, the decision wasn’t made this year. It was made four years ago, in different times of 2005. And the base is still set to close by 2011.

Yet the economy may still make Brunswick and its neighboring communities, like Lewiston-Auburn, suffer from the closure, unless something is done to mitigate the impact.

Nothing will stop BNAS from shuttering. But effects that would have been nuisances in 2005, like the vacating of housing by base personnel, have become dire concerns as the town, state and national economies turned gloomy.

The Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority, whose task is shepherding the base into hibernation and then charting its revival, estimates 2,500 housing units will flood the Brunswick-area market once the base closes. These are homes, apartments and military housing.

(In comparison, Brunswick had about 8,700 units total in the 2000 census.)

Four years ago, this deluge of housing would have smacked of opportunity for developers and community planners. In today’s market, though, it could spell disaster. At best, this glut could depress home values; at worst, it could create areas of neighborhood blight.

Another concern is owner-occupied rentals, whose tenants have ties to the base. Redevelopment officials worry the base exodus could push homeowners whose rental income is critical for their mortgages into foreclosure. (More of which are truly unneeded.)

Then there is the base itself to consider. While its closure opens a new chapter for Maine and Brunswick, restoring its job creating and sustaining power could take several years. The communities that relied upon its workforce and investment can’t wait that long.

Again, in 2005, this concern was far away. The strong economy put attention more toward the opportunity the closure presented long-term, rather than the immediate problems it would cause. Potential still remains, but those short-term concerns are now much more important.

The powers closing Brunswick – the U.S. Navy, Department of Defense – should assist the community in its transition. With all the talk of government stimulus, it is impractical for the government to cause grave economic impacts in a community without aid.

Brunswick and its neighbors will someday benefit from the renewed use of the base. Until then, economic conditions promise to make things worse before they get better. The federal government can help that by forgetting that the decision was made in 2005.

And by helping offset problems the closure will cause starting today.