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Virginia Pilot Article and WNCT TV Article



I just had a friend forward me this information.

I guess the navy field issue in Washingto Co. is moving ahead... Looks like we should join these guys in the protest here in Raleigh.

URL for storues below are:

http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=57484&ran=154536

http://www.wnct.com/news/localnews/MGBQUX38IID.html


-- Juan A. Pons jpons@wildnaturephoto.com http://www.wildnaturephoto.com/ Pittsboro, NC




Residents to protest Navy jet field By JEFFREY S. HAMPTON, The Virginian-Pilot © July 25, 2003 Last updated: 10:17 PM


Washington County residents, angered about the Navy choosing their farm fields as the likely site of a jet airfield, plan to circle the state Capitol in pickups and tractors, then head to the nation's capital.


``We've got to fight with whatever means we've got,'' said Billy W. Corey, a Washington County commissioner. ``They aren't fighting fair. Why should we?''



Residents and officials are to meet Thursday morning to drive to Raleigh, where they plan to circle the Capitol building for one hour in trucks, cars and on tractors hauled there on trailers. Several local business owners have offered a paid day off to employees who participate. The Washington County group plans to do the same thing another day in Washington, D.C.



Opposition revolves around the belief that the practice field would bring the negative effects of jet noise without the economic benefits of an aircraft base. In addition, thousands of acres would come under federal control and be removed from local tax rolls.



Corey said he is not convinced that building the airfield in Washington County is a military necessity, as the Navy contends, as much as it is being driven by pressure and influence in Hampton Roads to reduce jet noise.


``They lied about needing to invade Iraq, and they're doing the same thing here,'' Corey said. ``Not only is it worldwide, it's right here in our own country.'' Billboards soon will go up in Washington County saying the military is attacking one of its own, he said.



Most of the plans were made at a rousing community meeting of nearly 250 people Wednesday at the Vernon James Center in Plymouth, Corey said.


Officials from a coalition of six counties in northeastern North Carolina met Thursday in Edenton, nearly a week after the Navy released a final draft of an environmental impact statement that named Washington County as the best site for an outlying landing field.



The counties have opposed the field since early last year, when the Navy
first announced in a draft environmental impact statement it was looking at four sites in northeastern North Carolina. The field would be used to
practice carrier landings.



The coalition has hired the New Bern law firm of Ward and Smith to lobby
against the Navy's plans. Thursday, attorneys Frank Sheffield Jr. and Hugh Overholt reported briefly on the 1,600-page impact statement.



``Obviously the Navy has tried to shore up on issues they consider themselves to be vulnerable on,'' Sheffield told the group.


By law, the report is required to disclose every possible environmental
impact and offer every reasonable alternative, he said. Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Installations Wayne Arney will make a final decision on the location of the field 30 days or more after the July 18 release of the statement, Sheffield said.



In the latest document, the Navy recommends basing new F/A-18 Super Hornets at Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia Beach and at Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station. Eight squadrons could go to Oceana and two to Cherry Point or six squadrons to Oceana and four to Cherry Point. The Navy has reduced the number of new jets for the East Coast in last year's recommendations from 162 to 144, with fewer jets in each new squadron.



Construction of the outlying landing field could begin in early 2004. In
the final document, a Craven County site was eliminated because of wetland concerns. Other types of jets stationed at Oceana and Cherry Point could also use the proposed airfield, Sheffield said.



The Navy proposes buying 30,000 acres around the Washington County site for $118 million rather than just acquiring air rights over nearby acreage, as was originally proposed. The military would not be required to pay local taxes, removing about 13 cents per dollar from the county's public coffers, Corey said. ``It's devastating,'' he said.



About 74 homes would have to be moved. If necessary, the Navy would use
eminent domain as a last resort, according to the final document. A chart shows that 141 people would fall into a high-noise zone; another says 19 people would live in an accident potential zone.



Many of those people have lived on their farms all their lives, Corey said.



The Navy estimated that the construction of the field could create 433 jobs with a short-term impact on the local economy of $49 million. Once in operation, 50 full- and part-time jobs would be needed to man the
8,000-foot runway for such duties as refueling and fire fighting. The
annual payroll would be between $950,000 and $1.2 million.



Reach Jeffrey Hampton at (252) 338-0159 or jeff.hampton@pilotonline.com


© 2003 HamptonRoads.com/PilotOnline.com





Don't Bring The Noise


Washington County Commissioners are trying to rally the public. They're fighting the Navy’s recommendation to build an outlying landing field (O.L.F.) in their county. But, time is running out.


Washington County Commissioner Bill Corey doesn’t think the O.L.F. is necessary. Corey says, “If the Navy needed it, I'm satisfied we could find the land in the county and give the Navy enough space to put their airplanes.” In a written statement from October 30, 2000, Navy Admiral Robert Natter wrote, “It is precisely because of community concerns [in Hampton Roads, Virginia] over jet noise that we are carefully exploring the establishment of an additional outlying landing field to accommodate Super Hornet training…”

That was then. This is now. In a letter this week to the Washington County Newspaper, The Roanoke Beacon, Admiral Natter wrote: "As a result of Operation Iraqi Feedom, the Navy is now institutionalizing surge readiness in order to meet anticipated future force demands. Existing airfields at NAS Oceana and MCAS Cherry Point and the OLF at Fentress simply do not have the capacity to meet potential future surge requirements." In other words, 9/11 changed everything.

That’s where the debate begins in the eyes of Washington County officials. Why was the O.L.F. unnecessary before, but necessary now? The answer is up for debate. But what isn’t up for debate is the feelings shared by many folks in Washington County. At the public meeting last night, a resident stood up and suggested the County work with the Navy to get the best deal out of this. But the crowd was not ready to back down so easily. Hey booed him from the potium. At one point, a man stood up in the middle of the room and started shouting. He exclaimed, “Maybe [the Navy has] made up their mind, but we don't have to lay down and take it. We can [expletive], gripe, complain, and raise holy hell until they get [expletive] sick and tired of it." His words were followed by a standing ovation with cheers.

The navy still has a few weeks to review last week’s recommendation. Washington County Commissioners hope they can rally enough support by then to get the Navy to change it's mind. As most folks in the county see it, they may be outnumbered, but that's no reason to stop fighting.