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Virginia Pilot Article and WNCT TV Article
- To: carolinabirds@duke.edu
- Subject: Virginia Pilot Article and WNCT TV Article
- From: "Juan A. Pons" <jpons@wildnaturephoto.com>
- Date: Fri, 25 Jul 2003 14:52:41 -0400
- Delivered-to: pardo@metalab.unc.edu
- Reply-to: jpons@wildnaturephoto.com
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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.