Miller, Etheridge Join Butterfield in Request for Consideration of Alternative OLF Sites

Washington, D.C. – With the support of two fellow legislators, Congressman G. K. Butterfield is again asking the Navy to consider an alternative site for the Outlying Landing Field.

Congressmen Bob Etheridge and Brad Miller have joined Butterfield on a letter to the Secretary of the Navy Gordon R. England asking for consideration of alternative sites.

“We want to make sure that the national security interests at stake are protected and we believe that this would best be accomplished by considering alternative sites or other siting alternatives,” Butterfield’s letter states.  “North Carolina has a long and proud history of working closely with the Navy and we want to continue that tradition.  We offer any assistance that we can provide in finding an appropriate alternative.”

Butterfield said that he’s pleased to see the added support, and said that some members of North Carolina’s Congressional delegation likely decided against signing the letter because the case is still being litigated.

Last month, U.S. District Judge Terrence Boyle granted a request to halt the $186 million project, ruling that the Navy had done a poor job of analyzing the OLF's potential harm to a nearby wildlife refuge and minimized the risk of bird-aircraft collisions. The Navy has filed notice that it will pursue an appeal.

The Navy has bought and condemned more than 2,000 acres for a 30,000-acre landing field to train pilots to land on aircraft carriers slated for Washington and Beaufort Counties.

The letter expresses concerns about the impacts the OLF would have on wildlife as well as the management and conservation efforts at the Poscosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge.  The proposed site lies just west of an area that was established specifically as a waterfowl sanctuary where thousands of birds winter annually.  At peak, there are about 25,000 tundra swans and more than 65,000 snow geese which regularly fly out to feed in the farm fields just west of the site.  These flights occur day and night and are predictable.

--MORE--

“This is an important project for North Carolina as it may result in bringing F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet jets to Cherry Point Air Station along with millions of dollars in spin-off economic activity,” the letter says.

“The Navy needs to understand that the opposition is centered on the site, not on the need for an OLF,” Butterfield said. “We believe that if everyone could get behind another site we could quickly move this forward together.”

TEXT OF LETTER:

The Honorable Gordon R. England

Secretary of the Navy

1000 Navy Pentagon

Washington, D.C. 20350-1000

Dear Secretary England:

Please accept this letter regarding the Navy’s plan to site an Outlying Landing Field (OLF) in Washington and Beaufort counties in eastern North Carolina.

We understand that the task of locating practice facilities for the Super Hornet aircraft is a challenge, and strongly support the Navy’s effort to build an OLF.  However, we are concerned about the site being considered for this project.

We are concerned with the impacts an OLF at the proposed site would have on wildlife as well as the management and conservation efforts at the Poscosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge (PLNWR).  The proposed site lies just west of an area that was established specifically as a waterfowl sanctuary where tens of thousands of birds winter annually.  At peak, there are about 25,000 tundra swans and more than 65,000 snow geese which regularly fly out to feed in the farm fields just west of the site. These flights occur day and night and are unpredictable.

We want to make sure that the national security interests at stake are protected and we believe that this would best be accomplished by considering alternative sites or other siting alternatives.  North Carolina has a long and proud history of working closely with the Navy and we want to continue that tradition.  We offer any assistance that we can provide in finding an appropriate alternative.

Again, we recognize the seriousness and magnitude of your task in building an OLF.  We are ready to help move this project forward after an objective review of alternatives.  We thank you for your consideration of this request.

Home | Press Releases by Date | Press Releases by Topic