Dole Joins Farm Bureau To Screw Over Family Farmers

This press release just issued by NO OLF:

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service has reported a record number of Snow Geese and Tundra Swans at the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), located just a few miles from the United States Navy’s proposed site for an outlying landing field (OLF).

U.S. Fish and Wildlife biologists are counting thousands of birds, and long time resident farmers are amazed at the quantities of birds grazing in their fields. As early in the season as December 7, 2006 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife biologist survey observed a record number of snow geese and tundra swan on the refuge.

Pocosin Lakes, U.S. Fish and Wildlife biologist, Wendy Stanton recently states, “In terms of numbers in early December (12/7/06), I observed more tundra swans and snow geese in Pungo Lake than I had ever seen during the nine years as the wildlife biologist at Pocosin Lakes NWR. During an aerial survey conducted on 12/7/06, I observed over 26,000 tundra swans in the Pungo Unit. Later that day, during my routine duties on the refuge, I observed between 75,000 to 80,000 (averaged to 78,000) snow geese flying into and present in Pungo Lake. This was an all time record for snow geese on the refuge at that time of year. The flocks of geese were flying into Pungo Lake by the tens of thousands. During the aerial survey earlier that day, we had only observed 40,000 snow geese. This refuge and the surrounding areas provide crucial roosting and foraging habitat for these birds. The number of ring-necked ducks counted during the 12/19/06 aerial survey was also an all time high of over 12,400 ducks.

In terms of waterfowl numbers, the 2006-07 waterfowl season has been absolutely spectacular. Pocosin Lakes NWR and the other refuges and lands in eastern NC provide essential wintering habitat for 100,000s of migratory waterfowl. This area is an international treasure that should be conserved in perpetuity for the benefit of future generations of wildlife and people.

“As 26,000 tundra swans and 78,000 snow geese have reminded us, the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge is an internationally important site for these birds,” said Derb Carter, attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center, which represents the environmental interests in the case against the Navy’s plans for an OLF. “Any thorough analysis done by the Navy will show that its preferred OLF site, with the accompanying an average 87 take offs and landings per day, as well as over 120 decibels of jet noise, will do unmitigated harm to these waterfowl, as well as the pilots and planes using the landing field.”

Eighty percent of the entire eastern population of tundra swans winter in northeastern North Carolina and one quarter of these stay on Pocosin Lakes NWR. The tundra swans and snow geese on the refuge feed in the surrounding agricultural lands, including the site of the proposed OLF. Winter food and habitat are critical to waterfowl to maintain overall fitness for migration and successful reproduction on Arctic breeding grounds.

“You have to see these birds to get the big picture of just how vast the numbers are,” stated local farmer, Jerry Beasley. “Farmers have wheat and old corn fields miles from the proposed fifty square miles the Navy wants to take from us, and the birds are flying to these fields in droves. How much land will the Navy actually need to confiscate in order to starve the birds to keep them from returning to the refuge?”

The proposed landing field would be constructed within 3.5 miles of the Pungo Unit of Pocosin Lakes NWR. Approach, departure, and holding patterns for the proposed OLF would routinely fly over the refuge at low altitudes, posing a risk of bird strikes and potentially leading to waterfowl abandoning the areas altogether. In fact, the Navy’s own rating system classifies the bird collision hazard at the site as “severe” for 50% of the year, prompting the Navy to plan to use “lethal and non-lethal” means to exclude waterfowl from lands surrounding the practice field.

“Jerry is right,” said Jennifer Alligood, Chairwoman of the North Carolinians Opposed to the Outlying Landing Field (No-OLF). “ I have watched the birds this entire winter, fly all day long over the OLF site to feed in fields in my back yard which is located five miles from the land the Navy plans to take. I hear thousands of them feeding at night as well. Why would anyone want to destroy the natural order of things when the Navy has stated and the facts have proven another OLF is unnecessary? What the Navy wants to do to this region is a gross dissolution of ethics and a sad statement of uncontrolled wantonness.”

In December of last year, the Navy conducted its first flyover of the proposed OLF site and experienced the risk of bird strikes first hand. A Navy Super Hornet banked away from a flock of large birds, just missing a collision over the site of the proposed landing field. In addition, hundreds of birds were seen "nose diving" to avoid the jet and other birds in the vicinity, even those much further away, were visibly disturbed and confused by the maneuvers of the plane during the demonstration.

I had lunch with Jennifer Alligood on Monday and saw for myself with nearly 100,000 snow geese and tundra swans look like. I saw several thousand swans feeding on the exact spot where the Navy wants to put one of its airstrips. This must be stopped.

Please write your Congressman today and ask that all appropriations for anything related to Site C be stopped immediately.

I would say write your senators too, but they are obviously part of the problem.

Is this near the Albermarle Sound?

Isn't there another OLF between Wilmington and Jacksonville?

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Town Called Dobson - Daily Political Cartoon: Not all is red in rural America!

But there is Cherry Point MCAS in Carteret where the Neuse River flows into the Pamlico Sound and Camp Lejune Marine Base outside of Jacksonville on the New River. Both have airfields, but the counties have wealth unlike Washington. (think poor farmer and little representation). Albemarle Sound is north of Washington County close to where the Navy wants this OLF. The wildlife refuge is south of Washington and Hyde (?) counties.

No matter that patriotism is too often the refuge of scoundrels. Dissent, rebellion, and all-around hell-raising remain the true duty of patriots.

you know the facts. So, why not post a sample letter here. I personally will cut and paste and add my own twist...and use my fax set-up to fax the letter to all of the NC reps and Senators...and a few others as well. Others can copy and paste to their reps using email at Congress.org. What do you think?

to realize that this proposed OLF in NE North Carolina will be one of two OLFs to directly support Oceana. NALF Fentress is the other. I wish i could see the documentation for the proposal for reopening NAS Cecil Field, I bet itwill not require two OLFs for operations in Florida. So why is there a need for two OLFs to support the same aircrafts in Virginia. The FEIS has stated that MCAS Cherry Point can support the 2 squadrons of F/A-18 E/F that might go to Cherry Point.

I lived in Virginia Beach when the politicians where fighting to close Cecil Field and move the planes to Virginia. They (Navy and politicians) used terms like synergy and single-sighting for cost cutting and effiecency. Nothing in the move documentation as created by 1993 and 1995 BRAC indicated that a second OLF was needed for these planes at Oceana. So why did Adm. Natter push for the creation of this second OLF in the first place in Oct 2000?