More evidence the Navy doesn't have its OLF act together

Submitted by James on Fri, 08/28/2009 - 2:13pm

They were trying to rush an environmental impact study through without actually knowing which and how many planes might be using it? Amazing.

The Navy announced Friday that it will delay releasing an environmental study of an outlying landing field to serve Oceana Naval Air Station.

The field has sparked controversy among residents around the five rural sites under consideration in southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. They fear that jet noise will disrupt their lives without bringing any economic benefits.

The Navy also announced a new wrinkle in the study that could make it even more unpalatable: the issue of whether Oceana should be a candidate to host the new F-35C joint strike fighter, which will be significantly louder than the F/A-18 Hornet. Including the joint strike fighter in the landing field environmental study "will ensure the Navy incorporates all relevant factors in the analysis in a fiscally responsible manner," the Navy's Fleet Forces Command said in a news release.

I'm guessing there's a whole arm of strategy and planning guys in the Navy, none of whom seem able to think past next week, let alone 50 years from now. Sheeesh.

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Camden County weighs in

Submitted by James on Fri, 08/28/2009 - 3:32pm.

“We are hopeful the Navy will use this time to consider alternatives to Camden County, based on the mounting evidence an OLF here would cause severe economic and environmental damage to northeast North Carolina. Congressional, state, county and local officials have made it clear that both the Camden and Gates County sites should not be considered for an OLF. Now is the time to remove these sites from consideration.”

Randell Woodruff, Camden County Manager

There is nothing good about an OLF in any way whatsoever for the people in northeast North Carolina. Good to see the county manager jumping on the case.