Washington, D.C. —- In approving the annual defense authorization bill today, Congressman G. K. Butterfield said the House closed the door on the Navy’s proposed outlying landing field in Washington County.
“The House has taken the Washington County site off the table because it posed a danger to the community, pilots and aircraft,” Butterfield said. “This is a clear message that if the Navy wants to move forward with an OLF it must have the support of the community.”
The conference report on the FY 2008 National Defense Authorization Bill includes language repealing “the authority for construction of an outlying landing field at Washington County, North Carolina.” The language goes on to say conferees “expect the Department of the Navy to request new authorization for an outlying field once a study of the impact to the environment is complete and a site is selected.”
The House approved the bill by a 370 to 49 vote. The bill now goes to the Senate for an up or down vote, and, if approved, it goes to President Bush to be signed into law.
The Navy has already purchased more than 2,000 acres in Washington and Beaufort counties as part of a 30,000-acre OLF the Navy says it needs in order to train pilots to land on aircraft carriers. 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.
More recently, the Navy has been working with the states of North Carolina and Virginia to find an alternative site.
Last month, Butterfield wrote to Navy Secretary Donald C. Winter to express concerns about sites being considered in Gates and Camden counties. Butterfield said that while northeastern North Carolina would be asked to bear all the economic and quality-of-life burdens, Virginia Beach would enjoy all the benefits.
“The small number of new jobs associated with the OLF simply could not offset the shock to the lifestyle and viability of these communities,” Butterfield said.
The following is the language contained in the Defense Authorization from Division B; Title XXII-Navy; page 1219.
Repeal of authorization for construction of Navy outlying landing field, Washington County, North Carolina (Sec. 2207)
The House bill contained a provision (sec. 2205) that would amend section 2201(a) of the Military Construction Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2004 (Public Law 108-136), as amended, and section 2201(a) of the Military Construction Authorization Act for Fiscal year 2005 (Public Law 108-375), as amended, to repeal the authority for construction of an outlying landing field at Washington County, North Carolina.
The Senate amendment contained no similar provision.
The Senate recedes.
The conferees expect the Department of the Navy to request new authorization for an outlying field once a study of the impact to the environment is complete and a site is selected.