Navy abandons study, pursues new plan for Super Hornets
By AOPA ePublishing staff
Under pressure from state and local governments and AOPA, the Navy is abandoning a supplemental environmental impact study in favor of a new study on the impact of building an outlying landing field, or OLF, in the Virginia Tidewater region or along the North Carolina coast.
The OLF would be used to support F/A-18E/F aircraft, also known as Super Hornets, based at Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia and Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in North Carolina.
In 2005, the Navy announced that it would examine the environmental consequences of building the OLF. The study was completed in February 2007. But under pressure from state governments and AOPA, the Navy has now decided to undertake a new study of five alternative sites. Alternatives currently under consideration include the Cabin Point Site, Dory Site, Hale’s Lake Site, Mason Site, and Sandbanks Site [ see graphic]. They would affect Prince George, Southampton, Surry, and Sussex counties in Virginia as well as Camden, Currituck, Gates, and Hertford counties in North Carolina.
The Navy is seeking public comment on the impact of the proposed OLF. You can file written comments online by June 7 or attend one of the following meetings:
- April 28: Currituck County, North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Currituck County Center, 120 Community Way, Barco, NC 27917
- April 29: Prince George County, J.E.J Moore Middle School, 11455 Prince George Drive, Disputanta, VA 23842
- April 30: Sussex County, Sussex Central High School, 21394 Sussex Drive, Sussex, VA 23884
- May 1: Southampton County, Southampton High School, 23350 Southampton Parkway, Courtland, VA 23837
- May 2: Gates County, Gates County High School, 088 U.S. Highway 158 West, Gatesville, NC 27938
- May 5: Camden County, Camden County High School, 103 U.S. Highway 158 West, Camden, NC 27921
- May 7: Surry County, Virginia. Surry Central High School, 1675 Hollybush Road, Dendron, VA 23839
Each meeting is scheduled from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
For more information about the proposal, visit the Navy’s Web site.
April 17, 2008
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