JACKSONVILLE
A final Department of Defense authorization bill does not include language sought by members of North Carolina's congressional delegation to prevent a Navy outlying landing field in the northeastern part of the state.
Wording is included to make sure the Navy keeps Congress aware of consultations with local governments, communities and stakeholders in the areas being considered for training pilots at night in flying the noisy F/A-18 Super Hornets.
But the language sought by Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., and supported by Rep. G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C., Sen. Kay Hagan, D-N.C., and Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., is not in the more than 1,000-page bill sent to President Obama for approval.
"I am disappointed that the Senate did not include the language I authored in the House version of the National Defense Authorization Act removing the Hale's Lake and Sandbanks sites from consideration for the OLF," said Jones, whose specific wording was stricken in July.
"I will continue to fight for this effort and I appreciate the support from Sen. Burr, Sen. Hagan, and Congressman Butterfield."
The Navy has been studying five areas -- two in northeastern North Carolina and three in southeastern Virginia -- in this round of its search for an OLF for the F/A-18 Super Hornets that are now based at its Oceana Naval Air Station near Virginia Beach, Va.
The search areas include Gates and Camden counties in North Carolina and Southampton, Sussex and Surry counties in Virginia.
Three Super Hornet squadrons are anticipated at Cherry Point air station. But a National Environmental Protection Act-required study, which was postponed in August so it could also include Navy F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, did not deal with Cherry Point training concerns.
Hagan said Friday that she also is "working to prevent the Navy from placing an OLF in Gates or Camden counties. I included strict requirements in this bill for the Navy to consider alternative sites and will continue working to protect North Carolina's interests."
Those in areas around Cherry Point that depend on the economic benefit of the base's military personnel and the nearly 4,000 civilian personnel at Fleet Readiness Center-East have mixed opinions of locating an OLF nearby.
The last Navy environmental impact study for OLF locations would have accommodated training needs for both Oceana and Cherry Point, and the study included a site in northeastern Craven County.
The Navy selected a site in Washington County in that round.
But that site, near Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, was stymied by legal and other efforts by environmental and wildlife activist groups that were joined by local residents who sought to protect their rural lifestyle.
The General Assembly followed up this year by making a law against the Navy taking property for an OLF in areas where military air bases aren't located.
Residents of Virginia communities near proposed sites have also opposed an OLF in their region.
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