By DON KORALEWSKI
I-M Editor
 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Late last year, Greensville County Supervisors passed a resolution stating their opposition to a Navy landing field in the county.

Congressman Randy Forbes (R-4th Congressional District) responded with a letter of caution to Governor Tim Kaine as well. And, the Southampton County Board of Supervisors sent a letter to the Navy and Gov. Kaine.

All of these correspondences and countless objections were intended to voice local and regional opposition to the Navy's desire to possibly locate an outlying landing field in these parts of Southside Virginia.

Voiced opposition and support of the message from state and other elected officials was apparently enough to turn the Navy away from continued consideration of some sites, but it wasn't enough to keep the sea service from keeping South-hampton County in its sights.

On Tuesday, the Navy announced it was considering only five sites for location of a new landing field — three in Virginia, and two in North Carolina.

The Navy released the following statement on Tuesday afternoon:

“After thorough review of the new information provided by the states, and a similarly thorough reassessment of the Navy's operational requirements, the Navy has decided, under the National Environmental Policy Act, to terminate the current draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, and initiate a new Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze the impacts of construction and operation of an OLF at five new potential OLF sites to support Field Carrier Landing Practice training requirements for all Carrier Air Wing aircraft based at NAS Oceana and Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia. Three of the sites are in Virginia, and two are in North Carolina.

“The Virginia sites include Cabin Point (formerly known as sites 2A, B and C in the information provided by Virginia officials), Dory (formerly known as site 3A) and Mason (formerly site known as site 3B).

“The North Carolina sites to be considered are Hale's Lake in Camden and Currituck Counties, and Sandbanks in Gates County.

“Based on our evaluation of available information, these sites each have operational, environmental, and population characteristics that make them viable site alternatives for further analysis.”

The Navy statement went on to say:

“Throughout this process the Navy will continue to work closely with the Commonwealth of Virginia and the State of North Carolina on these new sites and the Congress on this matter. The Navy believes that by working with state and local officials, we can understand their perspective on the issues and seek common ground on ways to mitigate impacts and identify potential benefits.

The Navy has been trying to locate the landing field in Washington County, N.C., for years, but has been successfully thwarted by environmentalist, landowners and other concerned citizens. As a result of the successful opposition there, the Navy began looking elsewhere last year.

In Virginia, Gov. Kaine presented 10 potential sites for the Navy's consideration - including sites in Greensville County and in Southampton County. Other sites were presented in North Carolina for the Navy's consideration as well.

When Kaine announced the selection of the Virginia sites for consideration, the announcement and the sites selected came as a surprise to most landowners who would be affected by a Navy selection. Landowners weren't informed of the fact that the Kaine administration was offering their land for Navy consideration until they heard about it through press coverage.

The Navy is looking for approximately 30,000 acres for the outlying landing field,. The field would serve as a landing platform for Navy F/18-18 fighter jets - whose pilots would use the field to practice aircraft carrier landings and “touch and goes” - landings and takeoffs.

A new landing field would supplement training activities currently being conducted at the Navy's Oceana Naval Station base in Virginia Beach, and allow pilots to simulate aircraft carrier night landings.

Since the Kaine administration identified 10 sites in Virginia that could serve the Navy's needs, opposition has been voiced and relayed to the governor and the Navy.

This summer, in Greensville County during a local meeting, an assistant to Kaine said that if a community did not want to be considered as a site, it would not be considered.

Following that, the impression left by the Navy and the Kaine administration was that the issue might be dead in Virginia - the Navy wouldn't force the issue, and the Kaine administration wouldn't encourage construction in an area where the population opposed the airfield.

On Tuesday, however, the Navy announced that five sites - three in Virginia and two in North Carolina - are under consideration for an outlying airfield.

Governor Kaine responded with the following statement:

“The Commonwealth is committed to assisting Southampton, Surry and Sussex counties, the United States Navy, and our Congressional Delegation as efforts to locate a suitable Outlying Landing Field site continue. I recognize that this is an issue that causes great concern among many in the potentially affected localities. I also recognize that it is critically important that the Navy identify a new Outlying Landing Field to meet the training needs of its personnel in the 21st Century.

“My staff and I will work closely with all of the parties potentially affected by this process to ensure that it moves forward in a deliberative and open manner, that all concerns are heard, and that all opportunities for additional economic incentive for our communities are fully explored,” said Kaine.

Two of the sites identified for consideration in Virginia are identified by the Navy as “Dory” and “Mason.”

Locally, “Mason” is located at the junction of Greensville, Southampton and Sussex counties and encompasses thousands of acres from the Greensville County border to Drewyville

The second close-by site, “Dory”, is also located on acreage that straddles Southampton and Sussex Counties, but is located just north of Sebrell in Southampton County.

The third site identified in Virginia is “Cabin Point” and is located in northern Sussex County, eastern Surry County and southern Prince George County. The site is just north of Waverly and east of Disputanta.

According to Lee Clarke of Jarratt, residents of the area should be concerned about each site the Navy is interested in. We're all going to be affected by a nearby airfield,” he said.

“The flyover area for either the Sussex or Southampton sites will entail flyovers of the Emporia and Jarratt area,” he said. “All sites would encompass 37,000 acres. The Navy would buy all houses or homes in the area. Graveyards and churches would have to be relocated.”

While the Navy would only need about 2,000 acres for the landing strip, the rest of the land would be required as a buffer zone. Clarke said that everything within a one-mile by two-mile area surrounding that strip “would be cleared and all wild life would be poisoned according to the Navy, and county roads in the area may be cut off.”

According to Clarke, he and his neighbors have been watching and fighting Navy plans for the OLF since the issue first came up. “The Navy has lied to all the counties since this started,” he said.

In addition to the presence of an airfield and the direct disturbance low flying aircraft will present - should an airfield be built locally - Clarke points to the damage being done to land and property owners right now. A homeowner in Sussex within the area under consideration can't sell his home because of doubt from buyers about the value of the property or the potential that it might be demolished to make room for the Navy.

Roslyn Tyler (D-75th Virginia House District) said she's in the process of trying to get a meeting with Sen. Jim Webb, Sen. John Warner and Rep. Randy Forbes in Washington. The purpose of the meeting would be to get locally elected officials and concerned citizens together with regard to the issue of OLF siting.

“I'm not in agreement with the Navy's selection of counties in my area,” said Tyler.

Tyler's district in the Virginia House of Delegates includes Greensville, Sussex and the part of Southampton County under consideration by the Navy.

“There has to be a joint effort between the Feds and the state [in locating the OLF],” Tyler said. “We support our Navy and our military, but the Navy can look at already existing facilities rather than take farmland and homes.”

Tyler said that the Navy should reconsider Ft. Pickett to the west. There's already an airfield there that the Navy could upgrade. Tyler said she's not in agreement with the Navy's requirement that the Navy landing field be within 65 miles of its Oceana Naval Air Station.

While she does what she can to get a meeting in Washington, Tyler urges local residents to get involved with the issue. “Individuals need to let their voice be heard,” she said.

Agreeing with the need for the public to voice its concerns is Helen Harrell.

“The public doesn't understand, or, even know the effects of the OLF to this whole area,” she said. “The Navy has said that the whole buffer zone will vibrate from the planes. They say the farmers in the buffer zone can still plant crops, but not anything that will draw animals.

“The site that will be chosen will not benefit from this OLF, as, the base will still be in Oceana. They will fly from Oceana to the site to train, then, fly back. The accidents we hear about will be happening here, or, on the flight to or from Oceana.”

Harrell notes that military aircraft accidents could be an issue as well - which could be a danger to homes, property and lives on the ground. Noise will also be an issue, she said.

“Noise from these planes [there will be five squadrons] will affect a large area, and not just the core and buffer zone.”

The Navy won't be making its decision about which site will be home to a new landing field. The environmental impact study is likely to take between 24 and 30 months. During that time, the public will be invited to contribute during public hearings on the issue.