Charlotte Observer
9.9.05
Botched OLF study
Court, BRAC decisions mean Navy should throttle back
Editorial
A federal appeals court has confirmed what everyone with a shred of common sense already knew: The U.S. Navy botched its environmental assessment of a northeastern North Carolina site for a practice jet landing field near one of the nation's most important wildlife reserves.
The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled earlier this week that the Navy failed to abide by federal law requiring it to take a "hard look" at the environmental consequences of placing the landing field near Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge. That's the winter feeding grounds of hundreds of thousands or large migratory waterfowl, including tundra swans and snow geese.
"The Navy's conclusion that impacts on snow geese and tundra swans would be `minor' is simply difficult to reconcile with its failure to conduct more detailed analysis on both the relevant species and the unique properties of the habitat," the court ruled Wednesday. It sent the case back to U.S. District Judge Terrence Boyle, who ruled earlier this year that the Navy had not properly followed the law. The ruling means the Navy must perform a supplemental environmental impact statement.
But the appeals court reversed Judge Boyle's order halting the Navy's development of the outlying landing field. The appeals court said the Navy could restart its research on wildlife hazards, do title searches on property, negotiate with "willing sellers" to buy land, perform engineering work and apply for permits needed for construction of the $186 million facility.
That's a short-sighted view from a court based in the capital of Virginia, where policymakers are concerned about a Base Realignment and Closure Commission decision last month. BRAC ruled that a major jet aircraft base in Virginia Beach could be moved to Florida or elsewhere, unless state and local governments buy 1,800 houses and other property to provide a safety buffer around Naval Air Station Oceana That base is the prime reason the Navy wants to put the landing field in nearby Washington and Beaufort counties, a short flight from Oceana.
But here's the thing: There is almost no way that Virginia Beach and the state can afford to buy 1,800 existing homes around the base, halt further development, purchase development rights and create the buffer BRAC says must exist around Oceana.
Given the very real possibility that Oceana's jets will move, it's foolish for the Navy to spend millions now to put the OLF in such an inappropriate area. The Navy would be wiser to work with N.C. Gov. Mike Easley's administration to determine another N.C. spot where an OLF would be more appropriate - or where a new jet base replacing Oceana might be constructed.
That's a long shot. But the longest shot of all has to be the Navy's stubbon, misguided determination to put a jet landing field in a totally unsuitable area. There's no way a new environmental assessment can make a dumb idea smart.
