Navy: No landing field at controversial site

Navy: No landing field at controversial site
By Gary D. Robertson - The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Jan 22, 2008 22:13:52 EST

RALEIGH, N.C. — The Navy said Tuesday it will not build a practice jet landing field near a wildlife reserve in eastern North Carolina, a site widely opposed by environmentalists, state officials and local residents.

“All of that hard work and vigilance over the past five or six years has paid off,” said Jennifer Alligood, leader of a group that had opposed locating the field at the site that straddles Beaufort and Washington counties. “We have proven that grass roots can beat the system.”

The 50,000-acre location was originally the Navy’s preferred site for the 8,000-foot runway. It was removed Tuesday when the Navy whittled down its list of finalists from 22 to five, which include three in Virginia and two other sites in North Carolina.

The Beaufort-Washington site, along with four other North Carolina sites that had already received an environmental review, “are no longer under consideration as potential OLF sites,” the Navy said.

Environmentalist groups that sued the Navy said it was too close to the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, a stopping point for thousands of migratory birds, which they feared could pose a danger to jet airplanes. Local residents had complained the site would hurt farmers who sold their land and reduce property tax revenues for the county.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/01/ap_landingfield_080122/