[CPEO-MEF] Interior seeks OLF re-evaluation

[CPEO Moderator <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

North Carolina
WASHINGTON DAILY NEWS
By Bill Sandifer
Interior seeks OLF re-evaluation
Monday, December 8, 2003

The Daily News has learned that U.S. Interior Department officials have
apparently taken heed of concerns expressed by the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, a bureau within the department, regarding the Navy's
preference to construct an outlying landing field in Washington County.

In an unexpected 11th-hour move, the department has notified the Navy
that it prefers that an OLF not be built in Washington County.

In a Nov. 25 letter from Willie R. Taylor, director of the Office of
Environmental Policy and Compliance, to Fred Pierson, Atlantic Fleet
environmental manager, Taylor says, "The Department of U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (FWS) has concerns with the preferred alternative and
believes impacts to National Wildlife Refuge-related waterfowl wintering
habitat and certain refuge operations are underestimated by the Navy. We
could accept any of several alternatives not currently preferred by the
Navy and offer suggestions for a particular alternative."

The letter goes on to cite three points of concern to the agency:

# impacts on wildlife, wildlife management and conservation actions at
Pocosin Lakes NWR.

# compatible land uses, including issues stated above and impacts on
ecotourism.

# the rejection of sites deemed more compatible with an OLF operation,
including Open Grounds Farms in Carteret County.

The letter cites federal guidelines under which North Carolina officials
have considered challenging the Navy, according to state officials.

"We are requesting these items be analyzed through the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process to give the public a better
understanding of the alternatives analysis."

This article can be viewed at:
http://www.wdnweb.com/articles/2003/12/07/news/news02.txt

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