Environmental Impact Statement Released

WASHINGTON, DC - The Navy makes it very clear in its Environmental Impact Study that it wants a carrier homeported in Mayport, Florida.

The Navy's homeport proposal is designed to:

1. Send ships more quickly to danger areas (surge capability)

2. Increase readiness training

3. Increase ship maintenance

4. Increase quality of life

The Navy, well aware of budget concerns that will be raised to torpedo its efforts, responds in the study, "While budgetary decisions drive the trend to consolidate or reduce the number of Navy bases overall, retaining bases in dispersed locations nationwide and worldwide supports the Fleet Response Plan...driven by strategic/geographic location and fleet operational readiness."

Norfolk now has four carriers homeported here and the carrier Bush under construction. The study does not say which carrier would be moved to Mayport, but the expectation is it would be an East Coast carrier.

Virginia Governor Tim Kaine and Congressional delegation asked the Navy to delay releasing its Environmental Impact Statement but the Navy released it anyway.

Those who are following this closely say this is all about the carrier John F. Kennedy. That carrier was homeported in Mayport, but was then mothballed. Mayport is arguing that it had a carrier before and are prepared.

Naval Station Norfolk is the home of the Atlantic Fleet. That's exactly where Virginia's top elected leaders want it to stay.

Senator Webb said, "What we have right now is an optimal scenario for the U.S. Navy. It was something that was conscientiously put together that Norfolk would be the great Navy base on the east coast and San Diego would be the great Navy base on the west coast."

WAVY.com was at the Capitol for a joint news conference announcing these leaders want any final decision to move a carrier to Mayport, Flordia to be postponed.

Sen. Jim Webb told us there's only one reason to make such a major decision now, "What is the urgency of actually doing this right now as an administration goes out the door? This is a political move."

Sen. Mark Warner agreed, "With a new carrier being commissioned within days of an inauguration, it warrants the decision being moved to the next administration."

There's speculation that if a move is made, the USS George H.W. Bush would be the carrier sent to Florida, where Jeb Bush was Governor.

Mayport does not have any carriers right now. It could get an economic boost with a new carrier, her crew of more than 3-thousand, and money from needed infrastructure improvements.

With Sen. John Warner retiring, Senator-elect Mark Warner explained why he'll fight to keep the carriers in Norfolk, "The decision needs to be based on what is in the long term strategic needs of the United States and maintaining the viability of our armed forces. This should not be viewed as a Florida economic development project."

Mark Warner who was Governor the last time Virginia and Florida battled over military assets, referred to the last round of Base Realignment and Closure Commission.

In 2005 and 2006, the argument was over moving the Navy's Master Jet Base from Oceana, to Cecil Field in Florida.

The former Governer said, "As we saw through the BRAC process, at the end of the day, logic wins out. We kept the jets at Oceana because we in Virginia made the case. We're going to keep these carriers because the economic facts, the strategic facts, show that Virginia is second to none."

Click HERE to read the full Economic Impact Statement.