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Crenshaw: Mayport Decision Reflects Irrefutable Facts

Congressman Applauds the Navys Decision to Bring Nuclear Aircraft Carrier to Mayport

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) Today, the Navy signed the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Homeporting Additional Ships at Naval Station Mayport. This signature finalizes Novembers announcement to homeport a nuclear aircraft carrier (CVN) at Naval Station Mayport.

Rep. Crenshaw said, I applaud the Navys decision to accept the extensive research that went into this EIS and its recommendation to home port a nuclear carrier at Mayport. This decision was not about politics or dollars. It was strictly about protecting our strategic assets and our sailors. Any other decision would have been tantamount to a dereliction of duty.

According to the Navy, a second east coast nuclear homeport at Mayport is needed for several reasons including the fact that the Navy presently has access to only one east coast nuclear carrier homeport, one nuclear maintenance facility and the countrys only nuclear carrier new construction plant all located in the Norfolk area. If a catastrophic event natural or man-initiated - occurred in the Norfolk area, carriers would have to take a one month journey around the tip of South America to reach one of the Navys 3 nuclear maintenance facilities on the west coast.

The Navy made it crystal clear that this decision was driven by the strategic imperative to disperse our nuclear aircraft carrier fleet and establish a second nuclear aircraft carrier maintenance facility on the east coast, stated Rep. Crenshaw. The Navy prides itself in its meticulous approach to safety and to not have an additional nuclear maintenance location on the east coast puts the lives of our most valuable assets our sailors at risk. This point alone makes the establishment of a second east coast nuclear facility essential for our national security.

As a Member of the House Appropriation Subcommittee on Military Construction Subcommittee, which oversees all U.S. military installations, and as a former member of the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Crenshaw has long advocated for the strategic dispersal of our naval assets.

The EIS was initiated in 2006 by the Navy at the encouragement of Congressman Crenshaw and his Florida delegation colleagues. Over the 2 year process, the Navy collected and analyzed tremendous amounts of data. The Draft EIS was published in March 2008, but did not include the Preferred Alternative as is tradition. Instead the Navy held back its preferred option as to give the Chief of Naval Operations additional time to finish his Fleet Strategic Laydown study to ensure all Navy ships are homeported in the necessary locations for our national security strategy. On November 21, 2008, the Final EIS selecting Preferred Alternative 4, CVN Homeporting, was published. After a mandatory 30 day no action period, the Record of Decision was signed by Assistant Secretary Penn today.

While our nation has much to celebrate in the signing of this decision, we also have much to do before a carrier is homeported at Mayport. I will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that the necessary funding and preparations are on schedule. My sleeves are rolled up and ready for the work ahead, concluded Rep. Crenshaw.

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