HisPony
Wondering where I am!?!?
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/mar/05/navy-asked-to-extend-review-time/
CORONADO — Coronado and Imperial Beach officials want the Navy to give them and local residents an additional 45 days to review the potential impacts of a plan to significantly increase exercises at the Silver Strand Training Complex.
The official 45-day comment period is set to end Tuesday.
“It’s incredible that they want this done by March 9 and it took them 10 years to put together,” said Imperial Beach Councilwoman Diane Rose, who attended meetings the Navy held when she was mayor in 2001 to determine the issues the environmental study would consider. “Can we ask for an extension of time?”
Both cities discussed their concerns with the Navy’s 800-page draft Environmental Impact Statement at their respective council meetings this week. Coronado came up with an initial list of 43 items, including traffic, it wants the Navy to address in its environmental study. Concerns in Imperial Beach dealt mostly with noise and beach access.
The Navy plans to increase use of the 540-acre training complex in southern Coronado, where land, beach and offshore training is conducted. The Navy plans to increase the frequency of activities at the complex to 5,343 from 3,926 annually, boost the number of helicopter sorties to 2,200 from 778 a year and up firearm discharges to 1,400 from 150. New types of mine-detecting training and amphibious and special-warfare operations also are proposed.
Navy spokeswoman Angelic Dolan said yesterday that the service had not yet received an official request to extend the public comment period from either city.
“The Navy takes every public comment seriously,” Dolan said. “If a request to extend is received, the Navy will consider it.”
At a council meeting in Imperial Beach last month, Rose asked Navy officials why it had taken so long to complete the draft study. Capt. Yancy Lindsey, the commanding officer of North Island Naval Air Station who presented the project to the City Council on Feb. 3, said priorities changed after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
In a letter to the Navy, Coronado officials said further information and analysis was required to determine the cumulative impacts associated with the planned activities at the training complex.
“Of particular concern are the statements contained throughout the document that the military facilities and/or operations are not expanding; rather, just the frequency; therefore, no environmental mitigation is required,” said the letter signed by interim City Manager Jim Benson.
At a meeting Tuesday, Coronado officials said they were concerned about traffic from the increased number of military personnel expected to begin training at the complex. They wanted to know the flight patterns for the proposed new helicopter sorties. They also were worried that proposed sand berms would further diminish the public’s view along the state Scenic Highway.
At Wednesday’s Imperial Beach council meeting, officials said they were concerned about access to the beach. They also will request that helicopters and firearm discharges stop before 10 p.m.
Imperial Beach Councilman Jim King said he appreciates the Navy’s need to train for combat, and how realistic training is essential. But he said the environmental process is designed to give the public an opportunity to express its concerns and the Navy a chance to address them.
“If you don’t ask, you don’t get,” King said.
Public comments may be submitted to the Navy by Tuesday by visiting silverstrandtrainingcomplexeis.com or mailing them to:
Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest
Attn: Mr. Kent Randall – Silver Strand Training Complex EIS
1220 Pacific Highway, Building 1, 5th Floor
San Diego, CA 92132
I wonder how many of these whiners were actually living here before the Navy moved in? My guess is NONE!!
CORONADO — Coronado and Imperial Beach officials want the Navy to give them and local residents an additional 45 days to review the potential impacts of a plan to significantly increase exercises at the Silver Strand Training Complex.
The official 45-day comment period is set to end Tuesday.
“It’s incredible that they want this done by March 9 and it took them 10 years to put together,” said Imperial Beach Councilwoman Diane Rose, who attended meetings the Navy held when she was mayor in 2001 to determine the issues the environmental study would consider. “Can we ask for an extension of time?”
Both cities discussed their concerns with the Navy’s 800-page draft Environmental Impact Statement at their respective council meetings this week. Coronado came up with an initial list of 43 items, including traffic, it wants the Navy to address in its environmental study. Concerns in Imperial Beach dealt mostly with noise and beach access.
The Navy plans to increase use of the 540-acre training complex in southern Coronado, where land, beach and offshore training is conducted. The Navy plans to increase the frequency of activities at the complex to 5,343 from 3,926 annually, boost the number of helicopter sorties to 2,200 from 778 a year and up firearm discharges to 1,400 from 150. New types of mine-detecting training and amphibious and special-warfare operations also are proposed.
Navy spokeswoman Angelic Dolan said yesterday that the service had not yet received an official request to extend the public comment period from either city.
“The Navy takes every public comment seriously,” Dolan said. “If a request to extend is received, the Navy will consider it.”
At a council meeting in Imperial Beach last month, Rose asked Navy officials why it had taken so long to complete the draft study. Capt. Yancy Lindsey, the commanding officer of North Island Naval Air Station who presented the project to the City Council on Feb. 3, said priorities changed after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
In a letter to the Navy, Coronado officials said further information and analysis was required to determine the cumulative impacts associated with the planned activities at the training complex.
“Of particular concern are the statements contained throughout the document that the military facilities and/or operations are not expanding; rather, just the frequency; therefore, no environmental mitigation is required,” said the letter signed by interim City Manager Jim Benson.
At a meeting Tuesday, Coronado officials said they were concerned about traffic from the increased number of military personnel expected to begin training at the complex. They wanted to know the flight patterns for the proposed new helicopter sorties. They also were worried that proposed sand berms would further diminish the public’s view along the state Scenic Highway.
At Wednesday’s Imperial Beach council meeting, officials said they were concerned about access to the beach. They also will request that helicopters and firearm discharges stop before 10 p.m.
Imperial Beach Councilman Jim King said he appreciates the Navy’s need to train for combat, and how realistic training is essential. But he said the environmental process is designed to give the public an opportunity to express its concerns and the Navy a chance to address them.
“If you don’t ask, you don’t get,” King said.
Public comments may be submitted to the Navy by Tuesday by visiting silverstrandtrainingcomplexeis.com or mailing them to:
Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest
Attn: Mr. Kent Randall – Silver Strand Training Complex EIS
1220 Pacific Highway, Building 1, 5th Floor
San Diego, CA 92132
I wonder how many of these whiners were actually living here before the Navy moved in? My guess is NONE!!
