by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
Much needed federal funding to deepen the basin at Mayport could be approved soon. Those funds would allow the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to increase the depth of the basin to 50 feet, creating the possibility that Naval Station Mayport could one day serve as a home port to a nuclear aircraft carrier and other ships of similar size.
U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw announced Wednesday the National Defense Authorization Conference Report includes $46.3 million for dredging and $29.6 million for Charlie Wharf upgrades at Naval Station Mayport. The House is expected to consider the measure today with a Senate vote scheduled for next week.
“The conference agreement is testament that the House and Senate have placed national security above all else by funding projects that are vital to Naval Station Mayport’s mission,” said Crenshaw. “My position remains steadfast: Congress will fully fund dredging and Charlie Wharf repairs, and I am proud to have helped guide this key national security initiative toward passage.
“The evidence that dredging needs to take place and take place now is overwhelming and clear. If tragedy, whether man-made or weather related, intentional or accidental, rendered Norfolk (Virginia) out of reach, the Navy would be forced to journey around the tip of South America to reach another nuclear aircraft carrier homeport in San Diego, Calif. As the Secretary of Defense has stated, ‘Having a single CVN (nuclear aircraft carrier) homeport has not been considered acceptable on the West Coast and should not be considered acceptable on the East Coast.’
“Dredging the mouth of the St. John’s River would allow a nuclear aircraft carrier to dock at Naval Station Mayport 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I join our Secretary of Defense and top Navy and Military leaders in working to accomplish that goal.”
Barry Vorse, spokesperson for the Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District, said the project is on the Corps’ radar.
“If the Navy gets the authorization and funding in 2010, we would award a contract in 2010,” said Vorse, adding the project would take 12-18 months from beginning to completion.
The Jacksonville Port Authority would also benefit from the project. In an effort to assure the channel and river are deep enough to handle post-Panamax ships that will call on the new Hanjin and TraPac terminals, the Port Authority is seeking funds to dredge several miles of the St. Johns River. Port spokesperson Nancy Rubin said the project at Mayport will help.
“That’s a one-mile stretch dredged to 50 feet that will be done for us. That’s a good start,” she said, adding Crenshaw toured Blount Island over the summer with Port Authority CEO Rick Ferrin and talked about securing the funding.
Rubin said the Port’s project will cost about half a billion dollars, but will prove worth the investment.
“For every dollar that’s spent on the Port, there’s a return of about $7 in activity,” she said. “This is essential to the growth of the area as a logistics hub. It’s a real winner for the whole area.”
Crenshaw, a Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, consistently advocated to appropriate $46.3 million for dredging and $29.6 million for Charlie Wharf repairs. The full House concurred that the funding was necessary by passing the FY 2010 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. The Senate version of the bill, which also includes the dredging and Charlie Wharf repairs funds, is currently under debate with a vote expected later this month.
“Mayport is a critically important installation and will become more so as the Navy carries out its plan for strategically dispersing its aircraft carriers,” said U.S. Sen. George LeMieux, a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee. “I commend the members of the House and Senate who supported restoring the funds for these projects, and I thank the members of the Mayport community for their efforts pointing out the critical need for these improvements to move forward.”
Lt. Laura Stegherr of the Navy said she can’t comment on the project since the legislation is pending. She did say there was a budget request for $46.3 million for dredging the channel and turning basin at Mayport.
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