by REP Policy Director Jim DiPeso published November 10, 2003 in the Charlotte Observer
As the autumn days grow shorter, thousands of tundra swans and snow geese have been descending on Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge. Every fall since time immemorial, the stately birds have flown from the Far North to spend winters on the Albemarle Peninsula.
On Sept. 10, the Navy announced plans to develop a proposed Outlying Landing Field a few miles from Pocosin Lakes. The plan is for aviators to practice touch-and-go landings with F/A-18 Super Hornet strike fighters.
The Navy's decision is highly questionable on both safety and environmental grounds. Local, state, and federal officials are strongly concerned.
Birds and aircraft, especially high-performance military jets, do not mix. The armed services have an apt acronym for the danger involved -- "bird aircraft strike hazard," or BASH, which describes to a tee the costly, sometimes fatal consequences when birds and airplanes collide.
The one person with the political capital to persuade the Navy to change tack is Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C.. With new leadership at the Department of the Navy and at the Atlantic Fleet, there is an opening for a fresh look at the issue. As an organization of Republican conservationists, we are confident that Sen. Dole has the influence and goodwill necessary to broker a solution that will serve both the Navy and Pocosin Lakes.
The wildlife refuge is a huge gathering place for birds, both migratory and resident. Throughout the year, more than 200 bird species visit or nest at Pocosin Lakes. Between early fall and spring, more than 100,000 tundra swans and snow geese visit the refuge to rest and eat.
At the Outlying Landing Field, some 31,000 flights would take place each year, including a significant percentage at night. While the need for such training is beyond dispute, the risks for both aviators and birds are acute. One 17-pound tundra swan getting cross-wise with a 66,000-pound Super Hornet could bring down the $60 million aircraft, endangering and perhaps killing the fighter's aviator.
The Navy's assurances that bird strike hazards can be mitigated are not convincing. The final environmental impact statement discusses buying or condemning 30,000 acres of property around the landing strip, but offers little detail on how the land would be altered to make the area unattractive to birds.
To ensure maximum safety for pilots, the Navy would have to either curtail training during winter, when migratory bird populations peak, or implement extensive land alteration and bird harassment programs that would greatly diminish Pocosin Lakes' value as one of the finest wildlife habitat areas in the Southeast.
The decision to locate a training facility at Pocosin Lakes unnecessarily compromises the mission of both the Navy and the national wildlife refuge. The highly trained aviators serving as our nation's first line of defense will be subjected needlessly to bird strike hazards. The wildlife refuge will not have the same habitat quality that draws magnificent birds from distant places.
We don't have to settle for such flawed judgment. There are other locations where the Navy can carry out its essential training activities without disturbing a globally significant wildlife area. We can defend our nation and defend the natural heritage that makes America special. We don't have to choose between these two vital goals.
With Sen. Dole's tactful leadership, a satisfactory solution can be found.
