The Navy will hear you now.
From Point Loma Association
Last month, PLA was unsuccessful in arranging a community presentation by the Navy regarding their plans to increase military training at our neighborhood base.
Public comments closed September 1.
However, Naval Base Point Loma has offered to present at our Association’s monthly Board meeting this Wednesday, September 14th.
Community Liaison Officer, Muska Laiq, and a Navy environmental planner will brief us on the proposal and answer questions.
Our meeting begins at 7:30 am! But perhaps that timing fits your schedule. If so, join us at the Liberty Station Conference Center (2600 Laning Road San Diego, CA 92106). Our meetings are always open to everyone. Sometimes we have coffee!
If you are a stakeholder (we just love that term), please come to ask questions and hear the plans explained in words civilians can comprehend. Here is a 3-page CliffsNotes version of the 134 page Environmental Assessment.
As detailed in an article in Saturday’s Union-Tribune, additional time and an opportunity to ask questions is all we ask. Here are excerpts from that article.
Navy proposal for increased training events at Point Loma base troubles some neighbors
Military officials are reviewing a proposal to increase the number of training events at Naval Base Point Loma, including helicopter and explosives exercises, as some community members argue that the public comment period for the environmental assessment examining the proposed increase wasn’t long enough.
The Point Loma Association received an email from the Navy about the plan on Aug. 3. The proposal and its 134-page draft environmental assessment were released at the start of a 15-day public comment period, initially slated to close Aug. 17.
PLA Chairwoman Sandy Hanshaw said she requested an extension of the comment period and the Navy expanded it to 30 days, closing Sept. 1.
“The PLA and the Navy have always worked together; they’ve always been really informative and we’ve had a great relationship, so we were caught a little off guard and kind of disappointed when they didn’t really present or provide the information for the plans to increase training activities with the community before they just dropped the 134-page document,” Hanshaw said. “There was no discussion prior to. They dropped the pages in August and offered a very small 15-day window for review.”
The Council on Environmental Quality, a presidential advisory committee on environmental policy, directs federal agencies to involve the public in the development of environmental impact analyses under the National Environmental Policy Act.
The Navy stated that 15 to 30 days is a typical comment period for assessments of this type. It said it has received at least a dozen comments about the training proposal.
But Hanshaw said some in the neighboring community feel they weren’t given enough time to examine a document of that size to respond appropriately.
“From what I’ve heard from people that are upset, the increased activity at the base is of concern (and) they are frustrated with the process, that they weren’t given a fair time or opportunity to review,” Hanshaw said.
However, she added, “I know there are supporters, and I think they trust the Navy to make the right decisions for the community.”
Go here for the remainder of that article.
{ 0 comments… add one now }