Abstract:
The U.S. Navy's plan to build an outlying landing field (OLF) in eastern North Carolina for jet fighters to practice aircraft carrier landings on land is drawing fire from numerous groups, both in-state and without. The Navy plans to acquire 30,000 acres in Beaufort and Washington Counties in land near the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge. Since tundra swans and snow geese fly the skies in large numbers over the proposed landing area five months out of the year, safety is a major concern for wildlife, pilots, and the public. Other points of opposition are that the field will employ few local people, be a major source of jet noise, and be a drain on the two counties' tax bases.