Click on Upcoming Meetings
Next Core Group meeting, July 7, 2008, 7:00p.m. at the Old Gates County Courthouse (2nd Floor of the Gates Co Public Library)
Duke University Clinic Will Conduct Independent Environmental Impact Study for Citizens Against OLF
Citizens Against OLF is excited to announce that Duke University’s Environmental Law and Policy Clinic will study the environmental impacts of the Sandbanks OLF Site. Under the National Environmental Policy Act, the Navy is required to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for this activity. The Clinic has already submitted a packet of scoping questions and comments to the Navy as they prepare the EIS. The Environmental Law and Policy Clinic will prepare their own version of an EIS.”The Sandbanks site sits in a unique community of diverse wildlife habitats and people who live in close connection with the land,” said Ryke Longest, Director for the Duke Environmental Law and Policy Clinic. “Courts have held that the Navy’s prior EIS for the Outlying Landing Field was inadequate.” The Clinic has been retained to study the impacts and thereby to assist this community organization in defending the area’s diverse habitats.
In October 2007, Citizens Against OLF retained the Southern Coalition for Social Justice (SCSJ) as our legal counsel. SCSJ (www.southerncoalition.org) also submitted a packet of scoping questions and comments. Working together, Duke’s Environmental Law and Policy Clinic and SCSJ will bring a wealth of expertise to the important issues presented by the Navy’s proposal.
Anita Earls, SCSJ's Director explained: "The work that Duke's Environmental Law and Policy Clinic will perform is crucial to help us document how an OLF will affect the residents of Gates County who have been living in harmony with the natural environment through many generations."
"An independent EIS study by Duke University should provide an unbiased assessment of the environmental concerns and environmental consequences of constructing an OLF in Gates County; which will be very valuable in countering the Navy's proposed action if they decide to move forward based on their EIS results,” said Henry Jordan, incoming Gates County Commissioner.
“We are thrilled that Duke University’s Environmental Law and Policy Clinic has agreed to help us” said Ken Jernigan, Vice Chairman, Gates County Commissioners.
The Sandbanks Site in Gates County is one of five proposed OLF sites. There are two in North Carolina and three in Virginia.
A joint venture of Duke Law School and Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment, the Environmental Law and Policy Clinic serves nonprofit organizations that are involved in conflicts related to water quality, air quality, natural resources conservation, sustainable development, public-trust resources, and environmental justice.
Congressman Butterfield Makes His Position Clear
On Friday, May 23, many from Gates County attended and enjoyed Congressman Butterfield's Constituent Service Day and Openhouse in Weldon. We were all thrilled to hear Congressman Butterfield say, "Make no mistake. I am opposed to an OLF in Gates County!" Thank you so much Congressman Butterfield for your words of encouragement and support.
Check Out our New Blog and No OLF Informational Movies!
We have a new blog where you can discuss OLF issues with others online.
People have called and requested a copy of the OLF Info and Sandbanks and Boonetown Stories DVDs we showed at the Informational Meeting on 2/21/08. Copies are available at the Gates County Library. They are available for check out - free of charge.
Who We Are
Citizens Against OLF is a local, grassroots, nonpartisan organization dedicated to stopping the Navy from building an OLF (outlying landing field) in northeastern North Carolina. The Navy has learned a lot in battling the citizens of Beaufort and Washington counties. We have learned a lot, as well. Our goal is to keep an OLF from coming to Northeastern NC and to tell the country of the devastating effects that placing an OLF in this area will have on the environment, on livelihoods, on property values, and on the quality of life. The Navy's own documentation says "an OLF is not required". Please help us save our county.
What is an OLF
An OLF is a concrete landing strip where (a) repetitive flight operations are conducted by military pilots, (b) aircraft carrier touch-and-go practice by F/A-18 E/F (Super Hornet) aircraft occurs, and (c) constant low-level flying at the airstrip and surrounding area will regularly take place.
Information obtained from http://www.noolf.com and Navy sources.
Recent Events
6/02/08 - Core Group Meeting was held at 7:00p.m. at the Old Gates County Courthouse
Minutes submitted by Laura Dickerson
Citizens Against OLF met Monday night, June 2, at the old Gates County Courthouse.
The treasurer's report was given with a $2176.13 balance. Awareness Materials update: plenty of t-shirts are still available at Tarheel Restaurant. We need to order more bumper stickers. Updates from last meeting: It was suggested by Anita Earls, our legal counsel, that landowners do allow the Navy on their land to complete their EIS studies. Thanks to Danny Byrum for helping raise OLF awareness at the Gates County Rodeo. Butterfield's Openhouse and Picnic with a huge success with Butterfield declaring he was opposed to an OLF in Gates County! A reminder was given that EIS comments are due by June 6 at midnight. Ecology and Environment will be in the Sandbanks on June 5 working on their survey counts on breeding birds. Options were presented for plates for a fundraiser. Those attending were asked to bring dates of fundraisers churches and clubs were holding in the fall to the next meeting so we can pick a date that doesn't conflict. It was suggested that we raise awareness at the 2008 Record Roundup Pro Jump and Slalom.
5/05/08 - Core Group Meeting was held at 7:00p.m. at the Gates County Community Center
Minutes coming soon.
5/02/08 - Navy Scoping Meeting held from 4-9pm in the Cafeteria at Gates County High School
The Navy hosted 462 people in Southampton, 252 in Prince George, 320 in Sussex, 315 in Surry, 242 in Currituck County, N.C., and 392 in Camden County, N.C and 671 IN GATES COUNTY! The people in the poorest county are fighting the hardest! Citizens Against OLF was present in full force with several displays and five of our movies playing in the lobby. Although a Navy representative requested that a school official move us to a different location, and then even went as far as asking to lock the cafeteria door (they were stationed in the cafeteria, we were in the lobby), we were allowed to stay and the door was not locked. Many from our community were disappointed by the lack of information and/or conflicting information provided by the Navy at the scoping meeting. Hundreds of comments and questions were submitted to be included in the EIS. Thanks to the 671 people who came out to show their opposition!
Watch a slideshow of the meeting at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_kGd6E7Ijk
4/07/08 - Core Group Meeting was held at 7:00p.m. at the Gates County Community Center
Minutes submitted by Laura Dickerson.
The Citizens Against OLF held a meeting Monday, April 7, 2008 at the Gates County Community Center with approximately 40 members present, including Commissioners Kenneth Jernigan and Wade Askew, County Manager Melinda Hoggard, and Tax Supervisor Renee McGinnis.
Topics discussed included a recent trip to Washington, DC by a delegation from Gates, Camden, and Currituck Counties to meet with representatives of the North Carolina congressional delegation. Senator Dole’s military advisor stated that the Sand Banks site would probably be listed on the Federal Register. The importance of calling members of Congress and asking for their help in removing the Sand Banks from the list of potential OLF sites was emphasized.
A scoping meeting has been scheduled by the Navy for May 2nd, 2008 at Gates County High School from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM. This meeting concerns the environmental impact study. Information will be available but it will not be a question and answer session. Written questions will be permitted and are required to be responded to at a later date. Once again, we need a big turnout to convince the Navy and political leaders that there is broad local opposition.
Candidates for local offices had been contacted concerning their position on the OLF. Written statements from Paulette Britt, Graham Twine, Mickey Lee, Henry Jordan, and Chuck Brothers, candidates for county commissioner, were read. All expressed their opposition to the OLF being located in Gates County.
4/01-03/08 - Gates County Delegation Attended Meeting in Washington, DC
On April 1-3, a Gates County Delegation composed of County Manager Melinda Hoggard, Linda Warren and Laura Dickerson attended meetings along with representatives from Camden and Currituck. We met with staff from the offices of Senator Burr, Congressman Butterfield, Congressman Price. We met with Senator Dole and her staff, as well as Congressman Jones and his staff. At each office, we shared a notebook which included stories from the Sandbanks and Boonetown, information on the wetlands and Chowan River, documentation of our broad opposition, and the reasons the Sandbanks site was taken off the list in 2003. We asked each office to take action to remove us from the list of proposed sites. Senator Dole agreed to write a letter to the Navy. Congressman Butterfield's staff indicated he would probably write a letter if he received a formal request. County Manager Melinda Hoggard hand delivered a formal request the next day. Congressman Jones indicated he would work with Butterfield on a letter. Congressman Price's staff indicated he would be watching the process closely to insure that it was fair. His staff indicated he would look at the letter Butterfield and Jones write. County Manager Melinda Hoggard attended meetings with the staffs of Congressman Bob Etheridge, Congressman Randy Forbes, and Senator John McCain. She also met with Dept. Asst. Secretary of the Navy Schregardus and hand delivered a letter that stated we were broadly opposed and not interested in incentive packages.
3/24/08 - Gates County Delegation Met with the Governor's Office
On March 24, a Gates County Delegation composed of County Manager Melinda Hoggard, County Commissioner Ken Jernigan, Linda Warren, and Laura Dickerson met with Governor Easley's Chief of Staff Franklin Freeman and Senior Policy Advisor Hawley Truax. We shared our broad opposition and the stories of many of those who live in the Sandbanks and Boonetown. We requested that the Governor take action to remove the Sandbanks site from the list of proposed OLF sites.
3/13/08 - A Rally Was Held in Raleigh, NC to Show Our Opposition to an OLF in Northeastern North Carolina
Our Raleigh Rally was a huge success! Roughly 75 folks came out to show Gates County's broad local OPPOSITION! A few of our speakers were: Gerry Cohn with American Farmland Trust, Anita Earls with the Southern Coalition for Social Justice, Kathy Hartkopf from Freedomworks, Amina Turner, executive director for NC NAACP, and Senator Ed Jones. Certainly, Governor Easley and the public got the message that there is only broad local oppositon here. We got great press coverage from as far away as Fayetteville, Richmond, and Charlotte! The Raleigh News and Observer and WTKR and WAVY 10 in Hampton Roads also shared our story! Check out our story in the Charlotte Observer: http://www.charlotte.com/204/story/535293.html or watch the media coverage from WITN in New Bern: http://www.witntv.com/home/headlines/ 16643901.html Thanks to everyone who helped make the day a huge success. Check out our movie of the rally: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5X_doLpAw0Q
