Navy gives thumbs up to placing nuclear carrier at Mayport

November 17, 2008

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Navy today told key Florida lawmakers that Mayport Naval Station soon will become home to a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier that will bring more than 3,000 personnel to this city.

The Navy said it’s designating Jacksonville’s port as a future home of a nuclear powered carrier – a move that has been championed by Florida’s U.S. Sens. Bill Nelson and Mel Martinez and U.S. Reps. Ander Crenshaw and Corrine Brown.  Nelson received word of the Navy’s action in a noon telephone call Monday from Secretary of the Navy Donald Winter. 

“Getting all of the nuclear carriers out of one port in Virginia is in our national security interest,” said an ecstatic Nelson, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.  “And for the folks in Florida, the move is certain to bolster the national-defense role of the state and Mayport, as well as the local economy.”

"This is tremendous news for Florida and testament to the strategic importance of Mayport," said Martinez, the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Seapower subcommittee. "It is vital that our nation maintain more than one substantial naval base on the east coast. Mayport is an integral part of our strategic national defense and as a delegation, we remain committed to keeping this port and its people ready to serve."

Said Crenshaw, “Today’s announcement is a huge victory for Mayport, Northeast Florida, and for U.S. national security.  The decision to bring a nuclear carrier to Mayport reinforces that Jacksonville is a premier military community.”

“I am more than pleased that the U.S. Navy has decided to place two nuclear carrier bases on our country’s East Coast,” added Brown.  “This is a decision that will tremendously augment our nation’s national security, and Jacksonville is a perfect place to assist the Navy in this endeavor.”

The decision to house a nuclear carrier at Mayport was one of 13 options being considered by the Navy to strategically disperse its carrier fleet.  The Navy decided on placing one nuclear carrier in Jacksonville in the not too distant future.  The move will bring in an additional 3,190 military personnel. 

The Navy said it expects such a move would be completed within five years or so.  The Navy has already finished an environmental study due out Friday that says there are no significant barriers to having the carrier at Mayport.

Nelson, Martinez, Crenshaw and Brown have been a strong backers of Mayport and stationing a nuclear carrier there.  Because the Navy keeps all its Atlantic carriers at Norfolk, Virginia, the three lawmakers initiated a move to disperse them for security reasons.

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