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NO-OLF <br />North C rolini ns Opposed to Outlying L nding Field <br /> <br /> The Navy is moving ahead with plans to construct a practice airfield for its <br />latest and noisiest F-18 jets in Washington County, North Carolina. The pilots will <br />fly from NAS Oceana, Virginia, and MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina, to <br />simulate landing on aircraft carriers through repetitive touch-and-go practice. The <br />majority of these 31,600 annual practices will occur between dusk and dawn. <br /> <br />Why we are opposed to the OLF proposal <br /> <br />1. UNNECESSARY -Navy/Marine Corps documents show the field is not a <br />military requirement. Current airfields meet all requirements. <br /> <br />2. UNFAIR The Navy introduced the OLF proposal in reaction to noise complaints <br />from residents in Virginia Beach and Chesapeake who chose to live in neighbor- <br />hoods around long-established airfields. <br /> <br />3. DANGEROUS The selected location is hazardous to pilots and $80+ million <br />aircraft because of high concentration of large migratory birds for 6 months each <br />yea~. F-18 collision with these birds will result in loss of life and aircraft.. <br /> <br />4. NO ECONOMIC BENEFIT No military personnel will be based at the OLF. <br />Construction will be contracted to large companies. The few permanent jobs will be <br />maintenance and security positions. Large numbers of jobs related to agriculture <br />will be lost permanently. <br /> <br />5. UNJUST Over 70 families which have farmed in the area for generations will <br />be forced to sell their homes and farms at current market value. Farmers will <br />receive little or no compensation for their machinery and equipment. <br /> <br />6. HUGE TAX LOSS Navy acquisition of 32,000 acres of prime farmland will <br />force residents to either live with reduced county services or shoulder a major tax <br />increase to make up for loss of over a hundred thousand dollars of tax income - in <br />counties which are already among the most economically depressed in the state. <br /> <br />7, LOSS OF FUTURE DEVELOPMENT POSSIBILITIES The intense noise and <br />pollution generated by the practice field will depress real estate values and <br />discourage company relocations and prospective retirement residents. <br /> <br />8. REDUCED QUALITY OF LIFE The assault of Iow-level jet overflights will <br />severely diminish the quality of life for all residents of the region. <br /> <br />J=or information on the OLF go to www.albemarlecommunity.net ' <br /> <br /> <br />