By ANGIE HOMOLA
Island County commissioner

As your commissioner I attended the National Association of Counties Conference (NACO) in Washington D.C. serving as a member on the Energy, Environment and Land Use Committee. The intent of this conference is to establish areas of high importance for counties and then to lobby congress for support. The resounding concerns were local control, job retention/creation and resource preservation.

While there, I was invited to the Pentagon to meet with the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), Admiral Gary Roughead. Accompanied by Commissioner Ron Wesen of Skagit County, we advocated for the P-8A replacement of the retiring P-3 Orion at Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island.

The Plan of Record calls for five P-8A squadrons at NAS Jacksonville Fla., four at NAS Whidbey and three at Kaneohe Marine Corps base on Oahu. Due to military budget cuts and in spite of the efforts of local elected officials and concerned citizens it was recently announced that the four squadrons proposed for Whidbey might instead be sent to Jacksonville. The CNO spent a generous 40 minutes with us discussing the many reasons for this tentative but solidifying decision.

I expressed my concerns for the loss of the over 2,000 jobs and associated commerce should this maritime patrol platform not be based in our region. I also shared my view of our strategic presence on the Pacific Rim and our close proximity to joint operational training. Kaneohe’s short runway and markedly higher cost of living stipend, housing, Tricare and moving expenses make Hawaii a costly pick. Overloading Jacksonville with unplanned squadrons forced to share cramped facilities, a single runway and crowded airspace make that base an efficiency and morale welfare show-stopper. Whidbey Island offers the optimal strategic location, lowest Pacific cost structure, best training area and finest quality of life for sailors.

We also discussed the many local partnerships with the Navy including emergency services, the Whidbey Camano Land Trust, Island County, sister jurisdictions and NGOs. Island County also provides existing and returning veterans aid and council. Our community values the extensive environmental programs the Navy has implemented, leading the way for resource preservation. The CNO acknowledged these benefits and spoke highly of our community support, however he could not commit to the delivery of the P8-A anytime soon. He believed the primary decision for basing to be budgetary.

NAS Whidbey staff is currently preparing tough-to-beat, low-cost alternatives for the continued operation of this platform. As I understand it, the proposed substantial changes to the Plan of Record will trigger the need for a supplemental Environmental Impact Statement. That arduous process requires extensive study including public scrutiny for tactical and budgetary considerations. Rep. Rick Larsen has committed to asking tough questions. This decision is not over yet. You can help by writing to your state and federal senators and representatives urging their support for the delivery of P-8A to NAS Whidbey Island.

I am holding public briefings to share further details on March 22 at Skagit Valley College in Oak Hall from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. and at the Camano Senior Center on March 27 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. You are welcome to attend.

Commissioner Homola represents the Oak Harbor area.