Navy postpones EIS on Super Hornets

By By Fredie Carmichael / staff writer
March 21, 2002
The U.S. Navy has delayed releasing results of an environmental impact study on where to locate a permanent new home for its most advanced jet fighters, the F-18 Super Hornets.
The EIS, which includes NAS Meridian as one of four possible locations, is now scheduled for release in early summer, officials announced, instead of mid-March as previously announced.
Navy officials say they are postponing the results of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement because it plans to retire the F-14 aircraft the jets the Super Hornets will replace sooner than originally scheduled.
In the summer of 2000, NAS Meridian was added to a list of four military bases that could possibly house the Navy's latest fighter jets and the move came after heavy lobbying by Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott and U.S. Rep. Chip Pickering.
Other potential sites include bases in Ociana, Va., Cherry Point, N.C., and Buford, S.C.
McDonald said the delay of the environmental impact study could push back the announcement date of where the fighter jets will eventually land.