June 18, 2003

MEMORANDUM

TO: Members of the House & Senate

FROM: CWMTF Trustee Phil Baddour

Re: Protection of our Military Bases

Fort Bragg, Pope Air Force Base, Camp Lejeune, Cherry Point, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, and the Coast Guard in Elizabeth City are important to our national security and to our State’s economy.

In 2005 the US Base Realignment & Closure Commission (BRAC) will recommend closing and realigning military bases across the country.

Last month, pursuant to GS 127C-4(2)(b), the North Carolina Advisory Commission on Military Affairs, Co-Chaired by General Hugh Shelton and Troy Pate, completed its analysis of our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to our military bases.

The Commission found that “the number one training and operational readiness concern of North Carolina military bases is urban encroachment around the installations. Encroachment jeopardizes training and readiness because it forces bases to make compromises on when and where they train, and with which weapon systems…”

In a letter of March 25, 2003 to Governor Easley the Commission made six recommendations to protect our bases from encroachment, including “acquisition of critical property within buffer areas and beyond…”

The Clean Water Management Trust Fund (CWMTF), Natural Heritage Trust Fund (NHTF), and Parks & Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) are the major tools that the State has to acquire buffer areas and to reduce encroachment around our military bases. For example, last year the CWMTF and NHTF partnered with The Nature Conservancy, the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, and the US Marine Corps to acquire the 2500-acre Beck tract adjacent to Camp Lejeune in Onslow County (CWMTF Project #2001B-036). CWMTF financed acquisition of the wetlands and riparian areas on the property; NHTF financed acquisition of the uplands. State agencies provided half of the funds; the US Marine Corps, the other half.

Please support substantial appropriations to CWMTF, NHTF, and PARTF so that the State can continue to work with the military to not only protect water quality and the environment but to also protect our bases from inappropriate development on their boundaries.