THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 22, 1995 TAG: 9510200172
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 17 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines
The U.S. secretary of the Interior came to Chesapeake Wednesday to accentuate the positive.
Bruce Babbitt visited the Naval Security Group Activity Northwest (NSGA Northwest) military facility G1CPBAB22 Babbitt
as part of a three-day tour of the state to highlight environmental success.
``We've not been good at highlighting the success stories,'' he said.
Whereas in the past the military has been the convenient scapegoat for many ills in American society, this time it was singled out by Babbitt and his office as front-runners in environmental responsibility.
``This is a well-kept secret. Few people realize what tremendous work the Navy does on environmental restoration and management,'' he said. ``The military is one of the biggest landlords in the United States with 25 million acres of military managed land, and they're doing a wonderful job of ecosystem management, preservation and restoration. In some cases they are doing a better job than many environmental groups.''
Babbitt was given a quick one-hour bus tour of NSGA Northwest with Chesapeake Mayor William E. Ward and several high-ranking Northwest base and area Navy officers in tow, along with a group of base environmental workers and journalists.
``Mr. Babbitt is on the road to create some awareness and accountability across the country for the environment,'' said Jamie Workman, Babbitt's spokesman. ``He wants to keep Congress from turning back the clock.''
Workman added that Babbitt is taking an aggressive stance in light of the Republican-dominated Congress' impending action against many environmental laws.
Babbitt's current tour is to point out the many environmental success stories achieved over the years by the nation's military. Chesapeake's only military installation is included among those success stories.
The base, and the many others throughout the country, are vital for the country's defense and security, Babbitt said.
NSGA Northwest provides vital communications for the Navy and Defense Communications Systems along with direction finding assistance to navigational aid and air-sea rescue missions.
The facility is a Coast Guard communications base and an electronic warfare operational programming facility.
But being on 3,700 acres of wooded, farm and swamp lands adjacent to the Great Dismal Swamp gave the facility an additional environmental responsibility now overseen by Pam Couch, NSGA natural resources specialist, and Dick Turner, base environmental engineer.
Babbitt showed up at the Northwest facility base to praise their work and see their successes first hand.
Under Couch and Turner's supervision, NSGA Northwest has been actively engaged in threatened and endangered species management, neotropical migratory bird study, wetlands conservation/enhancement, Lunker Lake fisheries management, Atlantic white cedar planting/regeneration and it has engaged in a prescribed burning program and overseen an agricultural outlease program.
It has also worked closely with the Student Conservation Association, which incorporates the work of students from Old Dominion University and Great Bridge High School. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Babbitt
by CNB