Page 64: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (December 1992)

NAVY HOMEPORTS: UPDATE

Status Of The Navy's New Homeport At Everett, Washington

In the early 1980s, the Navy planned to expand the number of homeports to help accommodate the expected fleet expansion to 600 ships. In 1984, the Navy selected

Everett as a site for one of the new homeports.

Because of land constraints at the

Everett waterfront site and the clo- sure of the naval station at Sand

Point, the Everett homeport will consist of two sites. The main site of 117 acres will house the ships and the facilities necessary to pro- vide ship berthing capabilities and waterfront support, supply and maintenance support, and installa- tion and personnel support. The sec- ond site will consist of about 60 acres and will be located about 10 miles from the main site. It will have various morale, welfare, and recreational facilities, such as a commissary/exchange, an auto hobby shop, and a chapel.

As of July 31, 1992, the total cost to develop the Everett homeport had increased to $495.2 million, or 31 percent, more than the Navy's origi- nal (1985) estimate of $377 million.

About $90 million of the increase represents base closure funds that will be needed to build facilities at

Everett to accommodate activities being moved from Sand Point. With the first ship expected to arrive in 1994, the development schedule for the Everett homeport has slipped about six years.

The Navy has already received $282.4 million for the homeport. The

Department of Defense (DOD) has requested $5.6 million in military construction funds and $58.4 mil- lion in base closure funds in the fiscal year 1993 budget. It is esti- mated that at least $148.8 million will be needed after fiscal year 1993.

The Navy now plans to base seven ships and 4,800 military personnel at Everett, compared to 13 ships and 6,800 military personnel in the original plan. The Navy stated that this decrease was due to significant reductions in the size of the fleet.

As a result of the 1991 decision to close the naval station at Sand

Point, the Navy will move 18 ten- ant activities and 900 naval station and tenant personnel to Everett from Sand Point by 1995.

Several factors contributed to the $118.2 million cost difference. The

Navy changed the configuration of the homeport and added projects that were not in the original esti- mate. In addition, projects that are funded with base closure funds and local contributions were not part of the Navy's original estimate. These funds and contributions are in- cluded in the current estimate be- cause the projects they are funding are considered part of the homeport.

The configuration changes were a result of environmental concerns about the disposal of contaminated material dredged as part of the homeport construction. A 1988 liti- gation settlement with environmen- tal groups changed the waterfront layout and the scope of other projects. For example, a central wharf was deleted because of the dredged material problems, and a structural breakwater was added.

The Navy also has added projects that were not envisioned when the original estimate was prepared. For example, the Navy planned to ob- tain a lease contract for steam; how- ever, a lessor could not be found.

The Navy now plans to construct a steam plant at a cost of $11 million.

Also, the Navy has identified the need for 174 military housing units at a cost of $20.7 million. Origi- nally, the Navy believed that the community could provide adequate affordable housing.

The use of base closure funds rep- resents the most significant portion of the cost difference. Of the $89.9 million in base closure funds, $35.7 million will be used for land acqui- sition, site improvements and utili- ties, and access roads to the second site. An additional $21.5 million will be used to construct a fleet head- quarters support building and a port services addition at the main site and various facilities such as playing fields and courts, a chapel, bachelors' officers quarters, and a fleet parking area at the second site.

In addition, $9.5 million in local contributions were obtained from the state of Washington and the port of Everett and were used for road improvement.

Initially, Everett was to receive its first ship, the aircraft carrier

USS Nimitz, in December 1988, and all ships were to arrive within two to three years thereafter. The plan now calls for the first two ships (frigates) to arrive in 1994, two de- stroyers to arrive in 1995, and two destroyers and the carrier to arrive in 1996.

Navy officials state that the de- crease in the number of ships did not significantly affect the site de- velopment or total costs because a carrier will still be homeported at

Everett and its requirements pri- marily dictate site development.

They stated that carrier require- ments are much greater than all other ships.

Pursuant to the Defense Base

Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 (PL. 101-510), the naval sta- tion at Sand Point is scheduled for closure in 1995. DOD's April 1991 base closure report states that the closure has a direct bearing on the development of the Everett home- port. Sand Point has 52 tenant ac- tivities, of which 18 will transfer to

Everett, and the remaining 34 will go to various other locations, pri- marily in Washington State. About 900 personnel associated with the naval station and the 18 tenant ac- tivities will transfer to the new homeport.

For example, upon completion of the administration and fleet head- quarters building at Everett, some

Sand Point tenant activities, such as the Naval Investigative Service and the Naval Legal Services Of- fice, will relocate to Everett.

Everett's second site is planned for completion by the summer of 1995 to coincide with the closure of Sand

Point.

The Navy is using Sand Point base closure funds to accommodate the many facilities and quality-of- life projects to be relocated to

Everett. According to DOD, the

Navy has planned to provide this support for Everett from existing facilities at Sand Point.

The Navy is proceeding with the development of the new homeports.

TABLE 1

Comparison of Original and Current Estimated Costs (Dollars in Millions)

Navy's 1985 Current

Source of Funding Cost Estimate Cost Estimate

Military Construction $348.0 $371.4

Military Housing 0 20.7

Nonappropriated Funds 29.0 3.7

Local Contributions 0 9.5

Base Closure 0 89.9

Total $377.0 $495.2

TABLE 2

Comparison of Ship Assignment Plans

Originally Currently

Ship Type Planned Planned

Carrier 1 1

Cruisers 2 0

Destroyers 4 4

Frigates (active) 2 2

Frigates (reserves) 2 0

Mine Countermeasures (reserves) 2 0

Total 13 7 66 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News