Navy secures 20-year lease for bombing at Pinecastle (Florida)

OrlandoSentinel.com ^ | April 9, 2002 | Stephanie Erickson

[ConservativeLawyer]

OCALA NATIONAL FOREST -- Residents who live in the remote communities that ring the Pinecastle Electronic Warfare Range will hear jets roar overhead and bombs explode on the ground for at least another two decades.

The U.S. Forest Service this week renewed a 20-year lease allowing the U.S. Navy to train its pilots at the bombing range near Astor.

Preparing bombers during wartime takes precedence over environmental concerns and the ears of annoyed residents, federal officials said.

[ConservativeLawyer]

"The world remains a dangerous place," said Jim Thorsen, a ranger with the Seminole Ranger District.

Ranger Thorsen gets it. Thank God there are still some intelligent folks in government.

[oyez]

If they want to move the range to Fla, why not Key West. Its isolated, its unimportant, and its obsolete.

[ConservativeLawyer]

Ping.

[ConservativeLawyer]

If they want to move the range to Fla, why not Key West. Its isolated, its unimportant, and its obsolete.

The explosions might cause people to spill their beer.

[joeyman]

The group, which says the bombing may be harming wildlife and polluting groundwater, plans to have its first demonstration in almost a year during the first weekend in May.

If you've ever visit a typical Carribean or Hawiian Bombing Range Island you will find the lushest countryside you can imagine. All that soil being turned over every now and then - and then left alone for weeks or months as new plants start growing. Also the military puts plants all around to prevent the denuding of the Island. And since no humans are allowed, the animals thrive - limited only by an occasional shelling.

[JSteff]

Cool. I wish I lived near there. The test rounds sound, like well, victory. Oh and you are right, All that soil being turned over every now and then - and then left alone for weeks or months as new plants start growing. Also the military puts plants all around to prevent the denuding of the Island.

The eco-nuts though don't see it like it really is... the near perfect preserve because no human in their right mind is going to go there.

[My Favorite Headache]

The Keyes would sink. A category 3 or higher storm down there is so threatening that I have been to conferences on storms here in Florida and Bob Sheets said that a category 3 or higher might completely destroy the Keyes. One the size of Hugo or the strength of Andrew would make it unliveable. If I spelled that right at 3 am. LOL...And you want to drop bombs there?? LOL.

[RIGHT IN SEATTLE]

Sorry tough guy,

great diving, beers, and it used to be a great pick-up for single guys in the 70's!

PICKING UP GIRLS THAT IS!

Now the last Island has been taken over by the silly fudge packers!

[AmericaUnited]

The group, which says the bombing may be harming wildlife

LOL! What understatement! I suppose a 2000 pounder exploding would do some "harm" to any little critters in the impact area.

[oyez]

Yeah, well I thoght it was a good sugestion anyway. If Jimmy Buffet likes the place it can't be that bad. I would have liked it better if some of the the locals wern't such snots.

[ConservativeLawyer]

Thanks for your insight.

[Rebelbase]

The wildest times of my life were in Key West back in 79-80'.

[4Freedom]

Articles like this are somewhat mis-leading, probably unintentionally, but mis-leading just the same.

If this bombing range is anything like other bombing ranges, only a small portion of it, a couple of acres, will actually be bombed and the other 5,798 acres will be used as a buffer zone. That's alot of acres.

The protesters try to give the impression that the whole 5,800 acres will be laid to waste 24/7 and this article doesn't do anything to dispel that notion.

The noise and impact on the local population will, as a general rule, be less than that of living near a highway or airport and not nearly as constant.

The protesters in Florida are, most likely, like those in Vieques, Puerto Rico. They have a political agenda and it's doubtful it has anything to do with either 'peace' or 'justice'.