Crs Report for Congress: Navy Nuclear Aircraft Carrier (Cvn) Homeporting at Mayport: Background and Issues for Congress

On January 14, 2009, the Navy announced that it wants to transfer one of its nuclear-powered aircraft carriers (CVNs) to the Navy home port at Mayport, FL, known formally as Naval Station (NAVSTA) Mayport. On April 10, 2009, the Department of Defense (DOD) announced that it had decided to delay a final decision on whether to propose transferring a CVN to Mayport until it reviews the issue as part of its 2009-2010 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR). The Navys proposed FY2010 budget requests $46.3 million in Military Construction (MilCon) funding for channel dredging at Mayport. DOD states that it intends to dredge the Mayport channel in fiscal 2010 to allow the Navy port to dock a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. This action would provide an alternative port for a carrier on the East Coast if a manmade or natural disaster or other emergency closes the Navys base in Norfolk, Va., or the surrounding sea approaches. The dredging of the Mayport channel will support any future decisions to permanently homeport a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. The Navys desire to transfer a CVN to Mayport is an issue of interest to some Members of Congress. Many observers expect that transferring a CVN to Mayport would ...