Jacksonville, Fla. -- JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Jacksonville District will be available at the Pelican Beach Club House in Satellite Beach, Thursday, Oct. 24, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. to seek information from the community and respond to questions about its Preliminary Assessment of the Naval Air Station Banana River Off-Base Disposal Area Formerly Used Defense Site. The Preliminary Assessment is to determine if further evaluations are warranted.
The Navy acquired 1,823 acres of land between the Banana River and the Atlantic Ocean and began constructing a seaplane base in 1939 that became Naval Air Station Banana River. During World War II, the Navy utilized land south of the base for disposal activities. After World War II ended, the base continued limited operations as a support facility but was deactivated August 1, 1947. The Navy transferred the base to the Air Force on September 1, 1948; it is now Patrick Air Force Base and is not eligible for the Formerly Used Defense Site program. The Off-Base Disposal Area is eligible.
The Corps manages the Defense Environmental Restoration Program for Formerly Used Defense Sites, on behalf of the Department of Defense, using a thorough process required by law. The Department of Defense is committed to protecting people and the environment and improving public safety by cleaning up these sites if hazards from the former military operations remain. Public involvement and community participation are important components of the process.
For more information on the Formerly Used Defense Sites program, please call 1-800-710-5184 or email FUDS.Florida@usace.army.mil or www.saj.usace.army.mil/BananaRiver.
Release no. 19-083