Eglin opposes plan to open pass

Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., has taken the unusual action of publically opposing a plan backed by West Florida 1st District Congressman Matt Gaetz to reopen a long-closed channel allowing Navarre-area boaters to pass from Santa Rosa Sound into the Gulf of Mexico. The base claims increased boat traffic would interfere with its military training mission, which takes place on a 20-mile stretch of Eglin-owned beachfront directly east of Navarre Pass. The pass was dredged and opened three months in 1965 before Hurricane Betsy blocked it. Currently, for boaters to reach the GoM, Navarre-area boaters have to go to Pensacola or Destin. Eglin’s “mission impact analysis confirms that a pass would be incompatible with current and future (Defense Department) mission sets on Santa Rosa Island,” said Mike Spaits, a base spokesman. “A significant increase in boat traffic around the pass would substantially restrict our test and training activities currently conducted at our sites on Santa Rosa Island.” Gaetz (R-Fort Walton Beach) has scheduled a private meeting with Navarre leaders April 17 about reopening the pass. (Source: Pensacola News Journal 03/23/17) Gaetz and U.S. Sen Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) are considering filing legislation to create a Navarre Pass. Eglin's 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group conducts periodic air-and-boat weapons testing in the pass and GoM. Communities, public and state officials have gone to great lengths not to encroach upon, and dilute, bases’ military training missions. For example, Santa Rosa County has had long-range plans in place for years related to properties adjacent Naval Air Station Whiting Field and its flightlines. The county continues to obtain state-and-federal funding grants to protect the mission of the air station from another potential base closure and realignment action.