PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES

HOMEPORTING ADDITIONAL SURFACE SHIPS AT NAVAL STATION MAYPORT, FLORIDA

The proposed action involves the relocation of existing ships or assignment of newly acquired ships to Naval Station (NAVSTA) Mayport. This proposal includes only those activities required to establish, operate, and maintain these additional surface ships at NAVSTA Mayport; it does not include actions at other Navy bases. While the alternatives include a wide range of scenarios, for ease of description, the 12 action alternatives are grouped into three fundamental categories based on common components. The three categories include:

Group 1 – Alternatives Involving Homeporting of Surface Ships (Non-CVN). These alternatives involve only homeporting of surface ships and require minimal construction activities. The four alternatives in Group 1 include:

Alternative 1: CRU/DES Homeporting (“CRU/DES” is the Navy’s designation for large surface combatants that may include cruisers, destroyers, or frigates)
Alternative 2: LHD Homeporting
Alternative 5: ARG Homeporting
Alternative 6: CRU/DES Homeporting and LHD Homeporting

Group 2 – Alternatives Involving CVN Capability. Each alternative involves a dredging project required to allow access and berthing of one CVN without draft restrictions. While no CVN would be homeported under any of the Group 2 Alternatives, three of the four alternatives in this group also include homeporting of other surface ships. The four alternatives in Group 2 include:

Alternative 3: CVN Capable
Alternative 7: CRU/DES Homeporting and CVN Capable
Alternative 9: LHD Homeporting and CVN Capable
Alternative 11: CRU/DES Homeporting and LHD Homeporting and CVN Capable

Group 3 – Alternatives Involving Homeporting of a CVN. Each alternative includes homeporting a CVN, a dredging project (same as Group 2 alternatives), and construction of CVN nuclear propulsion plant maintenance facilities. Homeporting of other surface ships is included in all but one alternative. The four alternatives in Group 3 include:

Alternative 4: CVN Homeporting
Alternative 8: CRU/DES Homeporting and CVN Homeporting
Alternative 10: LHD Homeporting and CVN Homeporting
Alternative 12: CRU/DES Homeporting and LHD Homeporting and CVN Homeporting.

The no action alternative is also evaluated, whereby no additional surface ships would be established at NAVSTA Mayport.

Preferred Alternative. The Navy's Preferred Alternative is to homeport a single CVN at NAVSTA Mayport (Alternative 4).

Additional details regarding the proposed action and alternatives are provided in the Proposed Action and Alternatives Fact Sheet.